Show THE iTHIE V FLAPPER JER WIFE M B By Copyright Beatrice 1925 i Service on CHAPTER I. I j t It rt was wa the last night of ot Gloria's Glorias f I Tomor Tomorrow ow would be LII her wedding J stood down iown at the te teR R JI hit Ite satin sa spread out on oner er It bed tf It had been vorn orn by t two w other r her hr and anI w later her own mother t V But nut I certainly dont don't intend to toy y hove have the kind kini of nit t life hey iad ad 1 1 Gloria shook h Ih hr v bobbed head at the white walls willi of her lar room 7 Her dt deil ell I grandmother q olle work wo-n wo land had bad raise 1 ft tin tu Mi children Ten children Think of it Gloria la Jo Not for tor me mo Mie he sad ot If it I know myself I Of or course Dh k Dik k might want chil- chil ren f He lie probably would Most Moat men nen did want them Why not nor since nce they had none nO of the bother nd Dd pain of ot them They could oud go 10 on their live ive ThUe the wives lot lost sleep and andt t 14 caring for the children t Ii could rush about tte w They doing n t 1 Mj pleased Kor FOI or their women ere safe eafe at hon home chained to the t adle o she ehe hl was waa not t to have haveles les leR Not even e one So that was that Then Glorias Gloria's thoughts flew to the sitting room She pew her mother was wail there In t the te theOld e Old rocker mending stockings She 9 a always mending And still the was always full It held an l endless Job t. t Poor mother How hard she ff i There was nothing for her but j 1 and her family year J year Ye gods what a life Ute A woman was either a slave or a doll I But If it she was a slave It was waa her r. r town own fault And that's all there w was s to It J Gloria had made up her mind that o t she was through with hard hart wont wor rever last week when had Td d good goodby by to her typewriter typewrIte and er Cr job jab in Main fain street Gloria lifted the old wedding dress ess from the bed and and- put it on a a. 7 l hes thes hanger in the closet But 6 silk was heavy and the dress iress S Ii ct do off fL Into a heap on the tle floor Mother Iother Gloria called downstairs down- down stairs Irs will you ou come up hI bete e tight right ay 1 I 1 want you to help me me with J tricky dress It J keeps falling taIling a 0 Uthe the thO hanger q aria Gordons Gordon's mother was a 11 abrown mall brown wren of a woman All fee life er-life life she had babied ler er beau beau- daughter i low ow she hung the dress neatly In ine 09 e closet Then she turned down 10 Ioia's las la's bed and put a hot water between the sheets Dear me me Gloria she fretted I d nt know how youre you're ever going get et along without me to take taker r K-f K Jo r- r o of you when youre you're married gone gand-gone an nd gone D Dont nt you worry about me the g l- l answered Ill be taken care of at right That's what I meant tod today today to- to d day y when I told you ou I 1 didn't want Jo learn anything about housework You see If I dont don't know how to do doDick dot It t Dick viii have to hire a maid for Zor r me right from the start She set her hel lovely mouth In a aIrm firm Irni red line I I 1 had different Ideas when I as a bride Mrs airs Gordon said saidI fIut Uy I thought a woman ought 0 help her husband I know you did Your Idea of ot anted lif life was to take care of Ut ur husband Mine Is that he Is IsI I t take ke care of me Gloria shrilled here bere you ran a carpet sweeper going to run an automobile ye ve made up my mind that Im I'm g to be Dicks Dick's sweetheart housekeeper Im I'm gOing to toy y in bed every day till noon and anti ep p. p m my looks and my husband She crossed the room to her dress- dress table fable She l leaded ed forward and ana andl l letl ietI l. l her face in the mirror e knew that she was beautiful had red-gold red hair and dark and lashes Her lIer skin was Ut tho and white as a g gardenia athe the forces that had modeled features h had d made them clear behind this sw sweet t and wo- wo mask she r-he r was wildly dis- dis and eager for life And with e a capital L was L-was was begin begin- tomorrow with her wedding n Tomorrow she would burst forth forthe 0 e a a. butterfly from its cocoon d- d fl fly away Away way from this t toy house and the alarm clock rr at had wrenched her from sleep at t 7 T every tery morning for the last two tr ears ars ars Away from the necessity or o r working six days a week as as typist for a real estate firm on 1 Ma Main in street And mixed up with Glorias Gloria's love for Dick Gregory was an enormous i gratitude toward him for taking her awa away from al all this to a life Ufe of ease ase with him At least Gloria intended that It should hould be he ease und and luxury too She was tired of penny pinch penny pinch pinching ing and hard work vork Dead tired A job and a s career were all ii I very well wJ in thru w way n for girls i I j ti i I I tt I i I I MOTH MOTHER ER GREGORY who weren't beautiful and desirable desir desir- able ahe girls whom men I deSir-I didn't want Hut But with a 1 face like hers Then he turned out the lights I above e the di dlf easing esing table tabie She climbed into bed pulled the covers Cr around her hr shoulders shoulder and I I I 1 to him as she vas as going now Never l She turned and ran back to her room I Dick she called softly from fromI I the window He