Evening Star Newspaper, May 12, 1929, Page 94

her mother carry the dinner dishes to the sink in the kitchen- ette. Slyvie could have helped, and, perhaps, she should have; but, looking at things from an un- biased angle, Sylvie didn’t see why she should. To begin with, Sylvie had worked eight hours in an office that day, and had then ridden 40 minutes in’'a subway train while hanging to a strap. She decided _that couldn’t possibly be as tired as she her- self. She closed her eyes and drowsed. Mother's voice awakened her. Sylvie looked up end realized that ghe must have slept an hour. The dishes were done and mother had on her_hat and coat. “Sylvie, I'm going over to Davidson avenue to see the Lahns. Get to bed | now, Sylvie. You look tired. Good- night.” “Good-night.” | Sylvie remained on the couch, think- | ing of her problems. Forty-two dollars & month for a kitchenette apartment on the top floor of a For alk-t Miles of apartment hunting had sa mother * A Desperate Problem LVIE lay on the couch watching looking at the elbows, so it would have to be the brown taffeta. skirt and began to brush her hair vig- fluffier it got. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled to see what a frivolous creature her hair made her out to be. Who would believe that a brain simply sick with worry could lie beneath a mass of waves and ringlets? Later, when she had the brown taffeta on and hdd added color to her 1ips and cheeks, she looked again at her reflection. She thought of something sh2 had heard in the office that day. The boss had been entertaining a social caller when Sylvie had walked in to Brénrunce that Mr, Glassmier was out- side. “Cope with him for 10 minutes,” the had ordered; “then I'll see him " vie had withdrawn to start coping. caller had not waited for her to 1 have her modeling fied her that this was the best s could do. Thirty dollars a week was her salery, and, because Sylvie always | faced facts with herself, she knew that | she would never be worth more than:|$ that to any business office. Food, | clothing, rent, gas, electricity, insur- ance, doctor’s bills, recreation—all these things must come from that little $30 a week. | Sylvie pressed her hands to her eye- lids and sighed deeply. There was a | ain that came in the back of her 2ad when thoughts like this assailed her, Sylvie sighed again, What did the future hold? Suppose she fell in love? She could not marry. Where was there a man in her world who could afford to sup- port his wife's mother? She saw her- self 20 years hence, and turned and buried her face in the pillow. The phone rang. It was Miriam, Bylvie's girl friend. “’Lo, Syl. What are you doing?” “Nothing. Why?” “Like to go out?” “Where?" “I don’t know. Paul Reiselbach call- | ed me up and asked me to go out.| Said he had a fellow with him and | asked me to get another girl.” | “I don't know, Miriam. I've never been on a blind date. I've got a hunch | the fellow will look like the breaking | up of a hard Winter or elsc hell be| fresh.” | “Oh, come on, Syl; be a sport.” | Sylvie thought it over for a moment. | After all, an evening alone offered | nothing but & melancholy soliloquy on the impossibility of making ends meet. “All right, Miriam, I'll go. Wherell | I meet you" | “Come over here. Paul says they’ll be around about 9.” “All right, I'll be over.” W SYLVIE replaced the receiver and walked to the bedroom. What would she wear? There was either that brown taffeta dress or the blue velvet. They were both old, and they both looked it. The blue velvet was a little too rubbed- ains. hy waste her on ie pulled a chair over to the set and began to rummage on the oh, down and and look- S it She brushed it again. Not exactly vhen it was it look er. It seer to take on an im- portance, was ready now. look about the apartment, to be sure that everything was all right. Half-way down the hall she stopped and return- ed to the living room. She found a pencil and hastily scribbled a note to her mother: “Have gone out. Don't worry. May stay at Mirlam’s tonight.” Sylvie propped the note against a book in the center of the table. She didn't think it likely that she would stay at Miriam’s, but the possibility :ould keep mother from waiting up for er. Miriam lived on Creston avenue in a large apartment, Both her parents were alive, and there were threc brothers. Sylvie envied Mirfam'’s irresponsible e: istence. Miriam earned $17 a week and was allowed to keep every cent of it. Besides this boon, her brothers, each in a different wholesale business, never | forgot to bring home odd lengths of material, laces and ribbons. Miriam was just 20, and Sylvie found her, at times, a rather trying com- panion. Sylvie was 23, and she was