The Lakeland evening telegram., 1914-05-26
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CALLING ON TOMS Wife (;
BY CHARLES PoEHLMAN.

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II she had been dressed up any
more than she was traffic would have
paused to allow the procession to 20
py' She knew 1t, to, and gave her
SELF little satisfied shake before she
rang the bell.
is Mrs. German at homer" she in
qulred languidly Of the pink-cheeked
girl who opened the door. Then with
an air of great surprise at the an
sWer she drew back the card she was
rendering the supposed maid and
smiled genially
How stupid Of me-" she said, mot
to realize that you are Mrs. German,
and not the maid! OF course, you
can't keep a maid in a tiny, five-room
nat. | am Clara Belfuss, and be-
Ing such an old friend of your hus-
Dands wanted to call right away,
and not wait for your at-home date.
knew you wouldn't mind.
i think an at-home date is only
form, anyhow, unless people are re-
ally in society, don't you? Oh, my,
don't apologize because you are not
settled yeti know it won't look so
bare and queer after you've bought a
few more things.
You're going to have Arabian lace
curtains, you say? Oh, my dear
forgive me for interfering, but perhaps
you don't know that Arabian lace is
entirely out! You must have filet!
Here in the city we have to be ter
rlbly up to date! That's one reason
why always was SO fond OF Tom
ne is such an up-to- date man. He al
ways wanted the very latest in every
thlng-so you can imagine our sur
prise when we learned he was to
marry a girl from small town. l
suppose you were such a contrast-a
delightful contrast, of course-to what
he always had been used to.
I've always felt that perhaps IL
Tom hadn't so insisted on style it
would have been better for him He
would make more progress in the bust
ness world, mean. I've always taken
an interest in his career because
rather helped him on socially-intro-
duced him around, you know, and got
him started. He was so diffident and
awkward at first, poor boy He was too
grateful to me, thought, especially
when he-dear me, how | ramble on!
! expect Tom will find 1t very hard
to settle down into staid married
man now OF course, on hts salary
he can't entertain and do things, nov
that he is married. How fortunate
for him that he married a girl used
to simple life! That was what l
always advised him to do when-you
know, Tom came to me with all his
troubles, and man certainly does
learn to depend on a girl when he
| gets the habit of doing that!
i used to say to him: Tom, what
on earth will you do when ! get mar
ried and haven't any time for you.
But he was always SO broken up at
the idea that | had to stop teasing
him. ! don't believe In letting a man
think there is chance that you may
care for him when you know you
never could in the world! I've always
had my ideal of a man and he has
to be very brilliant and clever and
keen and terribly successful-an ex-
traordinary man, in fact. never could
be satisfied with anything less am
different from most girls in that
with them 1t is anything to get mar
ried Haven't you noticed It?
Il don't suppose you and Tom would
care to go into the card club we are
forming. The refreshments and prizes
are quite simple, but | know what
a drain every little thing is on the
purse of newlyweds struggling to get
along | thought you wouldn't, SO |
filled in'with some friends Of mine
they live in that great house around
the corner with the big garage. I've
just met them recently-the Bippers
OF Bipper e. Co., you know. Oh, dear
me- Of course that doesn't mean any
thing to you
Mr. Bipper" said the pink-cheeked
bride sweetly, lis my uncle, and
am afraid you can't have them in your
club, because they are starting short
ly on a years absence In Europe. They
want Tom and me to live in their
house while they are gone, so they
can keep their servants and chauffeurs
and have the place open. That is why
We stopped settling here. Did you
know Tom had gone into the firm with
my uncle?"
Really" stammered' the caller
well, | must say it's nice for Tom
that he picked out wife with rich
relations-so much of the success in
this world is just luck! But what in
the world will you ever do with the
Bippers four automobiles"
Well" said the little bride meekly,
I'VE had six at home, counting my
brothers racing car, so"
Goodness, how late it is" said the