The Washington herald., 1916-01-29
DAILY SHORT STORY.
A DELINQUENT HUSBAND.
BY ERNE OLMsTEAD.


Beatrice Strengthened up from heI
dsrntng and glanced across the living
room table at her husband engrossed In
the evening paper. Her appraisal was
silent, but comprehensive. Except for q
little thinning of the hair above the tenn
piles and the addition of little flesh ant
eyeglasses, Fred was the same fine-look'
ing fellow she had married. In fact, the
glasses but emphasized an air of distinc'
ton that had ever been characteristic OF
him, and Beatrice had noticed, too, thai
his magnetism seemed to grow with the
years.
She sighed, then got up and went to q
hall mirror and began an Investigation
of herself. She felt pretty ancient, with
eight-year-old twins asleep upstairs. Il
had been a long time since she had giveT
herself much thought, but now she look
ed searchingly at each Individual feat
ure, her hair, her eyes, the curve OF heI
mouth and her smooth, velvety cheeks
She gazed long and carefully, but finally
turned away satisfied.
She had once been the most-sought-af
ter 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 darneC
and had just about concluded to dc
something
L lIN lnlnB lndI nat
caught and held her when she struggled
against marriage and the loss of hel
freedom-unfortunately had the same eff
feet upon other women that It had upor
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 OF
the globe who amounted to anything-ht
was fiirted with and petted by every
pretty woman he met.
The effect had been slow, but sure
Fred had been spoiled and had gotter
away from her. He was to all purposes
his old devoted self but It was a cas-
| ual, accustomed sort of love he had fol
her now, she felt, and his devotion wa
habit rather than a passion. He calleC
her his dear old Bee and all that, 1t il
| true, but If anything kept her home from
a party It didn't affect either his own at
she did go 1t did not affect them either
for that matter. for he was scarcely will
her at all
Beatrice had never cared much or re
| sented all this. She was busy will
home duties and her children, and sh,
| argued that Fred would come back t
her when the children were older anC
! she had more time. But now the chill
! dren were older and she had plenty o
time-too much, but Fred had not conn
back.
II think I'll run over to the club Bee
| Her husband came out of the living
| room and went for his hat. "If I an
not home by eleven, go to bed. Good
by" He kissed her lightly on the cheel
and went out. Beatrice knew he woulC
not be home by eleven, and she knew
too. that he could have taken her will
him if he had wished it. for there was al
informal dance every Friday. And tn,
maid could have stayed with the chill
dren well enough.
She sighed and went back to the mir
ror. I'm all right" she assumed her
self again, land I'm going to do it. IT.
worth trying anyway, and II 1t doesn'
work I'll be no worse OF than 1 am now
I'm sure Fred still cares for me, only h,
doesn't know 1t. So I'll have to show
him.
She went to her desk and took out tive
| letters. The first was a business Iette
| inclosing a check for $780, her own diyi
| dend that she received from some famil,
| stock. The second was from EvelyI
| Warren, in New York, urging her, t.
| make them a visit. I'VE are in tn,
| midst Of merry whirl, daerie," sh,
wrote, so you'll have no chance to b,
| bored. Besides, Cecil Frampton is her,
losing you, Bee) Two weeks away from
| that poky old place will make a new
woman of you. Do come. Lovingly
| Eva"
With the check she had decided to d.
so many things-to surprise Fred on hi
| birthday by fixing over the old nursery
| into billiard room, for one thing, anC
| to get the children pony, for another
| But II she did either, she couldn't accep
Evelyn's invitation, as she needed
| clothes, and that was part of her plan
She reread Evelyn's letter and though
| of Fred's Indifferent parting. "I'll do IT,
she said to herself for the third time
and this time she wrote a letter of ac
ceptance to New York leaving the plac,
| for the date vacant to be filed in later
| Then she hauled out some fashion maya
zines and read until eleven.
Fred" she asked at breakfast, "whe,
do you think you will make your bust
ness trip to New York? You always e
about this time, don't your
Yes, I've been thinking about 1t
About the 25th, I suppose. why?"
When you are away think I'll take
thes children and-and go to Aun
Martha'.s She's been writing for us
you know. I'm getting some new
clothes"
That's right. You won't get so lone
| ly." Time was when he would hay,
| said: Cant you get Aunt Martha I,
| come and stay here with the children s,
| you can go with me? The trip woult
do you good" In fact, In their earl,
married life she had gone with him twic
and she knew what a round of pleasure
1t was. She strongly suspected, how
ever. that nowadays the round of pleas
ure had no place for her, and she wa
| right.
That day she filled in the date of tn
| letter and mailed It; then betook hersel
to the tailors and dressmakers In