The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1912-02-29
BGghting a
Social Career

Mrs. Trumbull's social aspirations
we're, as a rule, the source of much
1ippant Joy to her husband. 1t was
only when Trumbull himself was
called upon to shine at dinner parties
or disport in drawing rooms that he
ceased to consider In the light Of a
joke HE wife's desire to set her small
feet firmly upon the next higher rung
Of the ladder.
The can Of the joke looked to him
particularly pale and blue the evening
she announced triumphantly that Mrs.
Fulton. the one wealthy woman Of
their acquaintance, had invited the
Trumbulls to sit in her box at the
opera the following Thursday evening.
I'm perfectly willing for you to
spend your nights and Sundays pursu-
Ing the a%ristocracy to It's Lair" pro-
tested Trumbull, "but you know I'm
not a parlor pet. I'm all right as a
means Of support, but I'm sure to
make a donkey Of myself If l try to do
the society act. Can't you 60 alone?"
Mrs. Trumbull set her lips. THAT
would be impossible" she said. But,
Of course, II you don't want to go l
can tell Mrs. Fulton that you have q
business engagement that, will prevent
our going"
1t was not until her lips began to
CULVER that Trumbull realized how
much it meant to her. He promised
to go.
The night of the theater party the
weather turned cold. Trumbull, in
blissful forgetfulness of the festivity,
entered the house in a whirl of snow
and icy wind.
els hat you, dear?" cried Mrs.
Trumbull from upstairs, where she
was futtering about getting Trum.
bulls evening regalia ready for him
to put on.
"Yep," responded Trumbull, follow.
fng the sound Of her voice up the
stairs.
His face fell when he saw the
clothes lying or the bed. "Oh!" he
cJdCuAdteu III a VO4Cc 1IOuA WuACu Oil
Joy had fed. "1d forgotten this was
the evening Of the blowout" He shiv.
cred audibly. tits an awful night"
Mrs. Trumbull tripped over to the
dresser and began a search for his
tie. Il ordered a taxi" she said,
cleerily. "It's to be here promptly
at a quarter to eight"
In the taxicab Mrs. Trumbull
looked at her husband in u~ndisguised
satisfaction.
You'll be the best looking man
there" she purred. Il don't care II
Mr.. Fulton's ancestors did come over
with the pilgrim fathers and If they
do have a butler and five maids. and
a governess, he's nothing but a little,
dried-up shrimp. Anybody seeing you
two together won't hesitate a minute
about selecting you as the one with
the money"
The s~pontaneity of this wifely trib.
ute pleased Trumbull. He even grew
less sleepy under the %enlivening in1u.
ence Of her honeyed words. How.
ever, this didn't prevent his having a
feeting wish as he seated himself in
the chair just behind his hostess that
he had had another strong cup Of cot.
fee. OF course he wasn't really
sleepy, but a cold wind always gave
him a queer feeling.
Mrs. Trumbull, glancing at his big,
well-groomed figure and his clever,
good-natured face, and now and then
catching the low, well-bred tones OF
his voice, felt that it would take very
little more to make her sinfully proud
Of him. Every interested glance cast
up from the seats below them sent a
separate thrill of delight through her.
She was fairly radiant.
When the first act was about halt
over her satisfaction was dispelled by
an all too familiar sound. She cast a
terrified glance toward the rear Of the
box. What she saw caused her to start
wildly to her feet. Too late!
Trumbull's head had fallen to one
side, his eyes were closed, his mouth
was open. A sound closely resembling
the distant rumbling Of q railroad
train came from his parted lips. From
a rumble 1t quickly grew into a very
good imitation of an automobile horn.
Higher and higher 1t rose, until the
startling %crescendo broke in a fierce,
choking leviathan of a snore!
The host jumped to his feet with
the obvious intention Of rendering
first aid to the injured. The hostess
gave a sharp, quite involuntary shrek.
Mrs. Trumbull stonily fixed her unsee.
ing eyes upon the glittering stage.
Trumbull, awakened by the vocifera.
ton, but unconscious Of the cause Of
his awakening and considerably re-
freshed by his little nap, sat looking
about for the cause Of the disturbance,
with the frank, innocent, interested
eyes of a child.
Mrs. Trumbull devotes most Of her