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Show T WAS to be a wonderful jf I New Year for the Feltons. J'! 3 At Ieast' w"1'! be for ; Blanche Felton, but Ray mond Felton, her husband, was not quite so sure about the matter, mat-ter, although lie never breathed his doubts to a soul. Their new residence on Allan street was all finished and they were to move in before the New Year. Blanche was excited beyond measure meas-ure ; she would have the finest home of all her friends ; for the new house, planned to be a rather moderate home in the beginning, had somehow developed devel-oped into a rather pretentious structure. struc-ture. That Oils had been all due to her, Blanche had never stopped to think, and Raymond, easy-going and adoring Blanche as he did, never told s her. He wanted her to be happy and this had really been the first thing he had ever seen Blanche so set upon ; up to now she had always been very moderate In her demands. And she j deserved a fine home, if ever a woman , did! But Raymond Felton was worried, lie confessed to himself that he could i not figure out exactly how they were going to keep the place up. Ifo must try. and make some extra money In the next year." But how? he asked ( himself. ) At home Blanche was singing loudly as she went about her work. It was two days after Christmas and she was ( packing all the little odds and ends t about the house preparatory to the ) big move. A loud ring at the doorbell brought her downstairs. Outside ( stood a man and woman, strangers to Blanche. They stated their mission as soon a9 they entered. Somebody had told them about the new house on Allan street and they wondered If i there was a possibility that It was for , sale. Sir. Gray was coming to town ' as manager of the big Delmar com- ! pany, and as they had quite a family ! they needed a large home and were t willing to pay a good price. They had f i II , ! Demand That a Certain Bill Bo Paid ; Immediately. ( already looked all over town and could find c idling to suit their needs. Blanclm told them that the house was not for sale; that they had built It for their own home, and that thera ; was nothing like It In town. She ; talked nt such length and aroused ( their Interest In so many of Us new features that Mr. Gray asked her If he might take a look at tlm plans. I'lattered by his Interest, Blanche said she would get them. .She remembered that Kayniond had put them away B ! few days ago, saying that he was put- ' ting them with all the papers. Blanch. , guessed that lie had put them some- where In his blrf desk and she was right in this surmise. They were en- ! closed In a huge envelope with a host ( of Other papers, some of which fell ( out when alio drew out tho plans. J Stooping to pl''l "P I'"-' Hcattered pu- ' Jiers, l?ho looked hastily lit tho first J one and her face flushed as she read, j It was an almost rude demand that a certain bill for material he paid ! Immediately. Ticking up another one, ( she was Hhockod to sen that It was al- . most of tho same typo. The third paper was In Ita.vmond's writing, und though Blanclm knew 111 Me of lusl- ( ness hIh) could see that he had !ien ( trying to figure out ways and means to make his Income do the Impossible. Then underslamllng dawned upon her, ( and with It an added rush of love for j tho man who had been willing to do no much for her. "I'oor, dear Itny- mond," she whispered, "how Hellish ( und blind I have been." ( Mr. Cray was charmed with tha plans and again asked 1 there was . any chance that they might chango their mind. This fltno Blanche nald ( fihe would Ihlnk It over and asked ( them to full that evening and talk with her husband. Before their com- ' !ng, however, Blanche, herself tallied ( It over villi Kayniond and told him ( that fill is was not so keen about the house afler all that It would entail loo in 11 li work and loo much worry ( mid (hat Instead lliey would III tin ( I heir own cozy little placo bit and ; buy Homo of tlio things they bolh f wanted. Kayniond entered Into Ilia New Year ( minus Ihe load of worry he had been ( carryliK; and Blanclm and Im were . very happy In llielr old home, and. J woman like, she was proud of lh( neat prolll. I hey had niaile In iielllng tlm ( new lion: o over which :lm had Inlicii Hiieh pains, m, vrn, VV,i!, mi nvwu.,il..,r Unlun ) j |