lie came out from the shadow of or the porch I I j I Darling Im I'm not coming down I I I Gloria said I I jut just cant can't It ItI J I wouldn't be right You shouldn't I have haye asked me to do such a horrid thing I I Without answering Dick crossed 1 th the lawn and started his car i I i Gloria lay in bed listening to the I i so soun un of it She heard It U for a long along longtime time a and n she knew that Dick Dict had hadj i I gone ou out t on Yale avenue to take one last look at the house he had built for her What a boy h he was At twenty she wa was more worldly i wise than Dick in spite of his thirty years and his reputation as a lawyer er 1 lIe He was like wax in her hands She could make him utterly miserable miserable miser miser- able by refusing him a kiss And Anel 1 when she was tender he would wil- wil 1 j I go through fire and water I for her He said so j I When she did kiss him she I was never thrilled by it What ex excited excited ex- ex cited cHed her was the power that kiss I eX-I ga gave ve her over him I Yes Yos Dick was mad about her He TIe would giVe gie her anything she asked I for And she was not going to be slow In asking for the things she want leisure love and lux lux- Ul ury But above e all luxury r Glorias Gloria's first thought the next morning aO was This Thill i is IN my we wedding day Her second I wa was This js IC s the last lat morning I shall shah ha haM ha hato to ake akl tip up In Ill meet you at the elevator at 2 2 Well We'll hunt up a n new w place for lunch shall we I And so It happened that the new new- Mrs rs Richard Gregory came home I from her honeymoon wearing a ar r Ml 11 fur coat oat fragrant with scent They w went nt to dinner that first I I I I I f I t I J JI I fu j 4 I 4 S 4 q A I I GLORIA GORDON DICK GREGORY I sleepily kissed her mother go godI good god d dI I night j I Two vo T hours later she sat up up In I bed wide awake awakeS with the feeling I that someone had called caned her She listened No No sound in the darkened house Then suddenly she heard a a. low Bob White whistle out of doors Dick She swung her feet over the side of or the bed and to flew-to the window There he stood down on the moonlit moonlit moonlit moon moon- lit lawn She heard him laugh as she threw up the window Its our wedding day day- dayne ne Tie said Ten minutes after twelve Hows How's my bride Oh Oh Dick how wicked of you Gloria said exasperated Dont you know Its It's bad luck to see your bride on your wedding day before the preacher makes her yours And besides what will wUl the neighbors think if they see you Oh bother the neighbors neighbors' They wont won't be your neighbors after to tomorrow tomorrow to- to morrow anyway Dick replied In Ina Ina ina a stage whisper r. r Look here I 1 want to kiss you Ive I've been thinking about you OU all an evening during during dur dur- ing that doggoned bachelor din dinner dine din I ner W With th a bang Gloria shut the window and nd went ick b to bed I She lay there waiting for the sound of 01 Dicks Dick's departing roadster But there was no sound anywhere I I except tl the l lonesome shriek of ot a atrain atrain tin train in the distance I At last she got up and looked out of the window Dick hadn't I moved He lIe was still waiting for his kiss Gloria opened the window I I Why in in in- inthe the world dont don't you go home she asked crossly Dick didn't answer at once He lie I I I stood twirling his hat in his hands ph have a heart Glor GIor he said finally Come on down to the front door for Just a minute I 1 must kiss you OU dear dear hink Think its it's our wedding wedding wedding wed wed- ding day 1 I IGloria Gloria hesitated After all where was the harm in one one- one little little kiss kiss Inthe in itt inthe the dead of night In another twelve hours the they would be man and wife All right Ill I'll be right down she whispered She put on her bathrobe and thrust her bare feet into slippers I She tiptoed out in the hall han I Halfway down the stairs she paused I This was not the thing to do She was making herself cheap easy The way to hold a aman aman athan man than was to keep him guessing To kiss him so 80 seldom that lovemaking mak love I ing would never loser Jose its tang and flavor VOl I A man men was a born hunter He He loved the chase As soon as Jie got I what he wanted he was off ott at top top speed for something else for somebody somebody some some- body else Well Sell ell she he would keep Dick some some-I running running run run- ning nil after atter her She would never go I I I I I I this dingy old room thank goodness goodness goodness good good- ness aShe She hated every everything in it from the battered brass bed to the Imitation imitation irnita- irnita tion ivory toilet set By tomorrow morning she would be the wife of a man who could buYher buy buyher buyher her wonderful things a toilet set of silver perfumes lacy handkerchiefs handkerchiefs hand hand- kerchiefs chiffon stockings too thin J ever to be mended She had made up her mind that her honeymoon would be a shopping shopping shopping shop shop- ping trip too With Dick to pay the bills bUls Sweetheart Dick had said l lets ts t's honeymoon in some quiet quiet- place where we can be alone But she had laughed him to scorn I Dont you know you can be lonelier lonelier lone lone- lier her in