Show s Husban Husband audI andl ine PIe s CHAPTER A Desirable Apartment The next day I 1 started out again to hunt an apartment If we were were to move it would be be- better to do so while T Tom Iri Jr was was with his grand grand- mother And Tom had declared only that morning that he couldn't spare hIm much longer that we we must have him back with usI usI us I never dreamed I I should miss the little tell fellow ow so much he said over and over again I too missed my big boy but it It would be be much easier for tor me to move and settle if he were away Ills little hands were apt to be very bus busy doing things which hindered Instead of helped Then if Norah had him to look after she could not do as much for the baby The very first apartment I 1 looked at delighted me There were the requisite number of rooms It was In Ina ina a fine location and was an attractive house with a good entrance The rent was 75 a month I 1 told the superintendent It was out of the question but he said he would give us the apartment until October for 50 If we would take a two years years' lease from October I 1 didn't look any further I 1 wouldn't tell Tom anything save that I 1 had found foun an apartment that just suited me and have him look at It The next day was Sunday Sunday Sun Sun- day and r I told the superintendent we would be down before noon lOr I will hold It until 2 o'clock for tor you Mrs lUrs Randall he told me and I was silly enough to think he was doing me a favor and so thanked him effusively ALMOST PERS PERSUADED Sunday was a lovely day and Tom proposed we go out in the park and take talce Vera But I 1 told him I 1 had other plans and finally persuaded him to go down dO to the apartment with me Nothing was said about price until he had looked It over thoroughly He liked it Immediately and I was delighted de- de e- e lighted as he pointed out Its favorable points The bedrooms especially pleased him They were large and very light Two of them opening into each other This would be ideal for the children chil- chil dren he said as he noted the fact It was one of the things which appealed to me I returned You see Tom we wouldn't disturb them ih the least yet when we went to bed we could open the door and so hear them 1 if they were restless In the night We Ve could put Veras Vera's crib and anda a single bed for tOl Tom in the room and have plenty of space for tor the other furniture so The bureau could go between the windows I like the idea of the southern exposure for the kiddies kiddies kid kid- dies too Tom replied Then he turned to the superintendent the rent of this apartment apart apart- men ment t Fifty dollars until October first then seventy five afterward too much rent Tom de- de apartment Ive I've Its the cheapest seen that was at all what I wanted I volunteered You wont won't find an anything thing better better- at atthe atthe the price in all New York the superintendent superintendent super super- added Give me the refusal until tomorrow night Tom said to tomy my delight Ill telephone you ou my decision I WAYS AND MEANS It was so arranged and Tom and I started back home I was terribly excited over the easy way in which Tom had fallen in with my plans and chatted of how lovely the place was and how comfortable we could be In It all the way uptown I have haven't t rented It yet Sue Suc Tom TomI said but he spoke so pleasantly he didn't dampen mY spirit a bit I How nicely we can can entertain In n that dining room I remarked ad the living room is so prettily deco deco- rated They would do O over o the bedrooms bedrooms bed bed- rooms and th the kitchen for us allowing allowing allow allow- ing me to choose the papers Yes It It- ItIs Is a very complete little flat flat Tom returned But Sue It isa is a a. pretty big rent Almost a third of I my salary Quite a third by the time we add lights and gas for cooking But Tom you are bound to get another raise before long And we I can save in other ways If you only willOh will Oh I 1 will I interrupted You are going to t take ke It arent you Tom You like ni nice e things as s well as I do for tor all your your preaching Of course I do only Sue we we- have I I four to feed and clothe and the I maids maid's wages and her board to con con- sider You will have to plan closely to keep out of debt I know I 1 answered rather im- im patiently And perhaps you can make some extra mone in the E stock market t Dont Don't bank on an anything thing Uke that Sue It isn't likely Ill I'll get ari any more Ups tips and I touch It on my myown myown own judgment Never mind mind- that now just rent the apartment I replied CHAPTER 1 The Decision Tom would not promise me