inclined to blame Mirfam's youth for her silliness. A less charitable person than Sylvie might have realized that Miriam at 40 would still giggle and try very earnestly to be amusing. * Kk Kk YLVIE found het quite excited about Paul Reiselbach. Dates were not rare in the lives of either Miriam or Sylvie, so Sylvie guessed that it was Paul’s car that was causing all the unusual steam. But Sylvie was not fated to ride in Paul Reiselbach’s lovely automobile. Paul's friend had an antipathy toward rumble seats and had trailed Paul in his own modest car. Sylvie just had a Sylvie threw off her sweater and orously. The more she brushed it the She cast a last P THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, BLIND DATE Seemed to Be Involved. flash of Paul Reiselbach. He was a tall, rather blank-looking individual, ! who swallowed the last three words of | every sentence. He mumbled some- | thing about his friend, Mr. Richards, bundled Sylvie into the conservative little coupe and bounded back to his green - and - yellow roadster. Sylvie watched him deposit Miriam on the leather seat; then she turned to Paul's friend—"Mr. Richards.” “I brought this,” he sald, “because I hate rumbie seats and gambled on your hating them, t00.” He had a nice voice. Sylvie glanced at him quickly. He was extremely good looking in a dark, well groomed way. His appearance was like his voice. Too perfect to be an accident. What line was this Mr. Richards in that he need- | »d an appearance and a voice that would | instantly inspire a sense of his unques- | tiopable superiority? “I hope,” he said, after a moment, | “that I'm not as bad as you thought I would be.” Sylvie started guiltily. “I know. few girls favored me with the truth of | \\hg( thy Iways expected a blind date to be like |~ coilege! Sylvie was ashamed of the it gave her to think that he | 1 at college. None of the men she knew had ever been educated past the second or t! year of high school. There was a glamour about college, a ¥ “‘Are you le friends, ed a question. Mr. Reiselbach insepar like Miriam and me?’ | “I don't kno | answered. “We're both too busy to see each other more than one or twice a month.” She had never met a man whom she wouldn't have asked about his busi- ness. But about Mr. Richards there hovered a reserve that invited no per- sonal questions. “Where would you like to go?” he asked. “Well, I'm perfectly willing to leave | the choice up to Miriam. Let us just | follow their lead.” | “Good” He smiled, showing shining white teeth. Sylvie had known that his teeth would be perfect. He would walk | well, too, with a careless, brisk jaunti- | ness. He probably danced well. | _ It was a strange evening for Sylvie. She had the curious fancy thai she was moving in a dream. She had always | had the faculty for observing keenly |and accurately ‘what went on around | her, but tonight everything was differ- | ent. Paul and Miriam were strange wraiths fading in and out of the pic- | ture. She saw nothing, heard nothing | but this dark, soft-spoken man who | was her blind date. She danced with him to a tune from a deceased musical show. She heard him singing the words quietly, as though to himself: It must be love I'm dreaming of That makes me feel this way. It must be love I'm learning of That started in today— ‘His arms were young and strong. and he held her closely as they circled the room. Sylvie noted with interest that to her the other dancers were faccless | “Why—T—" When I was at college, a | that I'd say that” he | By Vina Delmar phantoms. her partner. And all the time the strangest things, ind, Keep running through the thing I call my mind, Such words as “turtle-dove” and “stars above"— You see, it must be love! Sylvie smiled- as he led her back to the table. Yes, it must be love. What a thing to happen to her! Funny, and yet a liltle tragic. She caught her breath sharply and allowed her thoughts to dwell for one sane, steadying mo- ment upon her responsibilities, ~Sup- pose this man were to fall in love with her? Then what? There was mother to think about. Sylvie turned her head and tried for the moment to forget mother and her worries. She might as well enjoy tonight. * X ¥ % T was midnight when Mirlam de- cided that it was time to leave. The evening had flown, Sylvie thought. She was looking* at herself a_little con- {emptuously. The idea of falling in | love, at first sight, like the half-wits who wrote letters to the lovelorn columns! _Still, if a man was hand- some and kind and treated you decently Sylvie had a terrible feeling that, if it wasn't for mother, she'd start get- ting romantic about’ this chap. Oh, this wasn't_love! This was just sort of a crush. You couldn't love a_man when you