The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-07-21
BY VIRGINIA rERHUNE VAN De
WATER.

BY VIRGINIA TEHHONe VAN Oc
WATER.
When all the dinner bills had been
paid Isabel had only enough money
left to run the house very simple un-
til time for the next allowance to fall
due.
Jennie, like many other excellent
cooks. had "a free hand" with butter
and eggs. Try as she would, the
housekeeper could not live as cheaply
as during Cynthia's regime. Then, too,
the laundress ate a good deal. She
must always have meat for luncheon,
she said, and even that extra item on
Monday and Tuesday made a differ
ence in expenses
Yet Isabel was determined to give
her dinner as soon as Mr.. Ferris had
returned from his business trip. There
fore, before a fortnight had passed she
asked John if he could advance some
money to her.
why. my DEAR" he said, whats
the matter?"
Several things" she replied. lone
Of them is that l want to give my
little dinner soon. 1t is to be very
small affair, You know. l also need
some new clothes now"
John looked grave. Il don't under
stand" he unused, how it happens
that our daily expenses are so much
more than they were last month
Because We have a better cook"
Isabel explained. She makes good
| things and good things take butter.
eggs, sugar and so forth
Tell her to so slower" he counsel
ed.
81 don't like to find fault with her."
his wife demurred. "She does as we'll
as she knows how, and l don't want to
make her dissatisfied-she is so COM
| petent."
A Competent Maid
Seemed Necessary.
| She had already reached the point
where she was dependent upon COM
petent maid. So speedily does each
one of us become accustomed to what
we once regarded as Injuries!
We'll" said John. Il can advance
you third of next months allowance
| if you are sure you can get on that
month with what comes to you on the
first of May"
81 will have to try to- Isabel told
him. Then. impulsively, before her
courage should fail, she added: You
remember, John, you said you would
help me about buying my clothes
when l needed them. ! need them
now"
John glanced at her neat dress and
trim figure 81 think you look very
nice in the frock you have on heb
asserted. "There's nothing the matter
| with that"
She sighed impatiently. That's al
ways what man thinks she COM
planned You forget that this is a
Winter dress, and that except for get
ting a cheap little straw hat for ev-
eryday wear I have not bought sin
gle thing for Spring And it's not fair.
John"
| NO he said soberly, perhaps it
isn't. On Saturday l can let you have
ten dollars toward your clothes. But
that's ALL
Ten dollars. What little way that
would go! Well, she could not get
more just now. so there was no use
in bothering about the matter. Some
how she must save somewhere for the
things she needed.
Yet, as she was clever with her nee
die and had a knack of making over"
she was able TO remodel two of her
last Spring dresses so that they were
stylish and pretty. She also bought a
pair of new shoes. This done. she
thought again of her dinner and wrote
her although she had no
new evening gown.
/ Her guests were TO be the Ferrises,
Ella Sanger and David Duval. She did
not mention these two last names to
John until all had accepted. Her hus-
9.,I II. r~1I
him who was coming.
MY dear he said. Il wish you had
consulted me before asking any man
here. Still. Duvals all right. like him
better than Dennis. Dennis makes
himself ridiculous by his devoted man
ner to women. | sometimes wonder
how so sensible a woman as Adelaide
Simmons stands having him around
so much
Il fancy that he is an old friend
like yourself-isn't he?" she suggested
in an innocent manner.
perhaps So" he rejoined, ignoring
the note of irony in her voice. LAS &c
your other guests-Mr. and Mrs. Fer
ris and Ella Sanger-have they &C
cepted?"
Yes" Isabel replied. They all &C
cepted with apparent pleasure
You remember that Ella Sanger is
Adelaide simmons cousin" John Said
DO YOU think you can invite her with
out inviting Adelaide?'
Il have done So Isabel replied.
Does Ella know that Adelaide is
not coming"
Il did not tell her-but don't care
whether she knows or not. | do not
consider it necessary to consult my
guests as to whom I shall invite to my
home"
Il was only afraid" John ventured
that Adelaide might be hurt if her
cousin was invited and she was not
There was long silence. Isabel felt
her temper striving with her patience
; and wondered for moment which
would get the upper hand. She closed
: her lips firmly, resolved not to put her.
self in the wrong by being the first to
: speak. If she said nothing. John might