Show I Husband audI and I IBy By J Jae ane Phelps f s CHAPTER 85 Christmas Eve We found a quiet corner and Peggy opened the baS bag It held a shopping list some change and a small roll of bills We counted them There were just fourteen dollars But not a card or anything to show who the owner might be You I have haye been a fool had I given it to that woman Peggy asked just as the attendant came In with a woman who was crying bitterly Dont feel so badly bady the girl told the sobbing woman someone Is sure to find it and turn It In Before I could stop her Peggy had gone to them and ask asked d I Have you lost anything 4 j i I I Yes Miss 1 I lost my pocketbook with all the money Ive I've been saving for forthe forthe the childrens children's Christmas in It I cant can't give them anything unless I find it and their little hearts will be broken broen Describe the pocketbook and tell me what was wa in It Peggy said to her She told of the list describing her children chil- chil dren dIen as she mentioned what each was to have then said she had forty five cents in chance and fourteen dollars in bills Her joy In getting it back was only equalled by Peggys Peggy's delight that she hadn't given it it to the wrong person We Ve had made another trip and I had finished my shopping at Peggy and Helen Heen bought their gifts at different shops but r I had to have everything charged and was the only place I had an account I would have been frightened to buy there had It not been for their advertisement advertisement adver- adver sayIng the bills would not be rendered until February 1 1 By that time something was sure to happen soI so soI I could pay them Yet when the goods came and I figured figured fig fig- up what I had spent it was really more than I had planned It would be Isn't It always that way I know k ow it was with me I would start out with the best Intentions in the world would resolve to be economical etc and yet ret spent more than I should I had bought a reading lamp for Tom some sills sill stockings for Helen Heen and Peggy severa several things for the baby a book boo for Walter Valter and some gloves and handkerchiefs for Norah Then I had remembered Toms Tom's mother mothel my own father and mother two or three of the j girls who always sent me something and to whom I felt I must send presents presents pres- pres because of that It doe doesn't nt sound like much of a list but I counted up the sales slips and my bill had been increased by 30 I had wanted some other things but now I was thankful I had not purchased them Tom had sent up a tree and he and Peggy and I were trimming It when I Walter Valter and Helen Heen came in They hall had their arms full of bundles all wrapped I In tissue paper and Christmas ribbons A present for each of us even I Peggy 1 We were not to open them until later In the evening I A FOOLISH CUSTOM I wish they hadn't done that Tom grumbled when they had gone We have made no preparation for them and it mates makes me feel fee small and mean I have a book for Walter Valter and a pair of stockings for Helen Heen I told I him and Peggy bought them a lovely smoking set Y You u know they have been I very nice about taking her out all rIght then but what a I nuisance You give me something I dont don't want and Ill I'll give you something I cant can't afford That's about all it amounts to Oh how lovely lovery the tree looks Peggy exclaimed as she brought out several packages beautifully wrapped Where here shall I put these Tom took them from her then they went out in the kitchen to pop corn Norah gave ga the baby his supper and I Iut ut tut him to bed early He was to have his presents and see the tree in the morning We e strung some o of f the popcorn pop pop- popcorn corn and then made paper pas plas of gaily colored paper and filled I 1 Ithem them with the corn and hard candies When we the finished i it t was dinner time The tree looked lovely ovely an and d while tired I was glad I had asked Walter Vater and Helen Heen to come in after dInner We Ve would distribute the presents and then play bridge or something to pass the evening I had suggested a a. play but Tom had said he couldn't afford it it I did not care very much much about it I anyway We Ve were to go on a real party the next night Dinner out In Inthe inthe the country dancing and a good time generally Everett Crandell had Invited invited in- in Tom Peggy and me to be his guests for the evening GIFTS FOR ALL It was about half past 8 when Helen and Walter Vater came ame in In Tom lighted the tree and we pretended he was Santa Claus and made him make a speech with each girt gift he handed to us us Tom was very wItty and he kept us roaring with laughter Peggy had given me the dearest waist white georgette crepe with a design design de- de sign In beads The very latest Idea In waists I was delighted with it She had given Tom a new pair of slippers and a pipe and the baby a hIgh chair Helen and had given Tom and me a set ot of 0 Henrys Henry's books and Peggy a lovely pocketbook The baby had picture books and toys In his bun bun- I dle Everyone appeared pleased with their gifts aM we had a really pleasant pleasant pleas pleas- ant evening evening- We Ve didn't play cards after all The men told stories then Peggy proposed that wo we start reading th n y You read d aloud d. d Sue she said You read so well It was the one