The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-02-25
The Evening Story
MRS. TOM.

Qualneance with IN the CITY
that she had only Eazed at from altar
with hungry. worshipping eyes; that
her next.door neishbor. little Mrs:
things she had een abroad. and point
proudly to things she had bought
abroad. Then. when she went to the
Dickens club with TOMS partners
wife. Harriet Burton, she quickly die.
covered that her wonderful clothes.
(~wonderful. indeed. when compared
with the modest costumes OF CEDAR
burg) received very little notice. yer.
bal at any rate. And II n glance
swept them Mrs. Tom felt quite posi-
tive a hint Of disapproval lurked In
it,
These village women simply don't
she thought bitterly one day as the
president Of tho club took her place
at the Round Table gowned in a tall
or-made. linen shirtwaist. perfectly
fitting collar and nobby tie: and Har.
riet Burton asked Mrs. Tom II Mad.
m President" didn't look perfectly
stunning" and so appropriate for .
morning meeting, at the same time
her yes were nashins owe Mrs. Toms
ornate creation of silk and lace.
Perfectly stunning" Mrs. Tom
fumed inwardly. "Well!"-her nose
tilted observation-disclosures not ed.
ucated on the subject Of dress. that's
ALL
This decision she voiced at the din.
ner table to Tom.
1T was a morning meeting, wasn't
it?" he asked quietly.
The president Of the Shakespeare club
Of Linton was there. the president Of
the Fortnightly of Groveland. You
see. a very special meeting. OF course
you don't know anything about such
things. but il does seem to me that 1t
showed a lack OF respect On the part
Of the officers and members Of the
Dickens club to go in tailormades and
plain old shirtwaists. Why. Tom. I
was the only one who anything
dressy. Harriet Burton"
interrupted.
Mrs. Toms yes swept her little hg-
ure complacently. This gown. Tom.
Isn't it swell? 1t vas one Of our
models for last springs opening
marked eeventy-ive dollars. I got It
for-fancy!-twenty." Then at an
omnibus drawing together of her hus-
bands eyebrows-"What's the mat
ter? Don't you like it,"
Not for a morning costume in Co.
darburg. by q long shot! And. Wini-
pause. a clearing Of Toms
throat-"I wish you would dress a.
little quieter, dear. You see. while
that thing you have on might be all
right for an opening or some evening
ehindig. it's simply rocky for a morn
ing meeting of a literary club. Be.
sides. its-well. pom my word, 1t
looks as If it. might have served at a
dozen openings. Better send It up to
the cleaners. little girl. Speaking Of
the tailor-mades. that one Harriet
Burton is wearing What the dick
Mrs Tom was on her feet in front
of him. cheeks crimson. eyes flashing.
hands trembling. Tom Walkers
she blazed. you're simply brutal!
and you're ignorant. do you hear?
ignorant, you and your old Cedarburg
crowd! I don't want to have any.
thing to do with your 'set!' Ill stay
at home with my rocky clothes. and
A whitening glance swept him. Mrs.
Toms head went iup> till she seemed
inches taller. Then the dining room
was left to digest in silence the bril-
liant result of his criticism Of his
wife's wardrobe.
1t was about a month after this that
Harriet Burton, at the clicking Of the
Burton gate. glanced up to find Mrs.
Tom coming languidly up the walk.
There was nothing unusual In this
morning call, for, despite Mrs. Toms
stormy declaration that she would
have nothing to do with Toms set,
she had most decidedly cultivated
Harriet Burton. 1t had become a hab.
it with her to drop In at the Burton
home at any hour Of the day. listening
indiferently to Mrs. Burton's talk
about club meetings. social functions
any topic. indeed. which Mrs. Bur.
ton thought might GUS her from