Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-07
Chaot,sr XIII.

Sodheu, arrived nome.
"Oh, Johnnie. Tmeso glad you are home
at last" she cried Come right up to the
babies Yes, they are well and have done
nicely without you. But Joe!' she added
significantly.
Hasn't he returned to the fold YETI" /
asked airily.
L haven't seen him since the night after
you left" she replied anxiously. Have
you heard from him?'
On, yes, 1 said. Hell come around
again. Don't worry" And 1 ran upstairs
to the babies, who were dear little things
and In the freshest and sweetest little
gowns.
1t was good to be in my own home again,
to feel the loving embrace Of the children's
arms, to greet again all my familiar be-
iongings. To be sure, had been gone only
two weeks. but so much had been crowded
into that time that 1t seemed ten; and
had never been away, without Joe, since my
marriage would not own, even to myself,
how much missed him. listened for his
Key IN the latch. his step on the stairs all
oay ana all night, but he did not come. The
next morning decided to telephone him.
Hello. Joe,' said after some delay in
getting an answer. How are your
-, Who Is it? he asked in most business
like way.
Why. Joe, don't you know your own
wife:s voice? It's Johnnie"
oh! you, is 1t? Where are your" he
asked with shade of GOODNESS.
At home, of course. Where should I
be?" replied. Now, be a good old Joe.
and come along back"
No reply.
"Joe-you hear?"
Yes, go on if you've anything more to
say This Is nay busiest hour"
On, joel! and there were tears in my
voice. l am sure. Won't you come home?
The house is SO empty without YOU"
w hen did you get back?"
Yes yesterday morning, and
Get my telegram"
Yes, Joey dear; but come home and let
me explain.
mo; guess not"
"Oh, Joe! now be sensible; and say. joe
40 you hear me? Yes? Well, then, 1 don't
mind saying I'm awfully sorry. Won't Won
forgive me- Joe?" 49,
~ cone up tonight" he answered more
ktndly, and Wen talk it out But things
nave ne, got to be very different from now
srr Yes, dear replied sweetly. Now, be
lie he promised again and hung up the re-
eia All Gay l wondered what conces-
sions L should be called upon to make and
calculated just how far I could yield INV
newly gained independence and still keen
Joe at nome and avoid scandal And when
night came 1 donned my most becoming
affection. wan A'npui'''o
III Inc ordeal was not so bad as 1 had feared
Inc ne man really loved me. and 1 soon won
MIN over; not, however, without promising
MN TO give up all active connection with
ciubs In the future. 1 honestly thought II
couid Keep the promise when 1 made IT.
~ 10, announcer reaction had set in and the
nome now seemed to me the only legitimate
ooJect IN Woman's life. 1 felt Obliged to
attend the last meeting of the Nota Renes
LOT the season, and give my report as a
delegate to the Biennial but it was one of
the frst whiting hot days of the season. so
that there was a small attendance and
consequent lack of interest. Then the club
season s" =, closed and We all settled back into
f1a
the country. Mrs. Parsons went east,
Wnefe she mad an ornate cottage ON the
Name coast, and l found it easy to keep
my VlrtuouS resolves.
Joe, too. took more interest in his home
giving himself shorter business hours and
coming back at four in the afternoon He
even went SO far as to propose taking a
cottage at Oconomowoc for the summer:
put not having worn myself out with con-
nnement at home, / felt inclined to eniov
the comforts of my new house during the
summer. ''o
No" said in answer to his proposition.
let US stay where We are. The house is
pig and roomy and catches all the lake
oreezes. The children are better off here,
rather stay near YOU
He said little, but could see how pleased
ne was, and we settled down to enjoy a long
summer at nome in way that would have
surprised the Oma-a newspaper writer of
Brllllant Paper by a Brainy Woman"
or, indeed, that great gathering of women
who listened to my plan for the emancipa-
ton of women from household drudgery.
But the club-spirit lies dormant in sum
mer and saw little of my club friends AS
l sat on my wide veranda overlooking the
iake tnose summer afternoons and watched
the simmer of the waves and the coming
OF the rosy sunset, or, later. dreamed there
through the purpling twilight while Joe
smoked his beloved pipe on the garden seat
tons and felt none of that glow of en-
thusiasm which had SO absorbed me during
the preceding month. 1 was seeing nv
happiest days, but, as usual, 1 did not
know 1t. This ideal state of affairs was at
Its best when Joe brought out a letter to
me, one hot afternoon, as he Joined me on
the veranda.
Whats this. little woman?" he asked.
spondent with a crest? Coming up in the
world. aren't we? Guess we'd better set
up crest ourselves, Ell? 1 think the
house Of Henning has as good a right to
one as anybody Suppose you look 1t up
Il have already, joe" 1 answered, taking
the letter. "All we've to do is to have a
die made and get some stationery stamped
with it. I'd thought of asking you to have
large coat-of-arms painted for the hall"
"What'll it cost?' he asked
oh! know woman who gets fifty dol
lars from some customers I said She'll
do 1t for me for twenty-five"
60 ahead with 1t, then" he answered
for even Joe was not without his social
aspirations. But why don't you read your
letter."
It's from Mrs. Theodore Parsons" 1 said
calmly, as I broke the seal and glanced
over the letter. "She wants me to visit
her for two weeks at Meguntic Cove. Sets
the date for me to go and ALL"
"Whew!" and he gave a long whistle
when worked as boy in Teddy Par
sons pork packing place 1 never thought
my wife'd be hobnobbing with his on friend
ly terms-vistting her with lot of swells
Better go, Johnnie.
hesitated. beginning to be sensible
where danger lay.
I'D rather not, Joe,' said finally; my
place Is at home"
Nonsense" he returned. Nothing of
the sort. 1 want you to go. You're be-
ginning to look peaked and need the
change. Such an opportunity does not come
every day. My wife the guest for two
weeks of Mrs. Teddy Parsons? Well, /
guess! OF course you're going. Write and
tell her so.'
l said no more, and when he placed a
generous roll of bills in my hand the next
morning for shopping purposes, my en-
thusiasm began to grow.
Don't stint yourself, Jack" he said st
want Mrs. Joseph Henning. to look as well
as any of EN-. She's the handsomest one
in the crowd, and II good clothes will set
her off, why, here goes!''
I remembered the quarrel we had over
my club gowns, and wondered why a wom-
an may have Unlimited means to fit herself
for the social strata just above her while
far lYIh ge