Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-04-01

Guy different from any she had
~ known before Different from the
boys at home and the few hard working male
models she had met in New York He didn't
work at all. He could play whenever he
wanted to-
Shirley couldn't believe that any girl had
ever loved a man as she loved Guy. She told
him So
She told him too much-too often.
Shirley could remember the very day. almost,
when he had become fed up. 1t wasn't long
after Easter and from that day her happiness
decreased-a little with each hour, 1t seemed.
II there was one particular physical reaction.
during those first dreadful weeks that Shirley
remembered it vas feeling of cold She was
cold all the time; not just around her heart,
but her finger tips her toes, her whole body.
When Guy left. he took all of her that was
glowing and alive, with him. She supposed
that she had been warm and content, and able
to think properly before she met him. But
never again, now.
It was the fact that she stood shivering in a
doorway, during a very gentle, very warm
early Summer shower that caused her to come
to know Michael.
He was afraid that she was sick
He was the sort of person whose own thoughts
were so clean and simple that he took it for
granted that most other peoples were, too.
When he asked Shirley to share his umbrella
with >him-asked If there anything he
could do-he never imagined for a moment that
she would think he trying to pick her up,
and Shirley didn't
He walked to her door with her, and before
he left, said: Il should like to see you again,
If may"
Shirley said: Come up now" because she
dreaded so the thought Of an afternoon alone.
I'm lonely"
professor of English literature. He lectured
somewhere, four times week He was %,
little carelessly put together, and very earnest.
Everything about him reminded Shirley of an
overgrown ST. Bernard puppy-a lovable one.
He stayed an hour-just that first afternoon,
but it wasn't long before they were spending
all their spare time together.
In a queer way, he was at once the most
tremendous comfort to her and the most ire
mendous hurt. He was so exactly the opposite
from Guy that it was impossible not to make
comparisons.
1t was just about three months after his
first unconventional, and yet decorous visit
that Michael sat on one Of the little spindley
chairs in Shirley's living room, trying to tell her
without being frightening, or indelicate-that
he had loved her from the first moment, when
he had found her shivering out under that
rain. He said. Il want you to be my wife,
Something swept over Shirley then.
She said: Il WILL Michael, dear. If you will
let me tell you everything first, and If you
still want me"
DUT Michael did; even after she told him
- she could never love him the way she had
loved Guy. Even then he wanted her, and
when he left they were engaged.
For while she was happy in a new, calm
way. Her work prospered-she was, by now,
one Of the 10 best known models in New York
and Michaels love for her was deep and
tender a thing that she could not fail to be
touched by it. But, after time, she began
to be afraid-unsure Of herself; and one day,
when she met Guy on Fifth avenue, and he
spoke to her as though nothing between them
had ever changed, she knew feeling Of real
panic.
After that brief encounter, all the old COM
parsons came back with rush. It was the
end of her gentle happiness with Michael
When she had met Guy she was waiting for
bus to take her to Michael's apartment ON
Riverside drive. She had never been there be-
fore.
He had tea waiting for her on black
enamel tray and he had purchased little bag
q caraway-seed cakes Shirley wanted to cry.
because she couldn't love him, and because
she had arranged to meet Guy at the Plaza,
later, and because she knew she was q
Wretched, weak, deceitful creature to be thrill
ing at the prospect of doing something so fool
ish and so wrong.
But the first time you do wrong Is the hard
est, she discovered. After that 1t becomes easy
80 easy. that it hardly seems though you
we're doing wrong any more. f--- Z -@~tr 10