The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-11-01

| ful"
 You know, all this is extraordln- ary, What are We going to do?"
 Do, Professor? Why, as seem to have led you captive already with practically no expense for lipstick-we might get married"
 Oh, yes. Married
 You've heard of it?"
 T certainly have, and were going to be married, at the proper time, but I want you to finish at least two years of college
 "Why?"
 "Oh, to be prepared to take a great place in the world I'm not going to stay in a dump like Kin nikinick all my life"
 T should hope not! But why can't be married and still go to school?"
 Against the college rules here for an undergraduate to get mar ried.'
 Why, the old meanies! Any way, there's no rule against being engaged. Will I do some ring hauntingp
 It had come to him that if Teckla heard of his being engaged, she would be annoyed, and that her father was chairman of the Kinni- kinick Board of Trustees, who could make the place itchy for a profess sor, contract or no. He picked up Peony'S hand and kissed 1t and put 1t carefully back, and told her about l Teckla.
 It had never been so nearly easy | for him to be so nearly honest. He asserted that Teckla was good and helpful soul, and Peony did nothing more than snarl, T don't trust any womanl" and, at the end, demand, But now you're not even going to have tea, call it tea, with that wo- man any more, are you!'
 Certainly he wasn't, How could she think of such thing?
 Gideon! If her father and the trustees are likely to cut up-maybe get us scandalized why do we need to stay here? Maybe It's time for you to beat 1t, on and upward. EXcelsior"
 Maybe 1t is, at that. I'd like to have a job in Columbia University"
 But I see you doing something more active than teaching, Gideon. Some day maybe you'll be governor or a senator
 Now isn't that strange, your speaking about that! I've always had a hunch I could do something big in politics get to the top - and Of course do lot of good Tor people"
 Sure you could! know it. Oh, Gideon, isn't 1t wonderful!" HE called on Teckla Schaum. II He was sorry for himself that he should have to feel sorry for Teckla. He plunged;
 Honey, I guess the kindest way would be for me to come right out and"
 She said calmly, Gid, imagine you've come to tell mo that you've finally managed to fall for some girl. Is that it?'
 Something like that, I'm afraid. But listen, dear: it's because l was a lonely scholar and you accustom- ed me to a woman's tender care that I ever began looking around
 He was wondering whether he could get away with it.
 She ignored his craft. T don't want to know about your girl, and l shan't snoop. Go with my blessing, if you still care for it.
 T do care for 1t, and I do need 1t, Teckla, won't try to bc proud
 ''Is that a crack?"
 No, honest to God 1t isn't! mean, cant afford to be proud, because of your father, as a trus- tee, got down on me, 1t would probably ruin me, whereas if he thought it was you that Don't you see?"
 T suppose that's fair. He might think you'd been trifing with the poor widow woman. I'll have to tell him threw you out"
 LIE had always been good hand II at Seeing the Proper People. He was calling upon the presidents wife at o'clock; he was drinking tea, with no especial distaste, and being eloquent.
 Dear lady he explained, he was throwing himself upon her mercy; he was turning to her as the only human being who would under stand. He was in love. (But purely0 Believe it or not (only she'd better Believe it if she didn't want to man gle his heart. the first thing that hat attracted him to this girl (no, wait. he'd tell her the name later) was that she was so much like Mrs Bull; the same aristocratic manner, the same womanly sympathy the same gimlet of intelligence and if he might be so brash, the same agate eyes.
 But, and here were the old ac- customed woes, and Abelard and Heloise, and Rutherford B. Hayes and the postmistress, his girl was an undergraduate, here in Kinnlkl- nick, and according to college regu- ldbAOilo, allA pODoADiJ N'iN D4p4C HAiH the State Constitution Of Iowa, If they were married, she would nave 10 drop out of college and less agile minds might even hint that there had been goings-on inconceiYable In a rhetoric professor. And what would a lofty Puritan like President T, Austin Bull think about teacher who confessed himself more en- thralled by all women who reminded him of Mrs, T. Austin Bull than he was by the use of the semi-eolon?
 You just leave that man Austy to mel" beamed Mrs, Bull, Now what Is your girls name?"
 
 THEY were married, Peony and ! Gid, in Easter vacation. 1922, with the Bishop starring, But If