a big city than anywhere else in the world silly she had asked Jve Ive decided on Montreal I Its It's romantic but its it's full of lovely shops and restaurants And we weI I shall stop at the Ritz and be beI bevery I very smart and Ritzy Dick had laughed And she had her herVa Va way So when a certain train rolled roiled the country that November November Novem Novem- ber bel night Mr and Mrs Richard Gregory were on it Their drawing room was packed with brides' brides roses Y Youre ure like a rose yourself my little Glory And mine at last Dick murmured His arms arm held her close His Ills eager lips pressed down hungrily upon hers that were so smooth and cool i 1 Her honeymoon was the most wonderful time of ot Glorias Gloria's life Ufe She slept the mornings away and breakfasted elegantly at noon In the afternoons she and Dick hired a fiacre to take them far up I II the steep road to Mount Royal or I out into the country They ate in quaint little French restaurants And Gloria shopped She bought beads and earrings and more than a dozen bottles of French Trench perfume while Dick stayed in the hotel reading Gloria had never known anyone who read so much as he For a rising young lawyer youre you're quite a highbrow it seems deems to me she said one morning She was lying back in a long chair while the hotel hairdresser her reddish gold hair ball She laughed almost scorn scornfully full Dick made no answer He lie sat down and and- picked up a book only to toI I put lUt ut It down He filled his pipe and laid it II unlighted on the dresser Come here restless soul I want to talk to you Gloria held out to him a slim hand Do you know Its It's awfully cold Outdoors I nearly froze yesterday I need a coat Id I'd like a fur one Ive I've been looking at atone atone one cne In that little shop down the street Her voice trailed off The hairdresser hairdresser hairdresser hair hair- dresser had finished her work and was putting her Iron and brushes away in In a little black bag Glory paid her The moment the door had closed beh behind nd her Dick came across the room He lIe put his hands under Glorias Gloria's elbows holding her a away way from hIm hinr Look here please dont don't have people peo- peo pie hanging around here all the time he said Youre beautiful enough without having your OUI hair curled every time ime the wind blows I 1 went you alone all to myself With sudden udden passion he pulled her herto herto to him and kissed her her eyelids eyelids her mouth the little hollow of her throat Wonderful Beautiful he said His HII voice was choked and nd queer I Gloria could feel the beating of his heart against her own and the quivering of his hands With one of her hel own she pushed him away from her She smoothed down her ruffled hairDo hair hall Do you think yo you Cn n afford the ecat Its It's four hundred dollars the one L want dear she said aid cool cool- I ly Its a Jacket of Siberian rel She laced laed her fingers at the back backof of his neck and held heM her face up to j his Say you'll get it for me she said I j Without a word Dick nodded and j turned away lie He picked up his pipe and his book It Im going down to the mens men's lounge for fOJ a while he said ai shortly 3 night with Dicks Dick's father an and mother In the old homestead on Eighth East street j Roly poly pudding said Dick when Maggie the maid brought inthe In Inthe the dessert Ill bet mother made It Just for me She certainly did answered old Mr 11 Gregory Mrs Gregory beamed at Gloria Dick sometimes has nervous indigestion indigestion In Indigestion in- in digestion as you probably know my I dear she said In her In-her er rich contralto i voice and when he has an attack I always cook everything for tor him myself myself my my- self seIt very carefully You Undoubtedly undoubtedly un un- will too I cant can't cook Gloria said In a aery avery avery very ery sma small 11 voice I 1 cant can't cook at I I all Mother Gregory frowned Then I her wide brow cleared You will learh learn she smiled corn com com I You will learn And Gloria smiled back with her ripe lips But there was no smile I In her amber eyes They were vere like i pools of water that no sunlight has warned I I. I She would never learn to cook cool She would never be a household household house house- i hold drudge her hands shriveled I with washing dishes Her lIer nails broken Her dresses smudged with pastry flour If It Dicks Dick's mother thought this was the kind of girl her herson herson herson son had married sh was wag Jolly well mistaken Gloria widened her eyes She I turned to Mother Gregory By the way Ill I'll need a cook right afford a cook Dick began the I first of ot what Gloria later called hi his hili economy sermons 1 hey he had Just come Into th the little house Glory switched on the lights and sighed with Joy The I house with Its Chinese lu ius s and yellow ellow silk curtains was a dream A dream come true Afford a a. cook Vh Why of course we can afford a cook ook she said It was absurd that a a successful lawyer couldn't afford a cook for hi his wife Im Tm not so sure Dick said ald lIe He lIeI set their bags on oh the he floor and I dropped Into a chair You see dearest t he went vent on the furniture Isn't quite paid forAnd for And our honeymoon sent a thousand thousand thousand thou thou- sand dollars to |