Show The W Woman Who And Loved Earned A M MODERN 0 DE R N S STORY TOR Y 0 OF F H HOME 0 MEA AND N D BUS BUSINESS I N E S S By Jane Phelps CHAPTER 49 Mary Tells Gerry Plain Truths M Mary ry w while lle often using slang had never before been profane I 1 was so astonished when she called caned me a damn fool tool that for a moment I 1 could not gather my wits to answer Then I 1 Isaid Isaid said If I 1 am you needn't swear and you might tell me In what way I 1 am such a fool Why didn't you go to that picnic Because I 1 didn't want to I would have been bored to extinction Was Vas that all the reason you sta stayed d home Honest Injun Cross my heart I 1 dont don't know anyOne anyone anyone any any- one in the store and so so of course knew none of their wives or sweet sweet- hearts So I 1 told Robert to go without without without with with- out me mc My vacation comes next week w too too and I hated to ask madame for a whole day off only a week before I 1 go away So you sent your husband off to spend a blissful day with another wom worn an No wonder I said you was was' a a Dont nt say it again But ut just the I same I cant can't see why you always talk as if I 1 ought to do things l dont I want to because of or Robert He doesn't want me to go to places or do things that bore me It lt would be better If he did I mean you would be safer Safer Yes No woman is safe whose husband husband husband hus hus- band dont don't caro care what she does Take little Marys Mary's word for that If It you had gone gone Robert wouldn't have asked Marian Hovey Then they couldn't have spent that long blissful day to to- to gether Them days aint safe for a married man man Gerry honest to goodness goodness good good- I n ness ss they aint Nonsense Didn't I tell you Bob urged me to go It was only because he didn't want to go alone that he heI asked Marian It didn't cost him anything anything anything any any- thing you see The firm paid for I everything I I 1 wonder did they I wonder if they paid for the heartaches some of the wives of 0 them clerks will have haye later because they was too selfish to togo togo togo I go with their husbands when they asked them It was real nice in them I though to treat their clerks I I What a funny girl you are I re replied replied re- re plied a bit impatiently Talking about heartaches being paid pal for by bythe the company Do be senst- senst ble Mar Mary Aint I sensible I thought I was You see you OU want Robert to 10 do good work dont don't you 7 Of course I do Any wife docs does I guess I Well Wen he no he-no no man cant can't unless they Is contented And no no man aint contented contented con con- tented living like you and Bob live That flat has turned your head I returned now now- really leally annoyed at Mary Ever Eer since she rented It she I had preached the joys joys of homo to anyone any tny- one she could get to listen to her anY I All the girls in the shop teased her about I it Marys getting ready to take care I of a husband one of the girls mocked Not on your life Lucy guess again Little dont don't take care of no noman I man not man not unless hes he's sick or something not not even a husband But theres there's one I thing thEng sure sure sure-If if I ever find a man who can cart be fooled into marrying me Ill I'll know how to make a home for him I Kids and all I suppose I Bet your life Lucy What is home homei i without a baby Jaby Now if you ou girls I I think you can me by poking pok- pok pok-I pok I I ing fun fun youre you're I am going go- go I gO-I ing lag to learn to cook and to keep house I may n never ver have hae any chance to showoff showoff show showoff I off what I have learned learn but if I do just watch out I I used to listen and smile at Mary when she he talked this way She was wasso wasso wasso so earnest so honest Once Once- I repeated repeat repeat- ed some of oC her per nonsense to Robert and ho said Marys larys got the right idea She will make some man mall a l fine wife wire But I 1 saId sad nothing 1 to Robert of what she had said a abut about ut his' his taking Marian to the picnic did lid 1 I tell him what sh she abc had called me That night he didn't get in until after mid mid- mid mid-I I night I was in bed and he said he was too tired to talk talk- had had a love I ly time and would tell me all about it itIn itin in iii the morning S CHAPTER 50 The Picnics Picnic's Aftermath Robert slept heavily until 10 I Wh n 1 sall d im and W l laughed at him for sleeping so late he said I guess if you had pl pled ed games gaines like I did yesterday you would be tired too I was stiff from not using my muscles I 1 feel sore as If I had been pounded But we had a b. wonderful time You missed it by not going Yes I gu guess ss I did Robert looked surprised but said nothing After I had mae made him a cup I of coffee and given him some crackers crackers crack crack- ers era to stay his appetite until the Sunday Sunday Sunday Sun Sun- day dinner should be served I 1 said Now tell me all about it What you did and everything Oh we went out Into the country automobiles played games until dinner dinner din din- I ner had dinner more games back I In autos That's about all I guess i He yawned and stretched his arms above his head Why that Isn't telling me anything at all What did you have for dinner dinner dinner din din- ner How many were there of you what time did you get in town We Ye had soup cold meats of all kinds bread and butter coffee and cakes A good feed and plenty of it There were about fifty of us In all And what time did you get back I About 6 I About 6 I 1 repeated Why where did you go It was was' after midnight I when you came In I It was time to eat again and I 1 II I 1 thought It only decent to take Marlon Marion I to dinner since she had been good goodenough goodenough goodenough enough to go with me Where did you go To I knew it was an ah expensive restaurant restaurant restaurant rant and probably showed my astonishment aston aston- for Robert added I wanted to hear some music and 1 I see some life That Is Is I wanted Marlon Ma Ma- 1 lion rion to She has been out vcr very littie lit little lit lit- j I tle tie since her father died But she was at the picnic I 1 should think that might have sufficed forOne forone for forone one day For heavens heaven's sake salte Gerry stop quizzing me and finding fault If you didn't want to do anything yourself yourself your your- self dont don't act the dog in the manger if someone som-eone else does I asked you ou J first You threw me down and and and- Where did you go after dinner I Interrupted coldly To a movie I thought we might as well tin finish Ish out the day He yawned I again I asked no more questions I was I Inot not so much hurt over what Robert had done as the careless manner in which he had lert left me alone all all' all evening evening evening eve eve- ning and hi his hi tone in telling me of it It was as though he had not once thought of me I 1 recalled what Mary Ryan had said I about spending a long blissful day together and while I 1 knew she had I borrowed the expression from some novel It some way seemed to fit the I day Robert had spent with Marion Hovey I wished all day I 1 had gone with you I finally remarked Marion Marlon would have missed a treat Perhaps you had a better time with L her than If I had gone It was a childish remark of a woman who had refused to accept accept ac no- her husbands husband's invitation and so sc I I almost forced him to take tale someone i else Perhaps Marlon Marion is a good little pal She's so interested in everyone everyone- j how they get on on and all that Then L i she's Jolly and talks of interesting things And And And- Which I do not not I could not help heir j the remark neither could I hide the tho I bitterness I felt But if Robert noticed no no- no- no he paid no attention He answered answered answered an an- S You are too apt to talk shop Gerry I 1 guess all women who are In Ia L business or are business women are I apt to They dont don't seem to be able to tc forget It When a mans man's tired or or- or discouraged he isn't In a mood to hear about Mrs 1 Smith buying a hat or 01 Mrs Jones returning one because it ii wasn't becoming Dont Don't think I am air I finding fault I guess you OU cant can't help heir it It yoi you business women S Pit Pity you married a business woman wom worn an if you liked the other kind so sc I much better I retorted But If Robert Robert Robert Rob Rob- ert heard he made no reply replY just just read I his paper until dinner time Tomorrow Tomorrow-A A Vacation Alone Copyright by George Matthew Adams I |