The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1912-11-07
What His
Wife Wears

am gong TO O1er prize, sal
the woman who had the floor. to an
one who will take my husband off an
seques ter him by threat, main fore
or guile long enough for me to buy
spring and summer wardrobe. It
absolutely impossible to do it so Ion
as he remains at large.
When l married John had nc ide
he was so fus sy | think | spoiled hi1
by unwisely complimenting his goo
taste and judgment in regard t
Clothes and he got conceited about il
He houldn't have taken me eric sly
for 8 oman has ght to say any
thing nice to a man that comes int,
her head when she is trying to en-
snare him into matrimonyl If b.
p aged the game fair he would charg,
all her compliments up to profit ant
loss and use common sense after h,
was married just as a woman does
but men are SO foolish
Johns conceit was a great shocl
to me, because everything / had dont
or worn or said had invariably been g
little better than just all right with
John.
My awakening came when | pur
chased the linen dress. found it in
one of these exclusive little shops
where they have clothes all ready to
wear that are beyond your widest
dreams of style. The linen dress was
the last cry l can't exactly des cribe
It except that it was coarse, heavy
natural ecru linen with panels OF
heavy lace to match and an odd Grim.
son suede belt and fascinating snatch.
es of thin net let in here and there.
Any woman can tell from this de-
scription that it was exactly the stun
ningest, most unusual thing you can
ever hope to see.
81 simply grabbed it and had it fit
ted to me. When it came home
donned it and casually walked out in
front of John
Il hadn't exactly formulated what
expected him to say, but 1t was some
thing to the effect that he was over
come totally by my air OF magnifi-
cence. Instead, he was strangely ST.
lent | had not expected him to be so
overcome.
Don't you like it?" l limited.
John coughed. l looked at him In
surprise. Then he took hold of a
sleeve with a gingerly thumb and fore
finger. What Is it?' he asked, hest
tatingly. Tt looks-er-it looks like
potato sacking OF couse, he added,
hastily and politely, I know it isn't.
But-er-isn't it queer?'
"Oh, he tried to be polite, he really
did, But he suffered so while he was
doing it that, having a tender heart,
l couldn't stand it. He simply couldn't
see that linen dress. To him it was
a monstrosity, blot on the landscape,
and at the thought of his wife appear
ing in garment which to him was go
ing to draw the scorn and amazed
amusement Of the populace was unen-
so long as that dress was in the
house John was nervous, anguished
and tormented. so | took it back. l
told the store people that I'd pay them
to take 1t back, because if kept it l
knew 1t meant a divorce in the family,
but they were very nice and said l
could change It, So | bought lovely
taffeta gown. 1t was changeable silk
with puffings and quillings and a
quaint lace fichu.
MY dear, you'll never believe me,
but when l put that dress on John
lust sat and looked puzz' I'd. Isn't 1t
erribly old fashioned % Il asked, tim
dly. I remember my great aunt in
lress like that Why don't you get
new and stylish?'
Wasn't that hopeless? l explained
o him carefully that it was the latest
lyle, but John vowed that it WAS an
'ient and that they had imposed on
ne and anyhow he disliked change
he silk SO | sold it to my sister for
IS less than I paid for It. I was now
rs to the bad, as the second dress
lad cost SO more than the original /
inen. told John that when he could I
axe day off and accompany me on a
hopping tour I'd buy dress, but I'M
il then | would devote my attention
0 hats.
81 got perfect love Of hat with
bunch Of these white uncurled o.
rich feathers on that everybody
nows cost like sixty-and John threw
p his hands! He said | looked as
hough l had been caught out In the
ain and hadn't money enough to get
be feathers recurled. He raved 80
bout it that I sent the hat back
Then / sat down in front Of John,
nd by painstaking labor extracted
rom him the description of the kind
clothes he would like to see me in.
lie said he liked tailory things with
hirt waists that had collars and cuffs
they've been out five years you
now-and sailor hats. John said that
othing ON earth looked so trim and
-ylish as a perfectly plain sailor hat.
What would they do to me at a fash
Unable tea If l appeared in such gar
tents?
ooh, no. didn't ask John that. Any
ow, | was in luck because | know
ne woman whose husband wants
~ II