didn't cven know his first name. The modest | trail the dashing roedster once again. Sylvie sat very silent and watched the long, thin hands of her escort turn the wheel. Would she ever see him again, she wondered. Suddenly her eyes wandered to the road ahead. They were no longer fol- lowing Paul and Miriam. “Why, they've gotten us,” Sylvie said. No, I got us away from them. Do you mind?” | "““That depends,” sald Sylvie. She laughed a little. “Don't be coy, Sylvie. I like you be- cause you're not like Paul's girl friend, all simpers and baby pouts. You're different. I want to show you a place that T consider the cozlest ‘spot in the whole wide world. Look through the trees, Sylvie looked. There was an inn, built in old English style. The win- dows were bright, golden = squares. Sylvie caught a glimpse of a huge stone fireplace. The inn looked like pictures she had seen on Christmas cards where they spelled words funny —merrie and ye. She didn’t know what pewter flagens were, but she knew they belonged there. Here was good cheer and warmth, “I love this place” he sald. “I'd Itke to show it to you.” The little coupe rounded a corner of hedge, and she heard that soft, not quite real voice ask: “Yes, Sylvie?” And there you were. That was the way things were in life. You took your fun where you found it, and then went back to your job and tried to forget a tall dark person whom you knew by the name of Mr. Richards—a away from All-Jewish City Is 20 Years Old BY LEO J. PINKUS. WENTY years ago on the sand- swept outskirts of the ancient | city of Jaffa a small group of | pioneers founded a community. | For about $12,000 they pur-| chased this barren tract of land, upon | which they proceeded to establish an | :nv‘—.vewuh ecity. They called it Tel v. | This year Jews from all over the | world are visiting Palestine to attend | the celebration of the twentieth anni- versary of Tel Aviv, the first and larg- | est all-Jewish city of modern times, | rivaling Jaffla in population, wealth | end importance. Large delegations of Jews from the United States, including a number from this city, will take the opportunity this Summer to get their first glimpse of Zionist accomplishment in the Holy Land, to see the partial fruition of one of the most interesting experiments of modern times, the re-establishment of & scattered people on theif own soil. A city of 40,000 population, Tel Aviv become a thriving center of in- dustry and commerce, valued at $25,- 000,000, famous throughout the Near East because of its modernity. Tel Aviv is distinctly all-Jewish. Its licemen, teachers and public officials, ts architects and its bricklayers, who have built it, are Jewish emigrants from Poland and Russia. As part of the Tel Aviv celebration | this Summer, a Palestine and Near East exhibition and fair has been | arranged and will be featured by a | “umber of international events. One )t the most important of these will be | 3 Jewish world congress for propaga- lion of interest in Palestine products. ‘There will also be a conference of Palestine industrialists, which will con- sider problems of export trade, credit lo merchants ordering goods from Palestine, customs conditions and market requirements. Representatives from Europe, Canada and the United Btates will be represented at the con- ference. In addition to providing the Palestine producers with an opportunity »f coming into direct contact with for- eign consumers, it is expected that the conference will do much toward stimu- lating Palestine industry. Every aspect of Palestine’s develop- ment will be touched upon in the ex- hibition. There will be an automobile “how, an art exhibition, a music festi- | val, an Oriental handicrafts bazaar and other exhibits relating to industry, rgriculture, building, public health and colonization. But Tel Aviv is only one phase of a eat movement. Thousands of acres of and are being reclaimed. Jewish pioneers from the crowded ghettos of Eastern Europe are beginning life again as tillers -of the soil in the Valley of the Jordan and the Valley of the Jezreel. Brave youths are facing death, ridding the infested swamps of pesti- lence, that their dream of a Jewish homeland may be realized. More than | 100,000 immigrants have settled in the couxtry within the past decade since the signing of the Balfour declaration, which recognized the Jewish claim to Palestine. Almost $1,000,000 was spent last year on the agricultural development of Jewish possessions in the Holy Land, according to a report of Dr. I M. Rubinow, executive director of the | United Palestine Appeal. This amount included the support of all phases of colonization activities, and also building and irrigation works inci- dental to