thing I could do I had read aloud to father a great deal So I read to them for an hour then we had apples and popcorn and elder cider Heen and Walter Valter stayed until nearly midnight When they went Walter said I want to thank you Sue for askIng asking ask ask- Ing us down It has been a very pleas peas pleasant peasant ant restful evening Much l better than going somewhere In a crowd I suppose sup sup- pose You celebrate your wedding anniversary anniversary an- an tomorrow I After we were alone Tom turned to tome tome me with the remark You see Sue it Is just as I have told you many times You dont don't have to spend spend- a lot of money and go to all kinds of trouble to entertain your friends They enjoy somethIng simple just as much I had wanted to have havea a more elaborate supper CHAPTER 86 Christmas Day The next morning we spent with the baby Ile He was delighted with the tree and his toys Little as he was he seemed to appreciate everything we did for him and we passed a happy morning In the afternoon we went to a moving picture show In the vicinity then dressed for the evening Everett was to call for us at 7 o'clock We Ve were all ready and waiting It was a lovely night and I would have preferred going in the touring car But he said he was afraid It would be too cold coming home and had brought the lIm limousine and his I I 1 I I I I I 1 We went to an inn out In Westchester West West- Westchester chester for dinner Everett had ordered ordered or- or dered It over the telephone and so soI sowe we weren't kept waiting We had everything Imaginable that was good to eat and then we danced for an anh h hour ur before we started for home we got back into the city Everett proposed we go to one of the gay restaurants dance a little littlemore littlemore more and have a late supper Christmas comes only once a year he saId when Tom rather objected ob- ob I and it is your anniversary too I II Just as you say Tom rejoined laughing youre the boss I 1 had just been thin thinking ng how nice it was of Everett Crandell to ask Tom and me out with him I knew that it wasn't usua usua for business men mento mento to take their office assistants out outto outto to dinner and I was flattered accordingly according ac- ac cording cordingly BRIGHT LIGHTS We Ve stopped before one of the largest and gayest restaurants in New York I was d lIghted delighted as much on Peggys Peggy's account as on my own Tom and Peggy went at once on to the floor arid and I remained at the table with Everett while he ordered a supper supper sup sup- per to be served a little later 1 Fool Fool- I told him how nice I thought It was of him to ask Tom out with I him He looked ut at me queerly then said dryly I You dont don't SUppose its on his account ac- ac count do you Toms Tom's a nice fellow but he stopped as if he had said more than he had Intended But what I queried Dont you know that It is because ot of you I ask him That I Mite you so well that I want to be with you I 1 wondered why he hesitated before he sid like I IVas was Vas puzzled flattered flat fat and a little lItte annoyed all at once by his speech Hurt a little too that he dIdn't seem to appreciate Tom as much as I thought he did But just then Peggy and Tom came back to the table and I made no reply After a little I saw Tom bow to a pretty girl seated some distance from us Everett Crandell followed my glance and I 1 thought an expression of at impatience escaped him The girl was alone at the time the rest of her party were evidently dancing Excuse me a moment Tom said The girl had beckoned him at I interpreted a slight gesture she made Who Vho Is she I asked ased Mr Crandell Crandell Cran- Cran dell as Tom made his way toward her Do you know her Yes her name is Coleman She is is- he caught himself then said to Peggy Shall we dance I IT TAKES LITTLE TO AROUSE JEALOUSY I supposed that as soon as Tom saw I was alone he would return to me but he seated himself at the table with the young lady I was angry and annoyed r I was not yet sufficiently sufficiently suf- suf accustomed to public restaurants restaurants res- res not to feel embarrassed to sit alone All alone a voice asked just as r I was wondering how I could attract Toms Tom's attention Yes absolutely deserted I told Carol Blackock Blacklock as I took his outstretched out out- outstretched stretched hand May I sit down Oh please do I feel so utterly so out of place alone I feel as If everyone were looking at me and wondering what in the world ailed me that my escorts both should desert me I I All I can say is that it shows their bad taste rather than their lack ot of appreciation he smiled as he took Toms Tom's chair But I 1 am not expected to find fault with them am I I I Not unless you too are sorry fo fome f r me I laughed Did you have n. n merry Christmas he asked abruptly changing the subject Very In a simple way I told him then I described our Christmas eve party and nd the way vay we had spent the day Crandell was very excusive exclusive he grumbled when I told him where we e had dined and with whom r I had my dinner all alone aone Who Is that girl Tom is talking to I asked trying not to show that that I was becoming nervous because of herShe her She is a friend of Hamiltons She is employed in the same office with Tom I believe So this was the girl Tom was with when out of town men had to be entertained |