Show I i THE FICTION ION THE LAST STRAW CORNER By Lula W. W Kellams TN IN THEIR EARLIER married 1 years Flora and Ralph Wilson were an ideal couple Both were handsome and jolly with Identical identical identical cal tastes and friends But as they grew older Flo matured while Ralph tried to say boyish and Minute frisky 3 Why not act F Fiction your age she 0 oft often f t e n asked wistfully We Ve have such a lovely comfortable home for middle aged folks Our department store is dignified enough for older manage manage- ment You dont don't have to keep up a front Ralph would chuckle Not jealous jealous jealous jeal jeal- ous of your old man are you Laby No I dont don't show the years a abit abit abit bit do I Its not honest Flo contended Everyone recognizes middle age when he sees it Anyone can recognizes a toupee But she knew when to hush They mustn't quarrel over trifles Of course she didn't think this growing growing growing grow grow- ing breach in their ages was a trifle but Ralph did Every day she felt more strongly that something must be done to preserve preserve preserve pre pre- serve their marriage and every everyday everyday everyday day she could think of no possible solution One morning she said I I 1 I dont don't feel like going to the store dear Im I'm sure Miss Gray can manage alone There is housecleaning and things to do here Okay dear Ralph agreed readily kissing her good goodbye Fear stabbed Flo Why did he agree so hastily Why Thy didn't he ask her what was wrong She I I I C 1 x 5 I I ii I 4 1 I I 7 V LV Funniest thing happened Ralph said When I took off oft my hat my toupee came off ort too had an impulse to change her I mind and go But tears and self pity were vere aching in her I eyes and throat I To conceal her feelings she sal saI said briskly Wear this old hat dear I I want to send that at one to the tho cleaners But its it's so shabby and it doesn't fit well I Stubbornly Flo held out the old straw hat until he donned it reluctantly reluctantly leaving his soft gray felt felton felton felton on a chair She refused to watch him swagger s off oU whistling like their son Danny when he be was a college freshman I Tears blurred her vision while she I picked up things and cleaned and j swept Wasn't there something that would save their marriage something something something some some- thing like taking reducing exercises or turning kittenish S The idea was revolting She had no heart to compete with their three I young daughters If If- If if 11 she had I just begun years ago trying to remain remain remain re re- re- re main glamorous instead of turning j into a mother maybe things wo would d I have worked out better I n Y NOON she felt less frustrated B BY I J She even hummed while she whipped up Ralphs Ralph's favorite cake and cooked If II she had an especially appetizing supper and the children were in jubilant mood maybe Ralph would see how well oft off he was Maybe just once he be would forget his diet At the children called saying they had to stay for play practice Flos Flo's spirits drooped Would Ralph call too pretending that business detained him leaving her lone in inthe inthe the dark silent house J She waited with apprehension At 6 15 sharp she heard the car stop i then Ralphs Ralph's step on the porch Supper ready Mom he called 1 Dread gripped Flo Hed He'd called her mom instead of baby or dear Just one days day's staying home made her seem old fashioned to him et He strode Into the living Y Mom youre you're looking at a successful sue sue- man Today I landed that fat Atkinson account Mr J Kimley their new buyer said I i looked like a settled respectable ble business man I He chuckled at Flos Flo's astonished r face Funniest thing happened Remember how tight that old stra straw j hat was Well the minute I took it off in front of that Miss Gray I and the office force they all started giggling My toupee came off too so I glared glared- like I meant to look fifty instead of thirty Its It's a wonderful won won- feeling of ot relief What's What for tor supper Mom i and your favorite cake I Dad DadI As they marched in to supper SUPper sup sup- t f per arm in arm Flo Just knew that I there never had been such a lovely II said bald head as her husbands II I I |