Show finally controlled his ter peer the weekly short story S tory by RUBY DOUGLAS LIOW OW did they happen to call hyou all you patricia patricial asked big tom singleton of his lovely coro coal canlon patricia reese for two reasons she replied mysteriously because I 1 suppose even in your bass you had a patrician aier air be he taunted 11 lie e eirl girl lau laughed hed a delightful ripple 1 no that was not one of the reasons true it might bare have been theril my IMY grandfather whose rast I 1 was was pat rick trick yes the man said sald and 1 I was born on the seven of march st patricks day in the morning ibbe he replied lilt angly reason enough 1 in satisfied but I 1 insist that my guess is the best reason of the three for which thank you mur aired patricia thil was the holona fr conversa con versa that had been a part of their eary early acquaintance now after three years of more than friendship palm in vue vi s ts 4 cd whether or not it would have been better it if their acquaintance never had become more intimate than it was in those playful days she bad been engaged to tom tor for two years and she was abrald afra idyes yes afraid to marry him that she loved him she never doubted for an instant but that she would have the patience and courage and en durance to teach him to control a temper that had been allowed to grow wilder and more unreasonably destructive with each of his forma live tive years sh doubted it was the only reason she had not married him before now what the waiting a amounted mounted to really patricia had often told herself was a season of probation in to which they could both learn whether or not they cared enough to strive and over cocie corie ll 11 together 1 I in paying an awful pene penalty illy foi for ray my temper pat tom said bald to hei her one day in a season of ren orse orsea after dei rin u unreasonable outbreak patricia was siant II 11 never ne veroo occurred to him that she too might be suffering perhaps she would have hare liked the comfort pleasure pi basure and security of a little home 0 of f her own with the man she loved 1 I suppose I 1 have set myself back farther than eier bowl he asked patricia looked at him with the same level kindly understanding expression in her eyes that she al at ways wore on elioe occasions sometimes she wondered at her ova a pa lence tience to forgive him and yet let in n her heart she knew he was not wholly to blame for the hold thi temper had on him before he was old enough to think for himself MAO she had known other members of his family no tom I 1 really believe yon have made great progress ss in two years you try and you frequent ly succeed that a important isn t f 11 v lie nodded muttering nut terin ruefully some I 1 suppose I 1 it I 1 said bald I 1 would marry you if you could be good until well say my birthday would that be any encouragement patricia the man cried leaping almost across the room to seize set ze her hand its what I 1 need as aurance that you really will marry me some day after affer all all right then tom we will leave it that way we have our lives to live we want to live them together and rm getting tired and lonely myself waiting and forgiving wouldn t it be worth while to try for me dearl she asked a plaintive note in her voice that be he had never heard beard there before st patricks daj day came with its it vivid accessories and tom an anil patricia were invited to a party with a group of young people they the had known for years A cold march wind had blown up during the day and the ther thermometer nos dropping fast there had been signs of spring sprin and winter precautions had been done away with to the elim of anti unit freeze fluid la to the radiator of tom toms s little car finhen hen the dance was oer and tom and patricia came out to go home the motor would not start it had chosen st SL patricks day in its last hour to freeze tom tried every wile wife he knew of to induce the car to go but it would not 1101 even in the dim light fr fro ra in the dash patricia could soe see ayt ili toms of his rising temper his red face his narrowed eyes his quick breathing his sharp movements and tone there was itally a halt half hour of infinite patience on her part and heroic effort at control on his I 1 ie e fore the means of getting gettIn Z home hom eias as finally decided upon at last patrick q wrin nod chev permitted themselves to be towed to a garage three miles distant meanwhile tom had haj remembered what it would cost him to lose hi hp temp erand be too had won the battle one month from tonight then were his last words to her yes dear one whole long month and well be married whimpered patricia im I 1 m not afraid 1 service |