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?
More than 2,000,000,000 (two bil
lion) oolcin tablets have been used
to help millions of men and women
relieve moderate pains and discom
forts of arthritis, rheumatism, sciat
ica, lumbago whenever they occur.
The ooLCtN formula is prescribed by
many doctors ... used by scores of
hospitals. Try txX-CtR tablets today.
fted-fami over slipping
False Teeth?
Now avoid th embarrassment
of sliding, rocking false teeth.
PERMA-CJtlP Den 11 Powder
anchors ptatec hour after happy
hour. Get white, tasteless, alka-line
OH. r.TY
ACHING BACK
Now I Yon can et th hut rrttf 70a m4
from nexaine- baefcarh?, headache mnd
mumenlmr met mad paint that often eue
m4m nlctrta and inferrable tf.pd-aK.
tim. WSrri tbcM discomfort dtm .
with over-exertion or itrm and strain
row want rtiief want it at) .Another
dfotwhctoee autr be mild blmrftier irrilmtioa
tvMomtns wrwn fooetnei 4ffafc often r
tina up r-fttfM wmmforiatfe feetfnK.
boan'i Pttts wora hut In separate
way t ). bjr sjrd pairwrllevinjr action to
eue torment of nmttxinc baeaar.be bemd
chec, mvcvlmr mchet ext paine. C far"'
aocvtbsivil viTcetiyn btacfcfer irritation. 1. Ivy
Valid diuretic action tendirar to anereaae
output of the ) mlb of kidney tub,
KnioT a mood night 'm iWd mn4 the
tunc bappT tettet mlMtcmc bave for -ever
o yean. Kew, farm visa saves mammy,
Get Ioaai's Pitts today 1