the development of agricul- ture. The report points out that the | entire aspect of agricultural work hss‘ undergone a change during this period, with emphasis being placed on the stabilization of all enterprises, than the enlargement of them. Re- ferring to the amount spent on build- rather | set the loss involved, the Zionist ex- ecutives appropriated a special fund of about $90,000 for the erection of a carried out by the settlers themselves, and the wages thus earned bj’ them pro- viding a means of livelihood. The report also declares that the Rut- tenberg Central Power Station will, the settlements with electric power. ‘The {rrigation of Jewish colonies will b facilitated through the central hydro electrical power station on the Jordan. ‘The pipe lines for the projected irriga- tion system in the Jordan Valley have already been laid, so that next season from the failure of crops will be able to avail themselves of the new irriga- tion factlities. The Zionist executives are also de- voting their attention to the marketing of produce farmed by Jewish colonists and report the following for the past vear: “One of the chief problems of coloni. zation in Palestine is that of marketing. Apart from the oranges, of which Pal- estine produces an abundance, grapes, bananas and Spring vegetables might easily be grown for export to the neigh- boring countries and to Europe. This year, owing to the drought, the grape harvest has been only about half the normal. But this had the effect of sending up prices, so that more particu- larly the settlements in the Jordan Valley made good profits on their early grapes. In collaboration with the gov- ernment, trial consignments of grapes were made to England and of bananas to Rumania. The Spring vegetables grown in the Palestine foundation fund settlements have not only cap- tured the local market but are finding their way into the markets of the neighboring countries as well. Thus, the settlements in the Jordan Valley have sent some of their produce to ‘é‘r:&ns]ux'd;\nm. Syria and even to Bag- Dr. Rubino / pointed to the compre- f Zionist activities in ings, the report states: “The building and irrigation works |t 2 of Palestine, saying it is likely that not even a great carried through in the last few months | government has been as thorough in have with marvelous rapidity altered | the entire appearance of these settle- | ments. Tents and barracks have been practically done away with, their place having been taken by permanent struc- tures of concrete for dwelling houses, as well as for stables and other farm buildings. Incidentally, it might be mentioned that these new dwelling houses in every way conform to a high standard of architectural beauty.” A crop failure last year in the Jordan Valley was held responsible for the slow progress in a number of the set- tlements, which necessitated relief to supervising every phase of a developing | and colonizing country as the Jews of | the world are today in their rebuilding of their ancient homeland. Every weap- | on of science is being used to combat | centuries of neglect under the Turkish regime. The results are amazing, as :{xavflers to Palestine constantly tes- A The magnitude of the task of restor- ing Palestine, however, has become too ‘call themselves Zionists. The president of the World Zionist Organization, Dr. the stricken colonies. In order to off- A vast to be carried alone by those who Chaim Weizmann, realizing this, em- barked upon & policy, supported by the series of new buildings in these settle- | ments, the building operations being | within a year's time, be supplying all | the settlements which suffered most | STREET SCENE IN TEL AVIV, AN ALL.JEWISH CITY OF 40,000 POPULATION. A SODA FOUNTAIN IN PAI vast majority of Zionists and of Jewish sentiment throughout the world, of en- listing the aid of all who are willing to share in the responsibilities of a home- land movement, Slowly but with certainty events have been ‘moving in that direction since 11923, until today, with the establish- ment_of the so-called Jewish agency, {the homeland movement is on the | threshold of a new era which will unite |all forces in the creation of a Jewish Palestine, The soil of Palestine has been pur- chased acre by acre from funds con- tributed in increasing amount year after year by the Jews of the world. Ameri- can Jews have contributed generously in the past, and this year are being called upon to give more than ever be- fore, in order that vast projects for the regeneration of the land may be under- taken and ¢ through. B Louls Marshall, noted constitutional | lawyer and acknowledged leader of the | group which had formerly opposed or looked with indifference upon