IDEAL MARRIAGE

Southland Times, Issue 22921, 20 June 1936, Page 16

IDEAL MARRIAGE

A Difficult Problem Judith, attractive though she was, passed her twenty-fifth birthday and continued to act as bridesmaid and never a bride, (writes Muriel Sagal in The London News Chronicle). Then her father’s friend, Judge James, came home from the East. And, after years spent where white women were rare, Judith, so gay, so modern so impulsive, bowled him right off his feet. She was a trifle naughty, perhaps, but, bless me, that impudence delighted him. What' a little devil she was, to be sure. Ha! Ha! And the handsome, white-haired man of 59 (61 on his passport) indulged the 26-year-old lovely in all her whims and fancies. Judith enjoyed being spoiled, for the young men among her contemporaries were not apt to spoil their girl-friends. And the judge was so distinguishedlooking, too. And well off. People with plenty of money were a rare blessing. And she would go big as the judge’s wife. So, one day this paper published Judith’s picture, wearing her mother’s pearls and her sister’s fox fur, and the caption said she was to marry Judge J. James at an early date. Like a Students’ Tom. He took her on a honeymoon which was rather like a conducted students' tour, because he had been everywhere so often, and he knew just what he wanted her to see. And especially he wanted her to see the things his first wife (long dead) had particularly admired. He continued to be an excellent audience for her, listening to her chatter. laughing at her jokes. She grew accustomed to people thinking he was her father. On the Channel steamer he met an old friend, and they discussed a grand party they had had after the first night of the “Dollar Princess.” Judith had never heard of the “Dollar Princess ” And the Judge often whistled airs which he was amazed that she didn’t recognize “It’s from ‘Our Miss Gibbs,’ a great show,” he would say. ‘But you children only like films ” The Judge disliked films and didn’t know Joan Crawford from Jean Harlow. As Judith was a film fan this rather cramped her conversation. But the Judge continued to adore her for being gay and mischievous or childlike and helpless, and pampers her and protects her and showers her with gifts and attentions. Their home is a pleasant home in the country where the Judge has lived as a boy His two sisters live near by They are kind to Judith but she has nothing in common with them Friends Not at Ease. The Judge golfs and walks with other middle-aged gents, and when Judith brings any young people home they treat her husband with great respect and veneration, but are not at ease with him. Judith has her car, her garden, her comfortable home, servants, security for life, friends, an adoring husband whom any woman could be proud of. Lucky Judith! Why, then, does she tire of being the “spoilt baby”; why does she dream of a husband who needs her to mother him and spoil him? Why does Judith envy Nell? Nell is Judith’s cousin. They are the same age and similar in looks and disposition, both attractive and amusing and high-spirited. Nell was very much in love with her Chief, but one day a lady turned up who turned out to be Mrs Chief. So Nell turned to* her childhood friend Neville for consola tion. Neville’s idea of consoling a girl with a cracked (but not broken) heart was a solid week of hectic nights of “doing the town.” By the time Nell and Neville had finished “doing the town’’ they found that they shared the same tastes in humour, drinks, books, road-houses, films, food, music, people, shows and holidays. Neville makes plenty of money out of something that he calls a “racket.” And his father was in the same “racket.” It all seemed very vague and Nell understood ; t to mean something to do with speculations. It entailed spending a lot of money and going places and doing things to “inspire confidence” and this was grand fun. Never Any Dullness. When Neville and Nell were married the fun continued fast and furiously The two of them get along famously Nell has never led a very “social” life before, and though she recognizes tha* Neville’s friends are not exactly “county” they are all amusing and fairly intelligent and things are never dull. The blackest moments are when, occasionally, Neville returns home in a panic because something has happened that looks like “cleaning them out’ and leaving them penniless. Although matters straighten out eventually there is always a feeling of dreadful insecurity. And soon Nell started to envy her girl-friends when they begin pramhunting and pilcher-knitting. She, too, wants to discuss prams and cast-on for pilchers. But Neville says: “Later—things are too unsettled just now to take on further responsibilities in the way of families.” So they go on a cruise with a dozen other Gay Young Marrieds to make up for not having babies. Neville is ever generous with Nell and loves to see her beautifully turned out and the gayest and wittiest of their crowd of elegant and amusing friends. On the few occasions when they are alone together they have so much to laugh over and discuss that their moments tete-a-tete are all too short. They holiday, play, enjoy themselves and their gaiety stimulates each other and their high spirits seldom flag, sharing their youth and exploring all life’s pleasures. But sometimes, in her bath, Nell imagines a peaceful, settled, home with a peaceful, settled-down husband to look after her. Security, rest and peace! And Judith had them all. Lucky Judith sighed Nell, as she got ready to catch the Golden Arrow plane en route for Biarritz.