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About Herald and news. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1942-current | View Entire Issue (June 7, 1959)
t W - s . Lought you? You 11 warn a recorcor ,our honeymoon in yenra w tunic. Years to come, natny mougni. wny, allv wasn't so long ago that her other was starting her honeymoon, tt marriage. Dad had succeeded in k,ioMs: Mother had become import- Lit in local charities and an admired Hostess. Of course, she and Fred Uuld develop their own pattern, lor hv were starting out differently. Kid was coming into Dad's estab- ished business, despite nis momns 01 fusing to consider it One night several weeks ago Fred iad said. "Mr. Merton, I've an offer in Bright Ridge a great opportunity for JKithy and me " Dad had interrupted. "We 11 discuss fit sometime, just the two of us." But Kathy knew they hadn't got around to discussing the job: or the house, which Fred thought they shouldn't ac- Icept; or the honeymoon, which Fred wanted to pay for himself, f red had tried to corner Dad many times, but he was elusive. "His generosity embarrasses him. Kathy told Fred. "But you 11 be my wife. I want to do the earning and the giving. I don't want our life to be sponsored." You're being unkind, Kathy said. "You know he doesn't mean " She tried to make him understand her father, but he was a strange young man, even to her. He had come to town, an ambitious, almost-belligerent young architect, determined to bring freshness and distinction into city planning. He'd fought his way up since childhood, when a succession of relatives had passed him around. Meeting him several months ago when she was home between college semesters, Kathy had thought: I've known boys all my life, but Fred's different; he's a man. I want to be a woman to a man like him. Now Mother was saying, "What's my little girl thinking?" Kathy smiled. "I'm thinking about Fred, of course." But she felt a pain isomewhere deep. She wanted to say, I'm not your little girl or even your W( girl. I'm a woman now at least I'm trying to be. And she wanted to ask: Mother, how does one become a woman? How? Mother said. "Tomorrow'll be beau tiful. Listen to the crickets and night birds." Kathy nodded. She heard the wail of a distant train, then a swift :rack like the sound of Summer light ung. She slid some shoes into their ase. Next she must But the front doorbell was ringing nsistently. and Frrri' vnir rami tarty from downstairs. "Let me in." "The screen door's open, boy," Mr. Merton said from the living room. ' mm. Merton, excited, cried, "Kathy, he can't see you tonight He knows t She hurried out of the bedroom oown the steps, calling, "Freddie, you can't see Kathy tonight" Kathy listened to Fred's cold, ex cited voice, strangely harsh. "Mr. Merton, I've been begging you to listen to me for month. You've been a swell father, but she's going to marry me." Silence. Then, "I've accepted that job in Bright Ridge." "Young man, I'm giving you a job." "No, sir. I'm sorry. I've tried to ex plain " Almost without knowing what she did, Kathy hurried downstairs. Fred, her father, and her mother stood like angry statues in the living room. Kathy stood apart, feeling torn, want ing to go to each of them. It was im possible quarreling here where, calmly and beautifully, the wedding would take place. "Please, tell them," Fred said. "Tell them, darling." She felt heat in her cheeks, con fusion in her throat "I d-don't know what to say." He came to her, put an arm around her, and spoke very low. "Will we live it hit way or ours?" Her mother stood beside her father now. "Oh, Hugh," she kept repeating. "Oh, Hugh." Kathy's lips trembled. "You don't know how good they are," she told Fred softly. "I love them. I love them." For a moment something like hate flashed in his dark eyes. "You've had a happy childhood," he said. "And you're still having it" Then, suddenly, he was pleading again. "I like your parents but I want you from them." Why must there be a struggle, she wanted to ask. Why couldn't love be peaceful. But she said nothing. Abruptly he took Kathy's hand, pressed it, smiled wryly at her par ents, and said, "I'm a poor loser." Then he was gone. "Well," said her mother. "I can't imagine what he meant by that" Her father shook his head thought fully. "The important thing is that we won," he said, then muttered some thing about today's ungrateful youth. "That's not how it is," Kathy said. She ached with love. Love for all of them that was the trouble. If only she could explain why it was so im portant for Fred to earn his own way. But her words wouldn't leave her lips. A few minutes later she went to the phone and dialed Fred's number. There was no answer. He's out walk ing, she thought trying to convince himself that he's not defeated. Thz next morning, her wedding day, was dazzling bright, with the scent of lilacs seeping through her window. The beautiful luggage stood near the door, and the white gown hung just inside her open closet Kathy ran downstairs in her pa jamas. In the kitchen her mother sat at the table, drinking coffee. "Your father is sleeping as though this was just any day!" She poured coffee for Kathy as the phone rang. "I'll get it Mother." Her mother smiled. "It's probably Delia, ready to come fix our hair." Kathy lifted the receiver and heard the operator's voice. "Bright Ridge calling. May I speak to Miss Katharine Merton, please." 'This is she." Some coins clinked, then she heard Fred's voice, far away but strong. "Kathy, let me talk." He paused and she did not try to speak. "I've fought for my life for 27 years and I can't stop now, even for you. Kath, I'm in Bright Ridge at the hotel. I won't be at the wedding today. I didn't want to walk out on you, but I've got to stay a man. Kathy, I love you more than anything else in the world. Do you know that?" Her voice wavered. "I I know." "Good-bye, Kathy." She heBrd the click of the receiver. "Your coffee'U get cold, dear. Is Delia on her way?" Kathy's throat was tight She blinked, but her eyes were dry. "Fred won't be at the wedding. Yet he loves me more than anything else in the world, he says." Her mother's eyes widened in panic. "What are you saying, Kathy?" "He's he's walking out" Her voice was flat, factual. Her mother stared. "It's not true, Kathy. I won't believe " "He's gone. Mother." She thought of the luggage filled with beautiful clothes, the white gown, the camera intended to recori a lifetime. Her mother came toward her with open comforting arms. "All right," she said strongly, "then be wasn't good enough for you. But don't worry. Everything will be all right Daddy and I will stand by you. And I'll stand by you and Daddy, Kathy thought mechanically. Ill stand by you, just as I always have a duti ful little girl who doesn't need, or de serve, a husband. She drew away from her mother slowly, decisively. Even without a photograph, she thought I will have this moment to look back on. "We won't need Miss Delia," Kathy said finally. "Or Reverend Parker. Or flowers for the living room. But I'm going upstairs to pack small case. Then I'll go to the depot and wait for the next train." She turned and saw her father in the doorway. Kathy had no idea how long he'd been standing there. "The man's got guts," he said grudgingly. "Maybe he if right for my little girl." Kathy felt her eyes wet and dim. "Daddy," she said, "I've had a won derful childhood. Now I'm going to be a woman!" And she hurried upstairs to pack. FEKIGBK Ml It's dsworifM fool- BlenoevecvaitMMt lhsw J let MMt't 3 wi)r action (mi you iwnsiete relief tram (unction mt strwl distress. Just take Midst tatHet with ()ks st iei . . . Hut's si). Midol quickly raliwat cramps. esses httdtcht and closes "Mues. .tJtif .. - i 8 RHEUMATIC A ARTHRITIC PAINS Do you know there is no faster, safer, more effective pain-retieving agent in all (he world than DOLCIN? 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