The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-27
The EDening Story
A Delinquent Husband.
(BY ENC Olnstead.)


sive. Except for a little thinning of
the hair above the temples and the
addition of a little flesh and eye
glasses, Fred was the same fine-look-
ing fellow she had married. In fact.
the glasses but emphasized an air of
distinction that had ever been char
acteristic of him, and Beatrice had
noticed, too that his ma gnetism SEEM
ed to grow with the years.
She sighed, then got up and went
to a hall mirror and began an investi-
cation of herself. She felt pretty
ancient, with eight-year-old twins
asleep upstairs. 1t had been a long
time since she had given herself much
thought, but now she looked search
ingly at each individual feature, her
hair, her eyes, the curve of her mouth
and her smooth, velvety cheeks: She
gazed long and carefully, but finally
turned away satisfied.
She had once been the m oSt-sought
after girl in town on account of her
beauty, and she felt that there was
enough left to carry out a plan she
was making. For Beatrice had been
thinking as she darned and had just
about concluded to do something.
Fred's magnetisn-the thing that
had caught and held her when she
struggled against marriage and the
loss of her free doLl-unfortunat
had the same effect upon other women
that it had upon herself Fred was
the lion of the hour. And just because
he had a way with him''-making
everybody feel that he, or especially
she, was the only being on the globe
who amounted to anything-he was
flirted with and petted by every pretty
woman he met.
The effect had been slow, but sure
Fred had been spoiled and had gotten
away from her. He was to all pur-
poses his old devoted self, but it was
casual. accustomed sort of love he
had for her now, she felt, and his de-
votion was habit rather than pas
sion. He called her his dear old
Bee" and all that, it is true, but if
| anything kept her home from a party
| it didn't affect either his own attend
ing or his own good time. And if she
did go it did not affect them either,
! for that matter, for he was scarcely
! with her at all
Beatrice had never cared much or
resented all this. She was busy with
home duties and her children, and she
argued that Fred would come back to
! her when the children were older and
she had more time. But now the chill
dren were Older and she had plenty
Of time-too much, but Fred had not
come back
y think I'll run over to the club,
Bee" Her husband came out of the
1iving-room and went for his hat IF
] am not home by eleven, 80 to bed
Good-by." He kissed her lightly on
the cheek and went out Beatrice
knew he would not be home by eleven,
and she knew, too, that he could have
taken her with him if he had wished
| it, for there was an informal dance
every Friday. And the maid could
have stayed with the children well
enough.
She sighed and went back to the
mirror. I'm all right" she assumed
herself again, ''and I'm going to do it.
It's worth trying anyway, and if it
doesn't work I'll be no worse than 1
am now. I'm sure Fred still cares
for me, only he doesn't know it. So
I'll have to show him"
She went to her desk and took out
two letters The first was a business
letter inclosing a check for $500, her
own dividend that she received from
from Evelyn Warren, in New York,
urging her to make them visit. I'VE
are in the midst of a merry whirl.
dearie," she wrote, so you'll have no
Frampton is here and not married
yet. Gle never got over losing you,
/ Bee.) Two weeks away from that
! polxy old place will make a new wom-
an of you. Do come. Lovingly,
Eva
With the check she had decided to
do so many ings-to surprise Fred
on his birthday by fixing over the old
| nursery into a billiard room, for one
thing, and to get the children a pony,
l.
couldn't accept Evelyn's invitation, as
| she needed clothes, and that was part
| of her plan She re-read Evelyn's
| letter and thought of Fred's indiffer-
| ent parting. ''Tn do it, she said to
herself for the third time, and this
time she wrote a letter of acceptance
to New York leaving the place for the
! date vacant to be filled in later. Then
/ she hauled out some fashion maya
zines and read until eleven.
Fred she asked at breakfast,
when do you think you will make
your business trip to New York? You
always go about this time, don't you p
Yes, I've been thinking about it.
About the 25th, I suppose. Why?"
when you are away l think I'll
take the children and-and go to Aunt
Martha's. She's been writing for us,
you know. I'm getting some new
| clothes"
THAT'S right. You won't get so
/ lonely" Time was when he would
have said: Cant you get Aunt Mar
tina to come and stay here with the
children SO you can go with me? The
trip would do you good In fact. in
their early married life she had gone
with him twice and she knew what
round of pleasure it was. She strongly
suspected, however, that nova days the
round of pleasure had no place for
her, and she was right
That day she filled in the date of
the letter and mailed it; then betook
herself to the tailors and dressmakers
in nearby city. Time was short
for what she had to do
Fred, too. made due preparatinos
for his trip east, and when he finally
arrived at the great metropolis he
was received by certain pleasure
! loving set with wide-open arms. A
few hours with business men through
the day and long evenings of dining,
/ dancing. theaters and cabarets with
| jolly people
Freddie, declared pretty Mrs.
lHuntleigh. you have saved my life.