The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-02-23
A SHORT STORY

Cuthbert Veenc was O bigoted man.
His wife acknowledged this fact TO
herself. but denied It to her mother
II was absurd that his objection TO
private theatricals should be so siren
uous and unfair as-well, because II
he ran his motoring hobby 10 death, II
was only fair that Nancy should be
allowed to indulge In her favoritc pas.
time OF creating one-act comedy he
roines
And now there were these tableaux
viyants, which the Bells were getting
up on behalf OF some obscure. but
obllglng charity. Would Cuthbert OBJ
Ject to her taking part in those?
Nancy decided TO broach the sub
ject on one particular Wednesday
evenin. when they had Just returned
from a run In the car.
You've been bit quiet during the
trip. my scarlet Plmpernel What's
upi' Cuthbert inquired as they en-
tered the house. making an effort at
playful change OF conversation by us
ing an lnapt pet name. which Mrs
Veene's bright auburn hair had orig
mated
Thinking about my dress for the
tableaux." replied Nancy boldly
"TableauX? TableauX-wnat?"
"Viyants, dear"
Cher"
The Bells have written asking me
10 be the Columbine Queen in a liv-
ing picture called Lilies and Tinsel'"
Il did not know"
Really tn be so jolly. and ]
0 t..Ir H.. oil ~ 4
green SpanSles-wlll suit me awfully
well"
Cuthbert lit a cigar before he an
swercd
Z will not suit YOU, my dear. be-
cause you wont wear 1t. Write at
once and informe the Bells that II
there is one thing to which l object
more than private theltricals It is liy.
ing pictures: therefore you will not be
able TO pose as a Columbine queenl
Pahi Do they imagine for moment
that l shall permit my wite to stand
stll in sDangles 10 be looked at by
any cad who can pay quarter
Write at once. dear, and decline"
Nancy pouted, and an estrangement
sprang up In the house OF Veene-an
estrangement which. so far as Cuth-
bert was concerned, was not entirely
unmlXed with suspicion.
He knew that Nancy had. according
TO orders. declined TO take part in the
tableaux but he couldn't quite under
stand that spangle.
1t was a red spangle. and he saw 1t
lying on the mat outside the door Of
his wife's tiny sitting room.
You're busy. are you not2' he IN
qu1red one evening. after returning
from more than usually uneausfac-
tory run In his old motor car.
"Busy-er-cr?' responded Nancy,
vaguely. but, despite the vagucness,
her cheek grew pink.
Yes, I've found a lot of these
thing sail over the place; | know they
arc sewn on something somehow"
And here the four incriminaung span
giles were laid on the table.
Mrs. Veene stopped down abruptly
to pick up something which wasn't
there, and when she got up her face
was flushed by exertion.
What were you saying7 Oh, yes
spangles' You'd never Delieve what
quantities are required to cover tea
cosy. A nice wedding present, though
a spangled tea cosy. oh. no. can't
show II TO you. If It's success when
IT'S finished. then you shall See-but
not now It mayp't come Off. and it's
always a pity to display possible fall
ure9.
In exactly a months time the Bells
entertainment would take place
BY dint OF subtle investigation. Mr..
Veene discovered this fact. so now he
intended to lie low and watch for two
or three weeks before taking any def
mite measure
They were awkward weeks. and Is
It. as more or less embarrassing TO
spend many tete7a-tete hours with
q secretly antagonistlc and plotting
companion. Cuthbert took longer and
longer runs In the Spectre" till one
particularly muddy day the over-work-
cd little petrol pram" broke down
In the middle OF a lonely country road.
and refused 10 bulge another inch.
II would be narrowing to relate how
the motorist was forced TO tramp In
search OF a farmer who would lend
country horses at town prices To drag
the surly little car TO a woodshed:
sad TO tell how, after three and half
miles walk through the rain to the
nearest station. he found the train
had gone. and that there would not be
another for IN hour and quarter.
1t Is enough TO say that when Cuth-
bert at last reached his own detached
residence a great longing for wifely
tenderness and sympathy thIobbed
within his breast.
But his perfectly legitimate COM
fort was denied to the bigoted motor
Gst fnr NJ, ..nner had his muddy feet