Nogales international., 1935-06-08

Tony, his eyes alight-("But it
doesn't mean anything, it's Just that
Pm new sensation" Ellen tried to
tell herself)-was helping her out OF
the car. All at once his attitude
toward her held difference-it was
as if she had grown very soft, very
fragile.
well, here we are" said Tony.
"Any last statement you'd like TO make
to the press, Miss Church? Before
entering the church :"
Ellen essayed smile She was
realizing that she wouldn't be Miss
anything much longer.
Keep back the reporters, big boy
For I'm to be queen of the May !" =
Tony was answering seriously,
"You haven't any flowers =
And then they were in the church.
and it was dim and cool and sweet
and somehow very lonely. And Ellen
ceased suddenly to think of Tony and
thought instead of her mother Lying
in a cool, sweet, lonely place. OF her
mother-who had warned her, with
that sad, whimsical mirth, against the
very thing she was about to do. That
oh, God-her heart had already done
The minister had come swiftly into
the room. A minister who wasn't al
all old; who looked at Ellen as if he
liked her and who shook hands
firmly, with Tony. The minister ex'
amned the marriage license, and said
to Ellen
You're very young, aren't you?"
And, Haven't you any people you'd
like to have with you: Or" at the
shake of Ellen's head, 'or any friends,
to be witnesses :"
Again Ellen shook her head
mutely, but Tony answered. He
wasn't awed by the loneliness. OF the
church, not Tony---he wasn't eaten by
memories
I'VE didn't even remember we had
friends" he told the minister, Say,
isn't there someone around here who
can witneSS this for us ?"
The minister nodded. He wasn't
as young as Ellen had thought, at
first! He lett the chapel And. while
he was gone, Tony bent swiftly, and
kissed Ellen. 1t was not the kiss Of
possession-it was comforting,
friendly kiss.
Just exactly the sort OF a kiss that
Ellen needed. 1t made her whole soul
turn to Tony!
The minister was back again viii,
q man in overallS, with grass stains
on them-he would be the handy man
who took care of the square OF lawn
and tall girl with spectacles. He
had put a gown over his dark suit,
and he carried a slim prayer book i'll
his hand,
Stand together, So" he told Ellen
and Tony. mo, in front Of me. Join
hands. No, your right hands :"
Ellen, in a daze, felt Tony's large
fingers close about her small ones.
The minister's words swan around
her in a mist of sound. Beautiful
words-liquid, musical phrases-the
marriage service.
Dearly beloved" said the minister,
and then
For better, Tor worse, for richer,
for poorer" (Was Tony elancing
down at her-didnt he know, couldn't
he guess, that the money didn't mat
ter?) In sickness and in health . J."
A mist of words. And the tall girl
fussing with hang nail on her thumb,
and the man in overallS scratching his
ear, and a fly buzzing Just in back of
the minister's head. And Tony's
hands SO damp. SO slippery with mois-
ture, that it was hard for him to
place the little sapphire hoop on
Ellen's finger.
The minister was speaking.
How do you do, Mrs. Brander !"
he said and Tony was handing him
a bill that shcre very yellow in the
dim light
And then Tony's arms around her,
right there in the church, And his
lips asking questions against her lips
And her lips answering those
questions -.
"Mrs. Brander p AS she sat across
the suavely white luncheon table from
her new husband-nervouSly slipping
a tomato Juice cocktail and trying not
to quake both inwardly and out
Nardly-Ellen endeaYored to tell her