1939-03-23 — Page 8

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MUTT AND JEFF

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THE CHINA MAIL, MARCH 23, 1989. By BUD FISHER

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THE DAILY SHORT STORY

PROBLEM'S ANSWER

At last. Paul made up his nind. He. His mind was too filled with his de- was going to tell Prue that they would cision, with what he planned to do and have to separate. The mere thought the ultimate, consequences. of a separation, of not being with her always, forever and ever, made him miserable, overpowered him with a great sense of dread and disappoint ment and emptiness.

Yet it must be so.

They had been married three years. Paul had been thinking about the se- paration for six months. Vaguely, gra- dually the idea had taken form in his mind. To-day, as he looked around the single room of their apartment with its unmada bed and disarranged now spapers and dusty furniture, it reached full maturity.

He was a commercial artist. He did illustrations for. advertis- ments, sketches for newspapers, diagram for text book publishers. He was a free lance. For the most part, because he found it easier, he worked at home. This fact was the nub of the trouble. Working at home, or any- where for that matter; he required or der, a certain amount of routine in order to apply himself to the best of his ability.

After breakfast he'd set up his board in the living-room and begin work. More and more he became aware of the disorder of that living-room, of the rumpled bed in the alcove, of the dust,

Prua had gone in town early that morning. She would not be Tome until late in the afternoon. He wished he could get in touch with her, urge her to come home earlier. He wanted to get the thing over with. He did not want to allow himself time to weaken.

At noon he went into the kitchen and opened a can of soup and heat- ed it. He was finishing his second cup It when a key rattled in the door. was Prue, She was home three hours before he expected her.

He thought as she came into the kitchen how charming she looked. But he was too concerned with the thoughts in his own mind to notice anything else about her that was different-the set look about her mouth, the delibera- 'teness of her movements, the way she sat down and stared across, at him gravely.

"I came home early, Paul. There's something I had to tell you. I couldn't keep it in any longer. It's been on my mind for weeks." She paused. "We've got to change our way of living-or separate."

"What?" He blinked. His mouth fell open.

"Oh, I know it comes as a terrific shock to you to know that I was even

By Barbara Ann Benedict

& thought. I'm the litter. It worked on his mind. It entertaining such bothered him no end. And more and sorry.. I don't want to be brutal, but more. he became aware of Prue's slo- I've decided it's the only way. I mean, venliness.

important He hadn't permitted him---oh, Paul, I know how self to use that word until to-day. Yet your work is It's more important now he knew there was no other word than anything to you. I don't dare to express how he had come to feel to come in to make the bed or pick things ward her.

up or dust. That seems unimportant to you. But it isn't to me. I like or- der, and I have some pride. You can't imagine how embarrassing it is when somebody drops in and the house is in such a terrible state." A tear coursed down her cheek. "You don't know He thought the matter over carefully how hard it is to tell you this, because in all its details. Ile wished mightily I love you so. If only you could that he didn't love her so. It was work in a studio " going to be hard, for a time practi cally unbearable, but if he was to con- tinue with his work, if he was to get a measure of happiness out of life, it would have to be so.

She was not a good housekeeper. She was untidy. She had no sense of routine or order. He couldn't go on iving and working without these things. He knew that now..

More and more his work had become in demand. He was getting places. He couldn't ruin his life, his career, not even for this girl whom he loved so dearly.

Yes, there was only one way. He

Paul got unsteadily to his feet. He came around the table, feeling dazed,. yet feeling curiously uplifted, relieved, gloriously happy.

have

He took her hand in his "Studio.. That's it. That's the answer to our problem. Stupid of me not to thought of it before. I'll hunt one up to-morrow--and we'll stay married and be happy."

Prue squeezed his hand, smiled must tell her. He must talk to her plainly and suggest a separaton. The through her tears. "Oh, my darling, thought of how she would look and if you only knew how tortured I've and what she would say sent a pang been because I thought you wouldn't

understand." through his heart. He knew she had..

ng of how he felt. It would be

(Copyright, 1989, By The Associated no inkling like a bolt from the blue.

Newspapers).

He must make the telling as gentle as possible. He must be kind, con- siderate, yet firm. He must give her to understand that no matter what she said or did there could be no other way of solving the problem. He must make her understand that he loved her, would always, love, her that he was doing this for her good as well his own. If they continue on he would gradually grów to hate her. She wouldn't want that, nor pt the

the business in Hay Paul tried to apply:" himself to the work he had laid out for the dày. He found the tag'r limpossible.

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