<TITLE>15. Par 56-60</TITLE>L-56 I said, "Look, Hope," I said, "you know, the best I remember, now, that married life is supposed to be fifty-fifty. See?" I said, "Now, I'll tell you what, I'll make an agreement with you." I said, "My fifty part, I'll ask your father. And your fifty part, you ask your mother." I knowed I'd get by with her dad, but I was doubting her mother.
She said, "All right." She said, "If you'll ask dad first."
I said, "Well, all right."
She said, "We ought to ask him right away."
I said, "I guess that's right."

L-57 So I went up to her house, and I, that night, and set up there. And I got ready to go. We was all setting, and Mr. Brumbach was setting over at his desk typing off something, you know. And oh, my. I just thought I'd stay all night. So finally got time, I had to say something. So I said... Got nine-thirty, that was my time to go home. How times have changed. So I said... I got up to go home, and so I said, "Good night, you all,"  walked out.
And Hope walked over and said, "Didn't you--didn't you ask? Why don't you ask him?"
I said, "Oh, I just can't." I said, "I just can't."
She said, "Well, you got to ask him."
And I said, "Well, you take your mother and go in the other room."
And she said, "All right."
So she went back and said, "Mom, would you come out here a minute?"
So I stood there at the door a little bit. And I said, "Charlie?"

L-58 He was writing on something. He turned around and said, "Huh? What did you say, Bill?"
And I said, "Could I--could I speak to you a minute?" 
He turned around and said, "Yes, why? What's the matter. Bill?"
And I said, "Would you come here just a minute?" 
And he said, "Yes."
He walked out on the porch. And oh, I was sweating and my heart beating so fast. And I said, "Sure is a pretty night, isn't it, Charlie?" 
He said, "Sure is, Bill."
I said, "I like these kind of nights." 
He said, "You can have her." How he spared me.
I said, "You mean it?"
He said, "Yes."
I said, "What about her mother?"
He said, "I'll take care of that."

L-59 I said, "Thank you, Charlie." I said, "Now look, Charlie," I said, "I know you can get her good clothes and everything. And there's probably many more boys around here who could make her a better living; and she's a pretty girl, and a nice lady," and I said, "any--anybody would want to go with her." I said, "I don't know just how breaks ever happen like that for me." I said, "Charlie, there's nobody in the world loves her any more than I do." I said, "I can't do for her like you can, 'cause I don't... I only make about twenty cents an hour." I said, "Charlie, I'll work as hard as I can, and do everything that I know is in my power to make her a living and be good to her."

L-60 I never will forget. And he laid his (He was a German, and me an Irishman, and we was always...?... one another.) laid his big hand over on my shoulder, said, "Bill, I'd rather you have her than anybody I know of." He said, "Life don't mean what you've got. It's how contented you are with what you have."
I said, "Thank you, Charlie. I--I love her." And I said, "I'll be good to her, and true. And I'll work as hard as I can for her."
He said, "I believe that."
We got married, moved into a little two room place. I never forget what we bought to go housekeeping. And I'll be done just in a minute.


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