The Daily Alaska empire., 1934-03-24

OuQg liOItIs l W lAaA any idea of marrying Matilda. As for mothers coming to live with us-if had well Tilda's the only per son she's never been able to whip at bridge and life would have been one iong tournament, and 1 don't like tournaments" %
 Judith wasn't jealons of Mathile Bcvins. She assured herself of this the day they moved into "Hillendale Cottage" However, she didn't un- derstand why, with thirty-one days to October, Mathile had to chose that particular day for the Naiad to dock at the turning basin.
 Someone had to drive down for Mrs. Dale, senior, and someone had to stay at the house to attend to the last moment affairs. Judith pre- ferred being at the house.
 This sho' is pretty house. Miss Judy" wheezed Delphy, sinking into deep chair in the living room, with the easy familiarity of one "bo'n t the family"
 And you like your quarters, Dephy? Hcw about Lige, is it go- ing to be too far from town for him?"
 Laws no. that boy he kin get up a one man crap game, an it's a sight easier on me when he loses to his self"
 She looked out on the long room with it's quaint fixtures, pale yellow walls and sea-green drapes.
 Seems right nice Twin here with furnichur 1 been polishin' thirty years. Member how Mas Anthony brung it long from 'ginia. Mig Dale, tho she don't need no furniture 'ceptin' card table. Many's a time 1 said s shame she weren't bon man SOS she could put that there mind O hers to business. Some wo- men ought to have a dozen chilern' or a boardin' house 70 keep them busy, and she's one.'
 Judith smiled a small secret smile as she thought of Mrs. J. An thony Dale," Cia had said, lis a fine example of a good business woman finding an outlet for her talent in social piracy"
 A FEW nights later, in the throes \ of giving her first formal dinner. she thought again of what Clia and Delphy had said. Trembling with fatigue and excitement she sat be- fore her dressing room table trying to fasten the strap of her beige vel vet gown.
 Twenty guests suppose one or two were late, didn't come Lige -inust remember Big Tom was to thave only water, no wine, no coffee E. and afterwards, the orchestra was to begin with the Venetian Suite Dolores looked so lovely behind her huge harp .. . she men, toned this to Norman, who was struggling with his tie.
 "Reminds me-" he sad, "I'll put up card table in the den, that's far enough away so the few who have to have their bridge won't be an. noyed."
 Y Judith looked into the mirror Would the time come when she would be like this mother of his? Would marriage and motherhood leave her life so empty she'd want to return to the business world out of sheer boredom?
 Norman and Judith spent theii first Thanksgiving with the Bevins and as fond as was Judith of Big Tom she began to look upon his family as flies in the amber of hei honeymoon.
 But Thanksgiving was not as mo notonous as Judith had anticipated Big Toms delight at having hei there made up for Mathile's insist ence upon monopolizing Norman and when the engineer. so clearly showing the mark of illness. took her into the library to show her a miniature dam he had constructed, she became completely absorbed in | the project.
 And then time passed an6 some. how it seemed to her she had always lived there; had always been mar. ried to Norman. There was nothing in watching the mantel clock for the hands to point to the hour his cal would purr up the driveway and she would meet him at the door. to re mind her of the lonely nights in hel apartment.
 The unity of their life and love was so perfect she made no attempt to analyze it, or fear 1t too perfect to last.
 And then, like the shattering of z fragile prism came telephone mes sage in the midst of their Valentine party.
 Tom Bevins had dropped dead.
 (Copyrioht. 19ss. by Jeanne Botoman)
 Monday, Judith shoulders heavy