Zionist aspirations, today stands solidly behind |the movement. In a statement he re- cently declared: “The failure of the | homeland_movement would be a dis- grace to the Jewish people.” The City of Washington's particular contribution to this movement is the |annual campaign for funds which is now about to begin. The sum sought | this year is $36,000, and the various Zionist organizations of the city, includ- |ing the District Zionist Organization, | the Hadassah, Junior Hadassah, Miz- | rachi, Poale Zion, Avukah (all interest- ed in different phases of the rehabilita- tion work), are joining this year in a concerted effort, SR She could see no one but B C. MAY 18 “SYLVIE!” BERNARD CAME AFTER HER AND CAUGHT HER HAND. “WHERE ARE YOU GO- ING?2” It couldn't be love.| little coupe began to | | | strange dodo who had stood beside you on a little balcony and looked at the white Winter moon with you, and then faded casually out of your life. Oh, well. It was all right, only sometimes Sylvie thought she saw him, and then she was a little wrought up for a minute or two. . Foolish. A ho “HAV'E you seen Paul since?” Sylvie asked. It was a week now. A week—could it really be a week? “No.” Sylvie smiled. There really wasn’t any way now of finding out more about Mr. Richards. Well, why should she want to? She'd made her decision with her level- headed little thinking apparatus, hadn't she? Now, that was that. Love! What a lot of nonsense for a girl who'd been earning her own living—and her mother's—since she was 15! Mother had a heart attack on an evening when Sylvie was very tired. “Shall I call Dr. Caton, mother?” “No, he doesn’t do me any good. I want to try a doctor Mrs. Lahn told me about. Over on the Concourse. Dr. Corl You'll find him in the phone book. Sylvie looked for Dr. Corlan’s name. She hoped that he wouldn't charge more than $3 for the call. “He'll be right over, mother,” Sylvie sald, as she left the phone. “Can I get you anything?” “No,” mother gasped. “Just let me ‘There was a tradition in Sylvie’s not- too-tidy house that things must be al- ways straightened up when a doctor was coming. So Sylvie fussed about a bit, changed her dress, and came back to the living room. The bell rang. Sylvie opened the door. For a sec- ond she stood spellbound upon the threshold, regarding the tall, dark per-| son. A little glad pulse leaped in her throat, and then she saw the black bag. He had come, because he was Dr. Corlan. For a_second, utter silence hung be- tween them. Then: “You're the doc- tor?” said Sylvie weakley. He smiled pleasantly. Sylvie knew that smile. “Yes” he said, “are you the young lady who phoned-about your mother? Where is other? What seems to be her trouble’ Dumbly Sylvie followed him down the hall. Good heavens, he wasn't going to recognize her! He was Dr, Corlan and this was business. He asked many questions about Dr. Corlan kept saying, ® Presently he went away. He left a | prescription on the table and a parting | injunction that he was to be called, it anything unusual developed. Sylvie saw him to the door. He said good |night in a friendly fashion. He was, | indeed, a pleasant, charming young doctor. Sylvie returned to her mother. She felt a little stunned. “He’s awfully young,” mother sald. “I wonder if he can be a good doctor. Mrs. Lahn sald that he saved her Charmian frcin mastoids. Maybe he's all right. What did you think of him?” “I guess he's all right. Go to sleep, mother. I don't feel like talking.” Mother's feelings were very plainly hurt, but Sylvie couldn’t do anything about it. She was sunk. She felt that, |1f she wasn't too sensible a_ girl for | that sort of thing, she'd cry. But what was there to cry about? After all, tears are foolish. Presently she went to the | bedroom and stayed there for a while. ‘When she came out again, mother said: “You shouldn't read in the bedroom. ‘The bulb in there is only 15 watts. You have your eyes all red.” EEEE AF'I‘ER mother had fallen asleep, Sylvie went for a little walk. The apartment stifled her, but somehow Fordham road didn't have the same kick tonight that it usually had for her. Felt hats marked down to one-ninety- eight awakened not the slightest in- terest. The movies seemed stupid places, and the little knots of boys and girls on the street corners were vapid, silly- looking things. Why not go to bed? | No point in strolling around. The first thing she knew, she'd be meeting some | one who'd want to take her to see | some vaudeville. | The next morning she found a note | in her mail box from Dr. Bernard Cor- |lan. It was an impersonal little mes- age asking her to call during his eve- ning office hours—seven to nine. f ‘Who did he think he was, asking her to call on