The guardian., 1941-01-04
Her Companionate
Marriage
By EDWARD FARNHAM
ASSOCIATED NewspapersJ
WNU Service.
M Y DEAR, marriage is a lot
A'A terry" said Aunt Prue fThat

well, prefer to take all the
risks that are going" June told her
great-aunt, who had raised her. And
two days later she had married
Stann Wiseman. Companionate mar
rage, as to whose meaning June was
a little vague, was only a theory
then. But as it was hanging around
waiting to be set up in practice, her
aunt's parting shot that Stann would
no sooner get her than he would
want some one else prompted her
to ask him the day before the cere-
mony what he thought of compan-
lonate marriage. "Suits me right
down to the ground" he said.
What about your" And with a sob
in her heart and a smile on her
lips she had acquiesced. "But we'll
keep it quiet" she had faltered.
Sure" he had agreed. "And for
five years." he had added.
That was five years ago. And to-
day her five-year lease of Stann was
due to expire. 1t was the fifth ami
versary of their wedding. Two days
ago he had phoned her to pack his
bag. He would run up for twas
rushing out of town for the firm
would be back the next night sure.
But he had not returned. AS she
watched little two-year-old Buster,
the party of the third part to their
strange marriage contract, she COM
pleted her preparations for depar-
ture.
Through the silent watches of the
previous night she had decided that
she would start for Aunt Prue's ear
ly this morning. Stann had slipped
away; it was the kindest way of
terminating their contract, he had
doubtless thought.
She called a taxi. It was Just
striking eight when June and Buster
rumbled over the rough road. AS
the driver pulled up at the curb
June stif1ed cry. For there-step-
ping out of a car ahead of them
was Stann in his stocking feet. He
hoped across the puddles on the
sidewalk to a boot and shoe shop
and ratified the door vigorously. The
store was not yet open.
An almost inarticulate order to
the driver, and in fifteen minutes
June was back home, moving list
lessly about, collecting a few per-
sonal belongings preparatory to quit
ting the house forever. The phone
rang. eyes, Della" June answered.
Say, June, Peg just rang up, says
Molly phoned her that Marge Baker
has Stann's boots at her house; left
them behind him or something;
didn't hear the particulars. Ha! Hal"
A loud peal through the house.
June hurried to the door. "The gen.
tleman's boots" said the chauffeur
of smart limousine as he hurriedly
handed them in and ran down the
steps.
Stann's boots She caught her
breath as there fiuttered from the
toe little slip of paper which Stann
had placed there on their wedding
night. June had been superstitious,
and so he had worn an old pair of
boots for luck. When he took them
off that night he had scrawled on
scrap of paper, Sacred to the
memory of our wedding day." and
laughingly stuck it in the toe. And
each anniversary since Stann had
worn the old boots for luck-just to
please her.
She set the boots on the hall chair.
So he had been at Marge Bakers.
That was the Bakers car. AS she
mechanically stuffed Busters Teddy
bear and dancing monkey into her
bag the door opened and Stann
rushed in, lo..g box under his arm.
AS he dropped it and came forward
with outstretched arms to encircle
June and Buster his eye caught
sight of the boots, then June's face
set, the open bags being made ready
for departure. He flushed.
Gosh! Where did these come
from? A darn pretty mess these
boots got me into this morning.
Somebody on the train pinched
them"
The ringing of the telephone in
terrupted him. eyes, Mr.. Baker,"
June answered. "My husband is
just telling me about it now"
Sorry" Mr.. Baker said. my
daughter and l left the train at the
junction. She rushed back for her
umbrella. In the scramble to get
off again she made a mistake in
the berth and grabbed Mr.. Wise
mans boots; thought l had left them
behind me. Luckily the address
was in the toe"
"Is that the old duffer who pinched
my boots?" Stann casually asked
June, as half laughing, half crying,
she turned from the phone to be
smothered in two dozen American
Beauty roses swathed in white sat
in ribbon.
"But, Stann," she irrelevantly in
terrupted, this is our fifth we'd
ding anniversary; l thought it was
to be companionate marriage"
$50 did l! And hasn't it been?"
he asked as he tossed Buster the
end of a ribbon and started the
phonograph whose strains of Here
CnVoae priIO - t,,it,r,Io1 ,,,;4L