The Washington times., 1935-09-26

W41dI IA AOAAA5' @A@S ~~AAS
boy friend I ever had is get
ting married to somebody else!
Yes, that was a wedding an
nouncement, just like I said.
He's getting married, and I
wish him luck. hope he's
happy. I don't give a darn
HOW many times he gets mar
ried. I wouldn't have him my
self If"
Mary" Pa said, half humor.
ously, half seriously, "if there's
going to be any cusSing in this
house I'll do it,"
"Well, I don't. And let me
tell you I've been a nice young
girl just about long enough"
babel"
ooh, Ma! Be sane! I'm not
going to do anything. I
shouldn't. You ought to know
that. Heavens! But I AM 60
ing to branch out and have
some real good times, and I'm
simply not going to be treated
as a child any longer. If the
Samsons-I mean Mrs. Samson
wants to be nice to me I'm
going to let her, and you
ought to be glad it's the Boss
wife who wants to take me
up. Besides-isn't ONE old
maid enough in this house! It
is for mel"
But because Ma cried, she
had to take half Of it back,
"Oh, Ma, + m not going to be
any different. really!" and to
promise. "Oh, of course I'll
always tell you where I ami"
What's the use? You can't
be independent when you have
a family!
AS a sort of penance she
played cribbage with Pa, con-
cealing yawns behind her hand
kerchief. until 10 o'clock.
Then she went to bed and SET
tied herself for a good cry.
But no tears came. Her
thoughts Strayed. Was she cal
lous? Shallow? Was it posi-
BILE that she never loved him at
all? Or was it just the relief of
knowing that it was all over,
that the last hope was dead,
and he was indeed lost to her,
that made her feel so carefree,
SO hollow, so Indifferent to her
loss?
And just as she was admiring
her fortitude, in a detached, i'm
personal way, it broke.
Tears poured from her closed
eyes, SobS tore themselves from
her throat. 7 can't bear it, it's
too much He's mine, MINE,
MINE! I'll never give him up!
And she writhed in an agony
Of self pity and shame, as she
knew that 1t didn't matter
whether she'd give him up or
not he'd given her up
1t was all over He was
through.
Some time later, she didn't
know how much later, the door
creaked open to the accompani-
ment of Aunt Willie's piercing
stage whisper that would wake
anything but the dead:
MARY! Are you aSleep?"
IT was, but I'm awake now.
Oh, Aunt Willie-DON'T light
the lamp!"
"Oh, why not? I hate the
dark. Just this little reading
lights all right, isn't it? Listen
I'm so MAD-I'm so raving,
tearing mad I could bawl my
eyes out"
No danger Of Aunt Willie no
ticing her red and swollen eyes.
She was too wrapped up in her"
self.
"Well, what made you mad?"
she asked, feeling tolerant and
patient, because she was listen
ing to Aunt Willie's little trou-
bles when her own heart was
broken, her own tears were
scarcely dry.
Listen! 1t would make any
body mad. guess I've got as
much sense Of humor as any
body. But when they try to
make a fool out of you-I
wouldn't do it to anybody, not
even a dog, or my worst enemy.
And I never did anything to any
of them. It makes me so MAD
I can't keep from crying. al.
ways want to bawl when get
mad. I don't know why, but it
just seems when I get mad I
just cry, and l."
The high, cracked voice, rat
Ting on so fast that Mary could
hardly understand, broke in q
high hiccoughing sob.
(TO be COntinued)
Copyright, 1898. By King
Features Syndicate. 1nc.)