him? If he wanted to see | her, he knew where she lived. | _He lived in one of the swellest apart- | ments on the Concourse; on the first { floor, of course. Sylvie saw his neat | little sign. and a strange thrill set her | to trembling. He had achieved some- thing. A pale yellow girl opened the | door for her and led her to the waiting room. Sylvia walted along with two other people. Dr. Corlan's nurse came out and signaled to one of the patients. He was disposed of in five minutes. Then the second one went in, and next it was Sylvia's chance. She felt herself quivering with nervousness. Dr. Corlan greeted her with a pleas- ant good efening. The nurse faded out of the picture, and Bernard was explaining: “I'm in a silly position. My parents are strict, you know. They expect lots of me. I'm supposed to be dignified |and ethical and reserved. Once in a while I get away with Paul Reiselbach, as I did the other night. I didn’t dare speak to you last night.” “Why not?” “Because I'm crazy about you, Sylvie. I've been trying to forget you. I've jbeen tempted a thousand times to go see Mirlam and get your address. Then Jast night I tried to ignore you and forget you, and then I had to write that note," \y 1929—PART 7. ny74 (4 f \ \j .l’\y all the heavy forgetting busi- ne “Well, my parents, you see.” 1‘;D?an‘c they expect you to know any girls?” “Yes, but not little provocative girls with very red lips, who keep blind dates.” “Oh, I see.” Dr. Bernard Corlan was very plainly taken aback. “Honestly, Sylvie, I'm crazy about you.” “Listenr: I'm home between 6 and 8 every night in the week, Drop in and see me, if you care to. If you don't, it's 0. k. with me.” ‘'You're an_independent little thing, aren't you? Please, Sylvie, be reason- able. My parents would throw a fit it I suddenly developed an interest other than medical over on Morris ave- nue.” “Well, suit yourself.” She went, then, leaving behind a be- wildered young doctor. Half of Sylvie was very sorry that he hadn't remained Mr. Richards. Mr. Richards was the perfect man, a gentls man. Dr. Bernard Corlan was just & man to be managed, coped with, and very much like other men she had known. Half of her had a strong sus- picion that he would come back on her terms—something Mr. Richards would never have done. Funny how a good- looking chap with a soft voice can be perfect in the moonlight—and just a man when seen in an office! Bernard seemed very anxious to prove to Sylvie that he was merely human. He dropped around the next evening, ostensibly to see mother. He asked Sylvie if she would go rid- ing with him at 10 o'clock. That was the earliest that he could get around, he explained. “What about your parents?” Sylvie ked. “I won't tell them,” he announced bravely. Sylvie shook her head. That wasn't the kind of an answer she had wrantecll at all. But she went riding with him and made up for her weakness by say- ing things insulting to the pride of the Corlans. * % x * WEEK of heavy figuring on Ber- nard’s part and of hopeless wrnder- ment on Sylvie's part. He came for her every night, and together they rode through Westchester whiie he talked about himself. He feared that she didn't care much about him. This proves that Sylvie had missed ner vocation. She should have been an actress. ‘Then one night Bernard came to her, looking white, but exultant. “I told my father,” he said. “I told him, Sylvie, and he says he'll make it right with my mother. He saw that I had to have you, Sylvie. He says W!tcln be married with his full con- sent.” “Whoa, big boy! consent?” “Sylvie!” “Well, look here. I have to have a man who'll look out for my mother.” “Oh, that’s nothing, Sylvie. I can manage that.” “But will you?” “Gladly!” “All right, then. I guess you're about as good as I can get in husband.” What about my | And Dr. Bernard Corlan, who had always dreamed of bestowing his name upon a grateful, adoring maiden, took into his arms his promised bride—Syl- vie, a hard-boiled little egg. THE EVENING HAD FLOWN, SY the way of a | He couldn’t know, of course, that she looked over his shoulder out at the night sky and said to herself: “Gee, I guess there is somebody up there after alll” Now, a wedding on the Concourse is no light thing, especially when the bridegroom is the only son of a man who has made half a million in pearl | buttons. If the only son is also a doc- tor, the wedding is still more elaborate. You can figure on the Hoskinses being | there and the Sterns, and, quite pos- sibly, the Gordons. Sylvie was a little bewildered by the things that happened and the things that were expected of her. Bernard's father gave her a check to cover her | expenses for a wedding dress and acces- sories. “I'm funny like that,” Sylvie