The Washington times., 1938-06-09

A sorrows crown OF SOrrOW Is
remembering happier things" and
finally, while she, Mrs. MCGEE,
might denounce, flay, caStigate,
even Slay Mr.. MCGEE, and prob
ably in the near future and with
horse pistol, woe to anyone else
who embarked upon a similar ad-
venture of retribution.
It wasn't long before Francis
Xavier MCGEE heard of his wife's
semidefense of himself, and took
hope. But he left her fathers door
hurriedly, hastily, missiles flying
after him, as well as bitter, biting,
acid-dipped and soul-torturing
words.
Having thus routed her hus-
band, ruined a happy reconctlia-
ton and made herself quite fit
indeed, Noreen took to her bed
and wept her heart out-wept,
that is, until the doughty Frank
annexed plural quantities of slim
ulation and returning to the resi-
dence of the O'Haras, insisted
upon shot-putting paving stones
through the O'Hara windows until
suppressed by the occupants Of
three police radio patrol cars.
The MCGEE resistance was so
spectacular, to say nothing of his
quaint way of revenging himself
upon his eStranged wife, that the
press of the city did well by the
achievement, recalling, as well, his
sterling performances upon the
gridiron in former years, and COM
menting facetiously on his having
turned in q fire alarm prior to the
shot-putting, the alarm having
been hopefully directed at driving
his wife into the street and his
waiting arms.
THE REV. STEPS IN
Along about this time the Rev.
Timothy McShane, following the
example of all clergymen anxious
to bind up the wounds of human
ity with one hand while saving
souls with the other, decided to
take a hand. Mr.. MCGEE was
waited from his prison cell and to
freedom as though by legerde-
main, which is a new name for a
political boss Father Mac knew.
Noreen received an urgent call
to confer with her spiritual men
tor of these many years. Came the
denouement, as the still unchase-
tened Francis faced his indignant
wife; came the soothing voice of
the ecclesiast, turning sounds into
words that touched the heart
strings and played on the emo
tions; came, too, a clergyman'S
action in digging deep into his
store of human nature, so that
two people who really loved
might again carry on as one.
Said Father McShane:
"AS long as I've known you both,
my children, you have fought, one
with the other. Despite these dis
agreements, mutual attraction.
mutual love, has always drawn
you back again.
ut will ever be so, and your
lives will never be tranquil. But
to some, there is greater happi-
ness in love marked by occasional
fury, than a love ship that never
knows a SQuall, gale, or surg
ing sea.
Somehow, my children. we
often hurt most those we love best.
It is part of mans inhumanity to
man. And, just as He is all fault,
who has no fault at ALL so 1t is
to say, The greatest of faults is
to be conscious Of none
"You, Noreen, and you, Francis,
have fought so many years and so
bitterly, that, strangely enough,
you have come to expect and en-
joy such conflict. You would miss
it if it were not there. You would
find your being together like unto
food that is unseasoned; like unto
food that is unbaked. Whereas,
like poles repel and unlike poles
attract-in the science Of cleo
tricity-it is not always so in life.
THE MAKEUP KISS
IT want you to kiss each other
now, as you did when I married
you. Now, now, Noreen, no scream
ing; and you, Frank, stop your
growing. Do as I tell you. I will
look out the window here-out
into the busy street below-below
where there are many heartaches,
too. Then I will talk to you
again."
Father McShane rested chin in
hand and abSently stroked his
iron gray hair for full five min
utes before he turned around.
When he did so the McGeeS were
staring at each other thought
fully-eyeS misty.
We're. we're oh, we're both
sorry," they suffered uncertainty.
We'll try again. and really try
this time. And thanks so much"
The Rev. McShane shook the
hands of his oid friends, patted
them lightly on the shoulders and
returned to the window Of his
study to watcn them go up the
street, arm in ann.
"Strange," he ruminated,
strange indeed this business of
life: strange that two who care so
deeply, act so thoughtlessly. But,
tempers will cool with the years;
fires will burn low, and then, later,
a new contentment for what they
know now. Well, it has been writ
ten that What makes old age so
sad, is not thai our joys cease,
| L,.S A.,~ LAYaaa