The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-03-21

you up. IOu Ie MS hlIlu. IL > lHe
right sort of marriage-yours and
Rogers"
Not without love-" Emily said
quietly. No marriage without
love is right"
Love- Love!" Della Perry
ragged. There was more than dis.
appointment in her raging. There
was sort of distraction that
Emily found it hard to under
stand. After all it was her life
that was being blown to bits.
We're disgraced! Disgraced!"
Della went on and on. after all
we've done for you! Everything
we've lad we've put into trying
to make your future what it
should be. Now there's nothing
nothing"
Something about the bitterness
of her mothers voice turned
Emily to her in sharp alarm.
Mother, what do you mean?"
she asked. rs there something
else-something don't know?
Something -" But Della Perry
was crying softly into her
crumpled handkerchief.
Finally she said unsteadily:
Roger will never be happy
with a girl like that. He'll thank
you some day for refusing to re-
lease him now"
eyes, l thought that too"
Emily's voice was very low. 81 went
up there, mother, with all sorts
of silly ideas. l went up there ex-
pecting to find a girl who's face
would look like the experimental
laboratory of cosmetic factory.
Instead found one who reminded
me of tropical flowers. Do you re-
member the way the geraniums
grow in Mexico? Well, she's that
way"
It wasn't until Della had
trailed out of the room, turning
out the light as she did so. that
Emily, already in her fragile
night robe, dropped YEARLY into
bed. Lying fiat on her back. hands
under her head, she closed her
eyes. Tears she had been denying
all evening squeezed through I'M
der her lids.
She wondered vaguely and
with a faint unaccountable sense
of alarm WHY her mother was so
distraught She could hear her
parents voices talking in their
room She remembered then that
her father had seemed strange
lately, not himself. and thought
it was too bad her mother was
keeping him awake discussing
something that couldn't be helped
or changed.
She was reminded of an old
Spanish proverb she had heard
somewhere: Give YOUR child luck
and throw him into the sea-"
Lovely had that sort of luck.
New Jolt
NEXT afternoon Marcia Cos
y graves shock found relief in
tears. She cried prettily.
But Roger, you really can't
mean this foolishness?" she asked.
"Foolishness?" from Roger.
Eyes, about being in love with
this strange girl"
1T isn't foolishness. mother"
But, Roger-you've always
been in love with Emily"
Il thought that too | thought
lot of things. among them that
I'd had love and so was immune
to it. But didn't even know what
love was"
you don't think this girl
would want you if it wasn't for
your money!"
II don't know about that. I'd
want her anyhow. Whether she
wanted me or not. If you and
father want to diSinherit me-"
but Marcia's voice was quick to
interrupt
"Disinherit you! Roger, you're
our son. our only soni Whatever
We have is yours always. Such
thingS-our love for our children
can't depend upon whether or
not they do as we wish"
Thank you for that. honey
bee" His taut pale face relaxed in
a smile and he bent and kissed his
mother. Roger would have been
hurt to the heart if be had been
asked to choose betw cen Lovely
and his parents.
II was thinking of the Perrys,"
Marcia continued in the young,
fragile and lovely voice. They'd
planned so on this. Now that /
think of it they've lived awfully
quietly lately. You feel they've
just lived for Emily and this mar
riage"
1t was a telephone call from
Mrs. Perry that interrupted that
conversation. She asked for Mar
cia.
My dear!" Marcia said, the in
strument in her hand. Then she
stood silent for so long that Roger
wondered. Words were pouring
from Della Perry's lips.
They're only children. you
know" she was saying. They
don't know what they're doing
We're so much older and wiser
than they. We've been through /
all We must keep them from do
ing anything foolish for Rogers
sake as well as Emily's Roger'd
never forgive us later il we stood
by and let this thing go OIL
mean breaking their engagement
and ALL"
And Marcia was agreeing with
one part of her mind and wonder
ing. with the other, why such
devastating panic should possess
Dsua Perry.
"EEgiily's coming 10 her Sensesl"
Mrs Perry went on 1T was juSt
a nervous reaction. You know
how girls are She is not break
ne her engagement I've made
her see how silly that was"
When finally Della Perry