said. “I'd like to buy my own wedding dress.” Mr. Corlan was a little worried about the outcome of such an undertaking. Sylvie’s boss promised to get her the veil and dress wholesale, but, at the last minute, he got big-hearted and charged her nothing for it. “You should be a happy bride, Sylvie. That outfit retails at $300.” The boss sighed heavily. “I can't afford to make gifts like this. but I like you. You were a good girl, Sylvie. I'm sorry to see you leave.” E S (O the night before the wedding Syl- vie and Bernard sat alone in the living room of the Corlan apartment. ‘There was a long table before them gleaming with silver and glass. Wed- ding presents. Sylvie was amused to think that the olive dish was the only thing sent by a person she knew. Miriam had sent it. That was a chili- ing thought. All these pecple Bernard knew were strangers to her. She | turned and locked at him. The amber | Jamp threw its light upon them both as | they sat on the divan. Sylvie felt humble and afraid of her good fortune. | She loved him =0. .. ...... “Well, precious, tomorrow this time we'll be married.” he said. Yes, nice thought, huh “Love me a lot?” “Enough.” “Is that all?” “That's all. You've got your bad | points. You're conceited, you know.” “That’s only because I know you love wmt;. dThxt would make anybody con- ceited.” Sylvie in Mrs. Corlan's | being dressed by | two_very nervous ladi The ‘guests had hered. ST could hear their conversation. It cama| in a loud buzz through the bedroom | Wedding day. yellow-taffeta boudoir, s, door. | She looked at herself in the long glass. The dress was a dream. The | satin glimmered with a curious hint of | | yellowness. The head-dress wesa little | extreme. The band came to a peak, | and the vell, filmy and gloriously alive, | did nothing that a conventonal veil | should do. | ladfes said. Sylvie thanked her prettily. She was | quite pleased with herself. They led | her to the dining room and deposited | her carefully upon a_sofa. Nobody | | must see her till the last minute, Bernard came in. “Oh, beautiful!” he cried. *“You look | like a dream.” “You're not so * sald | sh they'd hurry things.” he said e laughed and reached for Ber- | disgustingly looking 1vie. LVIE THOUGHT. | he ‘said. “You're a beautiful bride,” one of the e | unknown HE WAS LOOKING AT H nard’s 1 many n so_beautifu much. when I get “What things “Oh, you know. I often wanted to ut I never dared.” me what?"” “How many dates you went out cn before you met me.” “Millions,” said_Sylvie complacently. ut I mean dates that were—li hen he said: “You're ours. “Oh,” said Sylvie. Her teeth cut into her lower lip. “I never was out on a date like ours, Bernard, before I met you He turned his head, and she saw his profile, dissatisfled, and a little sad. “You'd naturally say that,” he mur- mured. “You don’t know me,” she replied. ok 'HE conversation in the other room was suddenly stilled. In a minute now—in a minute. Sylvie stared ahead of her, thinking. Bernard didnt believe her. What would it be like to live with a man who, on his wedding day, was doubtful, un- certain? What would it be a year, fi years hence? His world, his friends, his never completely routed doub's. And she, loving him—loving him all the time. But without him—what? The un- known. Where would there ever be an- other man whom she loved who could take care of her mother? What was her future without Bernard? There was no job now, but there would have to be one—for always there would be the ery fe, the gas bill! The elec- tric billl My heart!” How could she face life without Bernard? And what would that life without him be? She couldn't guess. But she could guess what life with Bernard would be. When an argument came up in their everyday lives, it would be because Dr. Bernard Corlan had married 2 girl who kept blind dates. Still, she wasn't ashamed of having kept that date. . . ‘The fu- ture without him—mysterious, prob- lematical, hazardous. The small orchestra in the foyer be- gan to play the famillar Wagner strain. Bernard turned to Sylvie and smiled forgivingly. “Here comes the bride, sweetheart,” “T love you, Sylvie. I don't care whether you're lying or not.” “Don't you, Bernard?” Her - eyes were wide and not quite sane as they 1 med eternities on slow step away veil swayed for a and then followed d and s him. The in space, from momer her. toward th apart. P: Sterns she wa s and Hoskinses slo yet cert: Straight Toward the them the after h re are yc with its prob- 1 pulled her hand away him and. in that moment, there was somethi Teg: in the bearing of Sylvi “I'm going,” she said, keep a blind dal span and Pad * A LITTLE CON- TEMPTUQUSLY, THE IDEA OF FALLING IN LOVE AT FIRST SICHES 5 &