The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-03-23

AlanS nome WAS cuOdhlkSECO, anu Farrell did not intend to let it col- lapse without a struggle.
 Don't you love Alan?" he con- tinued as Emily did not answer. could you go through life happily, without ever seeing him agaIn?"
 T know what I'm doing" Emily's untitled answer came to him. She was sobbing again. Farrell steeled himself against her tears. He loved the child, too. If he gave in now, everything would be lost. She must be made to realize fully all the con- sequences of her divorce, and he, alone, could do 1t. She might resent the intrucion of an outsider, but he could speak as Alan's father would have spoken.
 T want you to be sure that you do, child" His voice was as gentle as his touch might have been, calm ing her turbulent emotions. T know even when Alan accepted Peterson's offer-that he would never leave Sumner. This is his life."
 "But it's not mine! can't stand 1t, Doctor, I can't. Alan's life. My life. Entirely separate. I can't go on."
 You're right, Emily. It can't go on. But before you give up, before you smash both your life and his, see if there isn't another way. You may think you could be happy without Alan, but you never will. Nor can he be happy without you.
 You want to blame Alan. Don't Let's not blame anyone. But con- slider this: when you came to Sum- ner you were a bride-a gay, happy young bride, ready to begin new life as doctors wife. The honey moon lasted for a while. Then "You refused - unconsciously per- haps-to assume the duties of this new life; you sought to carry over into your marriage the ideas of girl hood. And it won't work-it never will. You can't move St. Louis to Sumner any more than you can bring its parties here. You can't re- live those days of collrtship and first love; marriage is entirely different and you must face it."
 Emily said nothing as he talked, but she marveled that he knew as much about her as he did; it was as if he could read her thoughts. Farrell had seen her increasing dis content, worried over it; even, he said, maneuvered so that Alan could be at home more. Cases that he might have sent Alan, he cared for himself, so that Emily might enjoy a party or an evening at home.
 He had even sensed danger in Fries coming, for Kane's love for Emily had not been hidden from him. He had trusted Eric to leave before breaking up Alan's home, he told them, and even now he was sure that Eric had not betrayed that trust.
 "You thought that by taking Alan to St. Louis, you could regain his love-" Farrell told Emily. You i'm agined because Alan apparently neg lected you, that he no longer loved you. You didn't want to go to St. Louis for parties, for the old crowd, even for your family. You wanted Alan-all for yourself, so you would not have to share him with anyone.
 Tt wouldn't have worked there, child, and it might have been much worse."
 T don't see how, Dr. Farrell" Emily said: Admitting that Farrell had hit the truth, she could not see any hope of the future. Certainly you don't expect me to go on here in Sumner like we have?"
 No, don't. What you must req lize, Emily, is that country doc tors life plays a vital part in his profession. in his success. When you married Alan, you married med- icine, too. You have your share of the obligation, and until you assume it you won't be happy.
 You would like to believe, as a professor, Alan could be with you more of the time, that his patients would lose their claim upon his time. But Alan, unless he had lost heart, would soon have lost himself in teaching and study as fully as in his work here. You would be on the outside there, too, Emily, and what is worse, there is small place in a professors medical life for his wife. With a country doctor it's dit- ferent."
 T don't understand what you mean, Doctor"
 Let me tell you a story, Emily. It's about Alan's mother"
 She came to Summer, as a bride, even as you Farrell began. And she found her first few months of life here every bit as difficult and as hateful as you have found them. Sumner wasn't quite the city it is now, and there were few amuse- ments for the daughter of a senator. She could go to church, do her mar keting and that was about all. Peo- ple's tongues were pretty sharp then, too.
 But Sarah Warren wouldn't ad- init defeat. When she found medi- cine was crowding her out of her husbands life, she became an i'm portant factor in that medicine, and |