El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-10-02


in the essentials should quarrel about
such non-essential as society Yet
this is what my wife and I did.
Molly lived in a country town IN
til our marriage. When she came to
New York as my wife she was fas-
cinated by the gayety and the senseless
whirl that mean less than nothing to
me. She is charming, and my friends
called on her and Immediately took her
up" as the saying goes.
Molly informed me that ii was our
duty TO return the calls made upon US.
This ] agreed TO, thinking that when
this post honeymoon task was per
formed we might rest in peace in our
little home and each others companion
ship But Molly had no such idea In
stead, she insisted on entertaining all
who entertained US. This meant that
we gave a series of dinners that cost
more than we could afford. At last /
set my foot down hard.
See here" I said, I am not a So
ciety bud, and I decline TO be one. I
viii not pay for any more Of these fool
dinners such as we have been giving
for the past two months
But" she protested everybody gives
them"
Then let US have the charm Of
originality proposed. Let US cut
out the dinners"
What shall we have insteadg7 she
asked her eyes lighting at the thought
OF some new form Of entertainment Her
face fell at my answer:
Wen give nothing. At least I
won't. And as I have not an unlimited
income. you'd better decide to let the
other fellows do the entertaining for
the rest Of this year"
In other words" she retorted. wen
be spOngers and graftersr'
ssNnHhFrur NJ EOrrfHa -
These people entertained US; we have
returned the compliment Now let the
thing drop. The games played"
Then" she said, am 1 to stay shut
up in the house all the time and be
lonely and stupid and bored TO death?"
II did seem q bit hard, and I saw
that it did SO modified my state
ment somewhat
Afternoon Tea As Substitute.
NO." I said. but if you must go to
affairs, let them be to things that come
off in the day time, not at night There
are plenty Of lunches and afternoon
teas, if you like that kind Of thing"
She followed my proposal with a vim
that surprised me If she did not re-
ceive an invitation to lunch. she asked
some friend 10 go TO a restaurant with
her. I held my peace for while, then
reminded her that it cost more to eat
at a restaurant than at home
Since YOU must have some kind Of
il some afternoon affair that does not
necessitate the price OF an elaborate
meal"
The following week she announced
that she had decided TO join bridge
club.
That will be something pleasant for
the afternoon" she remarked, and it
viii not mean that 1 have to pay for
a luncheon OF for any other meal"
This sounded good to me. and I con-
Graduated myself that. having run the
gamut Of gayety. Molly would now be
satisfied with devoting an afternoon OF
two Of each week to her friends and
cards.
I was doomed to speedy disappoint-
ment. When the Bridge club was well
under way I counted four afternoons
out Of the six working days when I
reached home to find my wife absent
until dinner time. Each time I spoke
a gentle reprOOf but it produced no ef-
I tried to be patient, but at the end
Of a month I could control my indigna-
tiOn no longer
1t was a cold and snowy evening. and
had had a hard day at the office.
reached home at a quarter OF Z. and as
I entered my apartment called my
wife
The negro maid replied from the
kitchen door; she amt in yet Din
ner's ready, too. but I spec she'll be
home right soon
starts Dinner Alone.
I waited unt4 20 minutes past Z
Then. as our regular dinner hour was
Z. I told the maid to wait no longer. I
seated myself at the table, and had
finished my soup when Molly entered
hurriedly.
"Oh. Pm glad you began without me"
she said III be ready in minute
What detained youg" I asked stern
y when she had returned to the dining