to take the apartment neither that night northe nor nor- the next next morning though I urged him to do so But th the next night when he I came home to dinner he said Its all over but the moving Sue Really Yes I telephoned the agents and mailed them the first months month's rent Oh goody I exclaimed and gave him a resounding kiss Remember Sue if we get Into trouble trouble trou- trou ble it will wil be your our fault he he- said laughing at my enthusiasm Youre the worst spendthrift I ever knew Oh Ill I'll take all tIle the blame I told him and not a qualm disturbed my I I conscience not even when the thought of my unpaid bills flashed across my mind I 1 seemed to hive have had the faculty of dismissing unpleasant thoughts anent anything which I myself should be blamed and of worrying over nonessentials non non- essentials There was just one thing In connection connection tion with the move we were to make which worried me a little and that was telling Helen Then too I 1 hated to leave her A CONFESSION Helen Thurston had been my first acquaintance in New ew York She had invariably been kindness Itself to me And in spite of her using me In the way she did to make commissions for herself I loved her dearly dearl and knew I should miss her But I had made up my mind to be intimate only with such people as Vivian Morton and Mrs Hen Hen- derson That I was becoming cheap and snobbish I never thought but now I 1 know that I was and insufferably soot so Not ot flu that T I Intended to drop dron Helen en- en ti i b but t T Tom now v vas was i in a position of responsibility and as the wife of such a a. man I was entitled to some social social so- so cial recognition Then too I had long ago found out that I could Influence Tom more easily when I 1 put my desires on the Score ore of appearIng well before his old friends than In any other Way Suppose we gO up and tell the Thurstons I suggested All right Youil You'll miss Helen Sue She's been mighty nice to you I know lenow I shall miss her but she I goes Joes out so much that she will often stop in and we can come up occasionally occasionally occasion occasion- ally in the evening I returned I Im ao 80 glad you came up Helen greeted us Shall we visit or play bridge I I I ITom Oh Sue has some news for you ou I Tom replied have to listen to her for tor a while an anyway way I II I What Is it It Sue Is Peggy coming I again I hope so I I Nothing like lilie that I replied Weare We Ve are going to move To why where Helen asked astonished I Why Vh we found a lovel lovely apartment down in the nineties It has one more room and amI the childrens children's bedroom opens I out of ours AndOh And And- Oh Ob Sue I shall miss you rou so lichen Helen I II walled wailed And I you ou but we just couldn't let I this apartment slip through our fin fin- 4 i gers We Ve get It until October for the I same as we pay here WALTER UNDERSTANDS j See h here r Helen Dont Don't you try tomake to tomake make Sue and Tom uncomfortable I I b O 1 r UJ y e I Remember Remember- they have quite a family now and need more room than we do I Taller Waller told her I know Va Walter II er but I shall be horribly horribly hor- hor I lonely she returned But Helen you Ou go out so much it I will be almost as for to easy you stop j then you and Walter Valler must come down I in the evening sometimes and well we'll wellcome come up Really when you ou see the tho thoI I I apartment you wont won't wonder that we I took it it and I launched off into a description description de- de I of the new home from the I kitchen to the living room I It must be lovely ely Do you rou have to pay much mOre after October October- I Yes 25 more I replied Well Veil youve you've gone beyond ond my limit I Walter broke in In We Vo cant can't afford a penny more than we are paying now I I Even en this is too much But you ou see Tom is manager manager- now and we must lIve according to his position po- po I explained and Helen Belen agreed pO-I pO wIth me We Ve remained until 10 o'clock most of the time discussing my plans for I decorating etc Just before We left Helen made an excuse to get me into I her bedroom and told me that ladame l I had hael called her up and said that she I II I needed money and would she speak to me about my balance I It If can manage it I would pay I her Sue she added Her ller midsummer mer sales will be on soon and she has thE most wonderful bargains YOU ever saw Ill try but really Helen I am afraid I cant can't pay It all However Ill I'll try II JU i Letter From Peggy lean dean p. p m. m evening prayer Dally Daily I at 4 p. p m m. Wednesday and S 8 p p. m. m I holy communion Thursday 10 a. a m. m |