The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-06-18

forgotten that this is your wedding night9 The handsome, debcnai1 Robert Is giving you his name"
 Marcia motioned to the green frock. "Take 1t off, wenda. Yct won't be wearing 1t. There isn't go- ing to be a wedding"
 "Are you crazy? Is it a quarrel9"
 'No, we'll still be concerned about each others health when we meet. We just aren't marrying each other, Bob's love is parked around in too many places. But he was going to hang his hat in my house. That's all"
 wenda glanced at the cloiscnne clock on the dressing table and pressed button. "Quick, hot tea, lots of it." she told the maid. "Tell Carl to have the car ready" Then she turned back to Marcia and smiled. "Want to tell me about itG"
 Marcia nodded. She made the story brief but complete. "--so the weddings off and you have to go over to the house and tell my fam fly. Tell them I'll call tomororw. can't-go back"
 'Men are queer,' Wcnda unused. Drink you tea, Marcia. It'll warm you up. Men do utterly ir1conse- Quential things that look mountain ous: They all like to think they are Don Juans. Maybe he was being dramatic. Your weddings planned and he chose you. That's soine- thing"
 "Something-but not everything. That's why I'm not going on, Ven da. He might not be willing to leave his old girls behind him"
 Maybe you're right--but I'm not sure." Wenda looked down at the green swirls of tulle. I've always wanted to be a maid of honor. I've qualified as a bridesmaid seven times, but that's as near to the al- tar as I can get. Never an advanced positiofll But if the weddings off, what shall tell your fnother?" She reached for a long white cape, thought again, and began to unfast- er1 her frcck.
 "That I'll get in touch with her tomorrow, and Tin sorry"
 "Youll wait here for tne9 Prom- ise?"
 "I,ll wait. And don't take off your dress. Go as you are"
 Wenda put her arms around the girl in the chair. "Cry, Marcia. It will help" Then she was gone. E,oR the second time, that after II noon Marcia was alone in @ room that carried the touches of 8 wed- ding preparation. We11da had for. gotten her flowers, and the old-fash- toned nosegay, fastened with silver foil and lcoped with green tulle, lay on the dressing table by the slender jeweled vanity case that had been the brides gift.
 The hands of the clock moved slowly. The house grew quiet. An- other car pulled out. Evidently Marcia's parents had started to the wedding by now. There was noth- ing in the world but tirne-h0urs and days and months and years, and there was nothing to do with them any more. Nothing to do with them. Marcia jumped up swiftly and scrib- bled a note ct the desk.
 "Wenda darling, you're a dear and I tried to wait. The jitters have me ---prenuptial jitters. I have my car downstairs and I'm going to drive. I'll telephone you tomorrow. Forgive me, Wenda, and thank you for everything"
 She climbed into the roadster, stepped on the accelerator, and be- gan to 90 faster and faster. She wondered what excuses her mother would make to the wedding guests maybe she would pretend that her daughter had the measles or ap- pendicitis. Everyone would be polite but no one would believe the story. She might have been driving for two hours or 20 minutes-she didn't know - when she came down Park Avenue on the east side of the green carpet of grass that runs through the center of the street. It was dark now, quite dark.
 Maybe her father would put pri- vate detectives on her trail. He might be afraid that something