The San Francisco call and post., 1913-12-31
THEIR MARRIED
SIS LIFE SIS
Their New Year Eve Celebration to Be Expensive
By MABEL HERRERT


the atmosphere of festivity seemed
forced.
No. it's not nearly so lively as 1t
was at Chambers last year." observed
Mrs. Stevens when a song and dance
trio had finished their turn with only
feeble ripple of applause.
Told you Wall street was broke.
was down there last week. love.
those brokers are blue lot! They'll
not spend much tonight. Hold on
there!" demanded Warren. Let's see
that label"
Reluctantly the waiter unwrapped
the napkin from the bottle.
Thought sol If you serve cham
payne with your supper. why don't
you serve decent brand? Rather
have a good bottle of beer than that
stuff"
Look" whispered Mrs. Stevens, as
a woman in a heavily beaded evening
gown swept by. II saw that very
gown at Ardman's last week-$25ow
Were about the only people here
not dressed" complained Helen.
"Oh, they don't care what you wear
long as you spend your money"
AS 1t drew near IL the tables be-
gan filling up. but 1t was not the hi
larious crowd of last New Year.
Every one had the champagne served
with the dinner, but few ordered
|
Helen was wondering If Warren
would have to pay the bin. While
Mr.. Stevens was always willing TO do
his part. somehow it was always
in the Stevenses car, Warren always
felt under obligations to pay more
than his share of their outings.
But tonight. as neither she nor
thought this should be the Stevens
party.
The thought that she was not
dressed ranked, too If she had
would have worn her Paris gown and
| her lavalliere. But to spend all this
money and feel uncomfortable and in
appropriately dressed it seemed such
a waste.
With the first stroke of IL came
the customary turning off of the
lights and a burst of hilarity. After
this the merriment soon died out. In
marked contrast to last year, when 1t
had kept up until almost dawn.
well. this seems pretty dead" OBJ
served Warren. Ready to go?"
Here, that's mine" protested Mr.
Stevens, when the waiter brought the
check
AN ARGUMENT
Nothing Of the kind" as Warren
took possession of it.
Now, look here, Curtis. we brought
you out. This is my supper"
But already Warren was taking
some bills from his wallet
Then let's match for It," Mr.. Ste
vens drew out quarter
"An right" laughed Warren.
Tails"
Mr.. Stevens tipped the coin. Helen
leaned forward tensely. 1t was
headsi Warren would have to pay.
Somehow it always came out that
way
She could not see the check. but 1t
must be at least twenty -five-the
suppers alone were twenty, besides
the mineral waters, cigars. cordials
and the tip.
The drive home through the now
deserted streets was as depressing as
the drive home always is after an
evening of stimulated gayety.
Helen kept thinking of the twenty
FIVE dollars and of how little they
Persian rug for the hall for twenty
five dollarsl
And all the table linen that would
have bought! She was planning to
get some during the January white
goods sales. And the candelabra she
wanted for the dining room, What
they had spent on this supper would
have bought a wonderful cadelabra,
When the Stevenses dropped them
at their door their good nightw and
their final Happy new year" were
most perfunctory.
We'll. our quiet evening at home
turned out to be a rather expensive
one" was Helens untactful comment
as she switched on the lights l.. their
darkened hall.
Now, what do you mean by that?"
savagely. limiting at my paying
that check? Well, when l go any
where-Tll keep up my end, Under
stand? What do you want me to be.
anyway apiker?"
Helen. remembering that the new
year was hardly an hour old, did not
year was hardly an hour old, did not
want to begin 1t with discord.
mo, dear" resting her head for a
moment against his arm: I'm glad
you DO your share. You know, m
Just as fercely independent as you
are, / just meant that il we'd stayed
at home, we'd have saved that much
But it's horrid and mercenary of me
TO think of it that way.