| Show i i r Garretts r Margaret Marg-arel k kr I Ii I J I s i Aa c Husband By JANE PHELPS r CHAPTER 35 35 Marriage Demands Adjustment About 2 2 o'clock the telephone rang Are yoU jou going to Johns John's with me f tonight Margaret 1 Bob asked Certainly not I thought you understood understood un Un- that this morning I wish you would go Margaret There was a wistful tone in his voice unusual unusual and appealing I shall shaH not go You know how I feel teel about going with those people and andI I cant can't see why you ou persist in asking me me I Very VelT well Dont Don't expect me to dinner din din- ner nero Ill I'll dine with John so long tong as asI I you refuse to spend the evening with I us us And before belore I could voice a protest protest protest pro pro- test the click of the receiver told me he had hung Sup up 1 I was stunned Not for a moment had I re really lIy believed he would go without me if I refused to accept Sir Mr Kendalls Kendall's invitation On one or r two occasions when they had spent the evening together at Johns John's studio I rooms I had not been invited But I considered it an insult that after attar I 1 had declined Bob should accept I turned from the telephone my cheeks burning like fire I was too angry to cry and paced the floor while I wondered what I could do to compel Bob B b to come home and remain with m me lies Hes afraid m to come home to dinner dinner din din- ln- ln ner for fear I shall persuade him to remain emain with me came the thought like ike a ray ray of sunshine I would call can him ilm up say nothing about the evening evening eve eve- ning just tell telI him I should surely expect expect ex ex- I ex-I I him to dinner then keep him with ith me Does it seem strange that I can thus bare are my secret thoughts to the world Do you who read sto stop to think that when hen a woman tells the story of her life Ife it Is mostly a story of feeling of emotion that we as a sex are creal creatures creatures crea crea- tures of emotion and that too often ollen l we spoil our lives Hies because we allow i lour our thoughts to dwell on the nonI nonessentials nonessentials non non- essentials of life instead of being big enough to grasp what makes for happiness happiness happiness hap hap- I and true living and forget all else That I believe is one of mans man's strongest characteristics Seldom does I a man fuss over trifles seldom worry over nonessentials He lie shrugs his mental shoulders shoulders shoulders-If if he doesn't his physical physical and and immediately forgets all about it while most women roll th their lr troubles over and over so that no matter matter matter mat mat- ter how small they are at first in the final analysis they have reached enormous enormous enormous enor enor- proportions proportions-In In their eyes I waited until after 4 o'clock Bob o'clock-Bob Bob didn't like to be disturbed in the middle midI middle mid mid- dle die of the day then day then I called Bobs Bob's I office I Hello Margaret he answered I Then Changed your mind I 1 called to tell you I wanted you to tobe tobe tobe be sure and come home to dinner I I have havo something you particularly like Cant Can't dear its it's too late Ive I've promIsed promised promised prom prom- John But if you have decided to tobe tobe tobe be sensible and want to you can Join us Old John will wIn be dell delighted If it you ou will vill I am sure We Ve aro are dining at Hartwell's at 6 30 Once more he hung up without gIvIng giving giving ing me a chance to answer I r of ot course blamed John Kendall more than I 1 did Bob for this hIghhanded high highhanded highhanded handed proceeding as as I 1 called it If those men would only let Bob alone he would bo all right It was all their fault But Dut I wept bitterly as I thought of my lonely dinner and evening Finally I bathed my face and sat down with a book booI I was proud and would not allow even Della Delia to know I felt slighted by my husbands husband's actions But my thoughts were not on the book but on what course I hould take tako with Bob Dob That eventual eventually I would wean him from his friends I never doubted I heard the bell but paid no attention attention atten atten- tion until Elsie Barton breezed in upon me Well I am luck lucky I e made three I calls and found no one at home Do give me a cup of ot tea and at the same time tell me why those red eyes eyes eyes' You have been crying Dont Don't deny It it itI I rang for Della Delia and ordered tea then tried to interest Elsie in some Christmas Christmas Christmas Christ Christ- mas work I was doing but she would not be put off Come now she sho said when Delia Della had brought the tea fess up What's hats Bob up to now He lie Is dining with John Kendall Is that all I thought he had gone away for a week Vh Why as it happens I Tom is ont too tonight Ill I'll Just take takeoff takeoff off oft my things and dine with you ou I I was nono none too pleased in one wa way although It was always a treat to have Elsie with me But I didn't want Bob to know I was in an any anyay way ay amused in his absence She would bo be gone when he came acme in I would say nothing about it It So I told her how pleased I would be and she sho telephoned her home that they need not expect her Now what else she asked recurring recurring recur recur- ring to Boblie Bob recur recur-I He lie is going to spend the evening I I with John Kendall looking over some foolish manuscript Then I l added t Iwas i iwas was Invited but wouldn't go go Why not not Id I'd like to see John Kendall ask me if he didn't want me meto meto meto to accept I dote on going to his studio I have told you Elsie that I do donot donot donot not care for lor these old friends of ot Bob Bobs s sI I 1 shall accept no invitations from them I shall shaH soon