The Yale expositor., 1911-08-10
Joyce's Narrow
Escape

Louie" called Mrs. Joyce from her
dressing room, will you button my
back?"
In a minute" answered Joyce, as
he tugged with a refractory collar"
Mrs. Joyce stood before him with
her hands hanging Imply at her
sides while Joyce struggled and pull
ed, buttoned one button and unbut-
toned half dozen. At last he fin
lshed his task. But Mrs. Joyce still
stood before him, waiting expectant-
ly. He smiled at her and then turned
to the work of getting his collar ad-
justed.
the problem of choosing a tie, and so
Mrs. Joyce turned slowly away. She
was hurt and disappointed. She had
devoted two whole days to shopping
that she might get the exact shade
of lavender for the new gown which
she was wearing, because her hus-
band had admired a costume like it
on a model in window of one of the
shops. Now he didn't even notice
that she had on new gown.
She waited all evening for him to
say something about it, But they went
to the theater and returned and then
had a little lunch, and she had gone
into kimono and slippers, and still
he did not mention the new gown.
Louie" she said when she could
stand it no longer, you never even
noticed that l had on a new gown to-
night"
Joyce looked at her for a moment
and on his face was tolerant, for
bearing smile, such as one uses when
one humors a child.
80 you thought l didn't notice it,
eh?" he replied Then he chuckled
as though it were a good joke. "Well,
| am better buffer than thought"
It's funny you did not say a word
about it." Mrs. Joyce was plainly
skeptical.
mo, and didn't say that I
thought you the handsomest woman
in the theater, but that's exactly
what I thought" Joyce was congrat-
ulating himself.
Mrs, Joyce smiled, but persisted.
I'll bet you don't even know what
color my new dress is."
ooh, 1 don't?" exclaimed Joyce.
"Well, III just bet you a fve-pound
box of candy that | do. I will prove
how much l know about it by telling
you the next time you wear the
gown" Surely, he thought, something
would happen in the meantime to get
him out of his dilemma.
"All right" said Mrs. Joyce, "but
know better way than that. You
may stop at Getem's tomorrow and
have sent out three yards of satin to
match it." Mrs. Joyce winked at her
self in the mirror.
Great Scott" groaned Joyce to
himself. Then aloud ne said, Right"
Then he fell to wondering how he
could ever identify that dress. Then
he suddenly remembered that it had
some kind of bead work over the up
per part Of it. Then he smiled to
himself.
Several hours later Mrs. Joyce was
awakened from sound sleep by the !
thought that burglars had broken in |
and were trying to steal her new Law.
ender gown. She felt for her hus-
band but could not find him.
"Louie!" she called. Where are
your
Here" Joyce answered, his voice
coming from the next ROOM
Did you hear anything? What are
you doing?" asked his wife
81 thought | heard something and
/ got up to see what it was, but be-
lieve it was only the cat Let's go
to sleep and forget it," said Joyce.
miss Hawkins" called Joyce to |
his stenographer the next morning, |
will you go to Getem's and have |
them send to Mrs. Joyce three yards |
of satin to match this sample? And |
he took from pocket tiny parcel |
and, unfolding it, disclosed to view a |
piece of lavender silk about a half |
inch long.
Miss Hawkins eyes twinkled as
she touched piece of paper with |
the faintest suspicion of mucilage !
and softly dropped the tiny bit of |
floss upon it.
That's so it will not blow away"
she explained.
ut is kind of small" admitted |
Joyce, but a fellow can't get much |