The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1937-05-14
By PH YLIIS VI.
GA l. l. AGHE + X

around, niS palu uSdh D1bSNsS
Peters chin. his little arms tWisling
and turning. sandy was working Ike .
dog to get I'D his burp for Peter.
Marcia said lightly; TRY hard, Sandy
darling" And Sandy burped. hs
nearly took of the roof.
Marcia laughed. "Well, Sandy. can
sse YOU haven't been reading your book
on etiquette And Peter laughed TOO.
He said Mice going. old mani you
couldn't have done better II there naa
been beer In your bottle"
Back In the kitchen Marcia closed the
door gently and leaned against IT, hes
young heart ached. This Is like being
married" she thought. ITO Peter. DIM
ner cooking. The baby" For one mo-
ment she buried her face In her palms
Then the coffee boiled over and Marcia
ran TO it, and presently Peter came into
the kitchen. He said tenderly: "Sandys
ssleep"
He stood close, looking down into ner
eyes. She didn't move. In that one short
second she saw her future pass befcre
her, the brittle, crystal future that
had no place for Peter; the future her
mother desired for her and which she
was obediently following like Grace
and Gwenn. She saw baby. too A
nurse would have 1t all day and she and
Ed would be so busy climbing, meeting
the right people. that days would so by
before they even stepped into the
nursery.
Grace and Tony had q baby. too.
Grace was always writing: We go TO
Florida. and when we come back six
months later we wouldn't know junior
to be our own child" She and Ed would
be saying that. She and Ed!
DUT Peter didn't take her In his
J arms. He looked away from her
and Marcia knew. with sinking feel
ing. that he had no intention OF taking
her In his arms. So he didn't care. He
had found that he could get over being
In love with her. after all.
And she knew with something almost
like shame that Ii Peter had taken her
In his arms she would have returned
his kiss, she would have cried q httls
with this sudden happiness, and torlor-
row there would have been short
notice In the paper saying that Mise
Marcia Davis engagement TO Captain
Edward Stafford was broken. The malls
would have been crowded with wed-
ding presents being returned to ths
donors.
Peter said aWkwardly: "Ah, coffeel -
And she thought, n1iserably. He's EN-
barrassed. He knew I wanted him to
kiss me and he couldn't because he
doesn't care any more"
she said gayly. #Cofyeel" and then
tbs doorbell shrteked. Peter cried:
Heavens. that would wake up the deadl
That would wake up SANDY" They
both ran pellrnell through the tiny
partment. There at the door stood Ed
meticulols Ia afternoon forulals He
was trritated. Vastly annoyed, He
said harshly: Marcia. didn't you know
the Fixes were having o tea In our
honor this afternoon? That damned
dressmaker OF yours couldn't remember
this address, I've been to every apart
ment house on the street,"
Marcia said, Ed. I'm sorry And
she introduced the two men.
Ed shook hands grirnly. Marcia
didn't know whether it was because
Peter was so handsome or because
Peter was waste of time In his estima-
ton. HIS turned back to Marcia and
said: There's Just time to make ths
generals dinner. I'll have TO change
So will you"
Marcia got her hat, she clutched her
pocketbook nervously. Peter said
THANK you. Marcia" And then Marcis
was hurrying beside Ed.
Ed was saying: ssI don't know what
excuse we can give the Fixes. Its ur-
pardonahle, you know They wers
walking out to Eds limousine. Eds cans
clicking a sharp, angry staccato He
went on: by the way, Marcia. theiS
will be man present tonight to who
want you to be gracious An Engl M
mara--very influential. 4
But Marcia didn't hear. She ST on
short, her blue eyes on little patch
q park facing the apartment2 i,ous
On bench there a. young co@uple sa
looking up at the third flooN. waitin
patiently, almost searfullyG Marci
knew who they were. Tlge girl wa
Peters sister. The blonde gstrl who hae
been with Peter at the fnovies Tht
man was Sandy's father,
So they hadn't gone to Richmond
They hadn't gone anywfhere No story
had broken on the Eiill They had
loaned Peter their apartment and their
precious baby. Now 1Iarcia knew why.
She knew with her heart singing and
her blood racing And she knew, too.
what fool she had been to think she
could marry Ed. What a fool she had
been to think that she was like Gracs
and GWenn-that she could obey her
mother in this important matter of hag
heart.
She turned on Ed, her eyes starry, and
said quickly: "Oh, Ed. now I am scrryi'
And then she fled and Ed stood thera
in the twilight, puzzled, hardly con-
scious of the diamond IN his palm.
The door wasn't locked when Marcia
tried 1t. She tipped In quietly. Petei
was sitting by the crib in the sprawlins
twilight shadows He was saying softI,
to the soundly sleeping Sandy: "Yos
did your best. old man Your very best
Rut If rjirls,,f ysrnrE uyo oya ~, r., ti,i,.