get Bob to feel as asI asI asI I do but if it I accepted their invitations I would have no argument at all You foolish girl You are making an awful ml mistake take CHAPTER 36 The C Only Way It always me exceedingly when Elsie intimated d that I did not Know how to manage Bob I was positive positive pos pos- that my way was the only way wa that to work on his feelings b by a a. pose post of or misery would sooner bring him to tomy tomy tomy my way of ot thinking than anything else would do What man could enjoy himself if h he knew that the woman who loved him so dearly was alone and miserable not because she cared to go out or that she craved ed excitement but because she loved him so well she was unhappy when he was away because she wanted wanted wanted want want- want want- ed nothing no one but himI him I made no reply to Elsie's I remark anent the mistake making making in my way of or of managing Bob and soon she was all interest in my work I was making a lovely toilet set for mother rs r's s Christmas a a lounging robe for fattier father fa ler and the smartest smoking jacket for for Bob You are wonderful with your I Margaret Elsie said and a perfect housekeeper I I wonder if It pays I Why of course it pa pays pas s' s Bob loves loves' his home lIe He is proud of my good housekeeping He lie often tells me so so Proud Proud yes But But But- What do you mean Elsie There are other things In life lite be besides besides be- be sides good housekeeping I wonder if It is the part of ot wisdom to have all your ur eggs in the housekeeping basket Margaret All men like their homes to tobe tobe tobe i be comfortable they like good food but dont don't you think that they also like companionship intelligent and congenial congenial congenial con con- genial friends and well and well lots of other things as well as a well kept home borne Aman Aman A Aman man can hire a good housekeeper you know lIe He doesn't have to get married to have one one Della Delia just then announced dinner I and so I was saved a reply Elsie was a a. very mediocre housek housekeeper per and she never seemed to know or care that she did not excel In any of ot the things which I believed were absolutely necessary essary Take Tal e it all all all' back Margaret she laughed there there is nothing in the world equal to being able to cook as you youcan youcan youcan can can These dumplings are delicious delicious' or did Della Delia make them I made them maam ma'am Della Delia replied but its it's Mrs Garretts Garrett's recipe and she learned me how I wish come over Della Delia and learn my cook how the tho ones she gives us are hard as rocks If Mrs Garrett lets me maam ma'am Mrs Green never ne would give nobody nono none of oC her recipes Della Delia replied Mrs Barton may have any re recIpes recipes ro- ro cipes we have Della Delia DellaI I told the girl who was delighted at the attention paid her The remainder of or the dinner and also for the time Elsie stayed sta-ed after we talked of impersonal things But Just Justas as she left she sho said mischievously Dont scold poor Bob too hard I I never scold him I replied I did not then realize that I J was gradually developing a nagging spirit I didn't until years after Not that I nagged him about anything save the tho one thing His friends his duty to me Im not so sure sure Elsie Lisle returned Tell TeU him from me that ho he missel some wonderful dumplings How lIow could Elsie be beIO so IO o light heart hearted d when Tom was out out She certainly did not love him as as I did did to Bob b or she could not run around having a a. good time when he left her a alone lone It w WitS s about 1 o o'clock clock when Bob came in What in the world rd are r you sitting up for for tor he queried as a he h kissed meTor me For Tor you I answered pleasantly as asI I J could You didn't think I could goto goto go goto to bed when you yOtt OU were out did you ou Of course I I 1 did You are old enough to be sensible about such till things I I never shall go to bed when you ou are are out without me a for or the tho evening evening evening eve eve- ning no matter how 01 old 1 I get lt Its S too bad you jou OU didn't come e down Margaret l He e remarked changing the subject we had a dandy dinner and anda a very interesting evening wha I 1 almost told him e what t L Elsie had said about the dumplings but t stopped my myself lf In time What did didd you do do T I asked Instead John and I dined alone then went directly to his Ms rooms room Maud Warren came in and we 0 three took turns read lead ing the tho manuscript John is so keen about Its It's a corking good story too I wish I knew the author rather author rather the authoress A woman wrote it It was crude needed lots of editing but the story itself was a rattling good one Only a woman with a Keen analytical analytic observing mind could have written it it- it she must have havo a groat great per personality too Judging from the tho book It is her first one It is nice you were so well entertaIned entertained entertained enter enter- while I sat here alone I 1 should think you ou would have more moro respect for forme forme me than to have anything to do with that Miss lIss Warren The idea of her spending the evening atone alone with two Vo men Its It's disgusting disgusting- To my surprise Bob Dob laughed Jealous of ot Maud Warren Why she's just a delightful book worm She is one of ot the best beet judges of whether a book will tI sell U on Johns John's stall W We V never think of ot her as a woman she's just a good pal and we enjoy her just as 8 we enjoy each ether Just the same I cannot understand nor approve of your our acquaintance with her Not ot because I am j Jealous alous for tor I Iam Iam Iam am not not and I 1 meant m ant it I was notTo not To be continued |
