Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1942-09-04
CHAPTER XXI
STORY

They stood together, gazing at the
dress; its long train lined with lace
ruffles, it's high neck, its narrow
waist. The veil had a satin band
over the head and bunch of osprey
at the side. Beverly was crying.
"She must have been so happy
when she wore them, Chris"
"Dont think about it, darling.
Don't think. Just love me and let
me love YOU"
Beverly matured at that time, con-
fronting raw life and suffering as she
was for the first time. One day she
told Chris that she wanted to make
him a home and bear his children.
She wanted sons, fine big sons like
himself. He was touched beyond
speech. But later he talked to her
about their marriage.
''I'm a poor man, Beverly. You
won't like that"
''I'll not be poor, Chris"
Listen, darling. I can't let your
father support me, or you either. If
you take me, you must take me as
I am"
"Then I take you as you are" she
said softly.
He knew that she had no idea of
what he meant, no notion of real pow
erty or of struggle of any sort; but
he was too deeply in love by that time
to insist further. 1t was not until
one day soon after that, when she
showed him her linens, that he felt
that something would have to be
done. They lay everywhere, great
piles of shinin gdamask embroidered
with her monogram; linen sheets,
napkins, towels, tablecloths.
&c reat Scott, do I have to live up
to that? Who's going to wash
them?"
you're too practical, Chris. That's
my business"
Then one day Stanton Lewis sent
for him, and he found himself across
the desk in the library, from de-
vitalized little man who regarded
him with blank eyes but intense dig
nifty.
81 have been waiting for you to
come to me, Dictor," he said. "Since
it is a question of my only child"
81 thought it could wait, Mr., Lewis.
This hardly seemed the time"
at was not a time for Beverly to
become engaged, for that natter"
said Staunton coldly. Nevertheless,
it is time we came to an understand
ing. If you intend to marry her, she
must be supported, naturally"
81 had hoped to do that, sir"
"0n what? On what?'
"On what I earn, or shall earn"
Nonsense! If you want to starve,
that's your affair. Beverly is an
other matter" Then his voice chang
ed. "She has-she will have-some
money from her mother. I suppose
that will help9"
"Not to support her. If she wants
to buy her own things with it, that's
different. 1 must support my own
wife, Mr.. Lewis. I can't live on her
money or on yours
better men than yoU have done
il"
K ended where /, began, both men
determined and StaUutoN b,owjOg
hand with anger, Toward the last
he called Chris Il stubborn fool and
after that he was barely civil TO him.
All in all, life was not too COM
Portable for Chris that summer. Lily,
without Katie about, had slumped
into a comfortable lethargy, and the
house was in chronic disorder. The
heat was terrific in the mill district,
and men were drinking water from
a river which, as Ted Lawrence said,
was TOO thin to pillow and too thick
to drink And Chris was too busy
sometimes even to see Beverly at all.
Then che day out of clear and
boiling hot sky Jerry Ames came
back from wherever he had been, ar
irving armed with flowers for the
sick woman and ring in box for
Beverly-to learn of her engagement.
~EngagedS" he said whitelipped
and incredulouS. To whoms"
~To Chris Arden"
~The doctor fellow. I don't believe
It You're not serious, are you?"
''Very serious
al don't get it." he said finally.
HTt isn't Vol What sort of life will