The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-01-12
A DOMESTIC TREASURE
sy isesslLA D. DALEY.


which was clean bur unattraclNe, -.
listened rather YEARLY 10 her au0ieN
husbands conversation.
In her youth she had been caiieu +"
beauty, but - years of unselnsn pan.
pering OF her family. together Mt'n :
constant struggle to get ahead upon
a limited allowance, had merged ne
charms into workaday obscurlty. que
had become nothing more 'hah
housekeeper who was "carelui anu
troubled about many things
Mr.. Lyman did not suspect tnat nc
was not a model family man. ne nau
grown accustomed to seeing ms VIZ
work from morning until night Keep
ing their home in Immaculate orue,
making dainty clothing for the chli'
dren, and cooking meals to please l's
fastidious taste.
On this particular morning ne va
discussing pretty Mrs. Hickson' 'ne
wife of his new partner
"She Is really the most deilgh1loi
woman have met in many'a DAY nc
said. with candid enthusiasm sue 10
so bright and up to date and !ouh7
looking; was surprised to learn 'na'
she is the own mother of Hicksolfs NJ,
teen-year-old daughter. SUPPOSE
she was a second wife
T heard Mrs. Hickson say she hau
always boarded since her marriage,
quietly remarked Mrs. Lyman. VI
course she has lors of time TO take
pains with herself. guess she doesh !
do much but play bridge and hirt
THAT is very ungenerous less
said Lyman reprovingly. Mrs flch,
son is a lady of exquisite taste anu
Won should not be scandalized because
she is not inclined TO be back mum
Der. don't wonder that dickson y
proud of her.
81 don't think she is as pretty as
mamma" Loyalty declared little Bert
Lyman, whose youthful mind grasped
the inference that his idolized mother
was suffering from indirect criticism.
Mr.. Lyman laughed.
There was a time, son, when your
mamma was a daisy in looks, but that
was before she settled down and hao
twosexpensive youngsters to take care
Of"
And a popular society man., added
Mrs. Lyman, with a shadowy smile
Lyman did not appear to catch any
sarcastic intonatior in his wife's milo
observation.
well. must go downtown, ne
said, glancing at his watch, "A man
can't linger forever in the bosom OF
HIS family. BY the way. Bess. | wish
you would see that my evening clothes
are all right. I'm going to an Elks' re-
ception tonight. There will be dance
afterward, and that calls for stif
toys"
Are you going, mamma" asked
Vera, the small daughter of the house
Of Lyman.
mo. dear, I hadn't thought of going
anywhere"
Lyman looked up in careless won
der Go. of course. If you wis
Bess. I didn't think to ask you. be-
cause you never care for such af-
fairs"
Mrs Lyman gave her CUSTOMARY an
swer to her husbands Indifferent in
vitation
II think I should prefer to stay with
the fact that all her party gowns were
several years behind the fashion.
81 thought So" said Lyman, accom-
panying the remark with light con-
jugal kiss Those mullins were tip
top. and the beefsteak broiled to the
queens. taste. Nobody can beat you,
Bess, in the culinary department, even
If you don't shine in social functions"
After the children had departed for
school. and the mornings work had
been done, with the inefficient aid of
the diminutive colored maid-of,all.
work, Mrs. Lyman went to her room.
Seating herself before her dressing
table, she gazed critically at her re.
Election in the mirror.
81 am altogether too domestic" she
commented audibly Il think I'll fur.
bish up little. even IL we 60 without
a new parlor carpet and lace curtains
In the sitting ROOM"
During the following week. Mrs. Nv.
man went on several secret pilgrim.
ages downtown, and heroically prac.
ticed mysterious exercises in the So.
clusion Of her room
When Mr.. Lyman announced his in.
tention of taking a trip to Chicago on
business which might detain him few
days. he did not notice that his wife
packed his suitcase with unusual
cheerfulness nor did he think il
strange that she made him promise
to wire her when to expect him bsc,;
Chance sometimes assists nlotters
and Mrs. Lyman's plans to amaze her
liege lord were aided, beyond her ex-
pectations. by his accidentally meet.
ing on his way home, a travelling man
who was an old acquaintance.
They crowded as many "reminiscences
and Jokes as possible into the tvo
hours they spent together on the train
but still their fund of anecdotes was
not exhausted
As you are going to make nv
town. said LYMAN. why can't ven
put up at my house, | can nrom;.,
you a good dinner. and tonight m
take you to the club. and show w.,
Jolly bunch of boys"
wouldn't like to drop into vorr
family circle inopportunely obiected
me friend politely. really yearping
for home meal
Oh, that's all right said ,,,,,,,