The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1909-02-04

4
bury, and he pictured TO himself the
discreet welcome of Robert, the com
fort Of the brightly lit house, and the
well-cooked dinner with his pretty
| young wife
| She was standing just outside tie
drawing room door-not In the pretty
evening dress he had somehow anticl-
pated. but very straight and slim in
plain gray silk, devoid of ornament
| and from her waist there hung his
mothers chatelaine.
Unobservant by nature, he yet felt
| there was something lnsunctlVely
wrong about her hair, and, although
she greeted him affectionately, httle
chill crept into the subtle sense or
Homecoming
All the hundred-and-one little i'm
provements-the scattered embroider-
les and masses of plants and careless
" arranged ffowers-were missing. The
old heavily framed prints were back
on the dull gray walls, and, albeit the
night was chilly, no fire burned in the
CRATE. where painted screen was bal
anced. with an impossible waterfall
that threatened to demge the stee
fender and pour out over the enormous
bear-skin rug.
He enjoyed his Scotch broth thor
oughly, but when it was followed by a
massive joint Of cold sirloin, placed
not on the carving table, but, in all
its majesty. under his very nose, hid.
ing his disappointment with heroic
attempt, he suggested an explanation
himself
Something gone wrong in the kitch'
en-, | suppose, my dear?'
"Wrong?" said his wife. innocently.
Il hope not, 1t looked an excellent
! joint. | saw it cut myself" There was
pride in her steady voice, but she
dropped her eyes before his aston
ished look, fearful Of the mischievous
spark she feared might be there,
He looked across at her with sudden
anxiety
It's all right he said, hastily. I'm
not bit hungry, that's all. We've had
such rotten weather lately. I'm glad
to be back again" he cleared his
| throat-"very glad"
His wife got up with a sudden
twinge of conjunction and poured him
out a glass of port That will do
you good she said, gently; its the
| old bin"
He put his arm about her and she
| bent down to him.
You've done your hair differently"
he suggested, with puzzled glance.
She put up her hand and stroked
| curl against her will.
It's heater, isn't it," she said Il
knew you'd be pleased.
She picked little bit of fluff off his
coat collar and went on, softly: I'm
| going to try, Cecil-after what you
said-you remember?-to take life
more seriously, and try to model my
self and the house, and, in fact, every
thing. on the old regime you 50 APP
prove Of
A shade of anxiety stole across his
strong, open face, as he listened to
| her
| NO more foreign wayS-nO more
! French food a vertical line came be-
tween his eyes, but she went on with
| increasing fcrvor-"no more money
squandered on Dress she smoothed
out the stiff folds of her silk gown
primly, and no foolish alterations in
| the house
| What could he do but murmur incO-
herently his approval of her conduct
as he kissed her pretty face so near
his own?
Il believe it's joke" he said, doubt
fully, as he poured himself out another
glass of port but when he joined her
upstairs, in the melancholy looking
drawing.room. his heart sank again,
Almost cold enough for fire, isn't
| it,"
In May" Her voice showed marked
disapproval, as he moved about rest
lessly on the stiff sofa, innocent OF
| cushions.
just as he was turning to go, with a
heavy gesture Of annoyance, She
stopped him with appraised hand, as
though fired by a fresh idea.
If YOU would care, Cecil" she hest
tated. purposely, there's my den-as |
call it; aud a tire-you know how
chilly am,-and we could sit there
| together
Before he could reply she ran light
| ~ past him up the stairs.
AS he joined her, openly grumbling,
on the landing above. she threw wide
the door of a room hitherto unused,
and switched on the light.
He gave an involuntary exclamation
as his eyes fell on the bright log fire,
hanked by two deep chintz-covered
chairs. adding it's sweet scent Of pine
wood to that of the massed flowers
scattered in profusiOn in the coy
room
She drew forward one of the com
Portable chairs with the pride of own
ership
Sit down, darling, and light up
here are matches, and proceeded to
make coffee
Once she turned and tucked soft
cushion under his head as he lay back
comfortably in silence, drinking in the
old familiar artistic atmosphere-that
instructive touch of clever fingers now
banishcd from the rooms below
And ,,. hn wpt chpl her the only in.