Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1917-10-04
HIS ALMA MATER
BY JANE OSBORNE.


dV1dClOQ corps IHdL was 10 De sent u
the front by his alma mater he made
out that check for a thousand dollars,
but before he signed it he thought Of
Peggy. Peggy made all the difference
In the world.
1t wasn't that Peggy was selfish, but
Peggy was the sort of wife that needed
to be financed generously. 1t would
have been as alien to Peggy's nature,
thought Clay, to attempt any sort Of
economy, even in war time, as it would
be alien to the butterfy's nature to
start in storing away the honeyed
sweetness that it gathers from the
flowers as the thrifty bee does.
1t was just when he was turning into
the long driveway that led to the low
rooted bungalow nesting among the
trees where Peggy, who, he was sure,
ought to have lived in an Italian villa,
at least, deigned to dwell, greeted him
With even more than usual excitement
at the door. 1t was Peggy's manner
always to be in a state of delightful
Expectancy and Impotence when Clay
Returned home every night Her vivac-
fly was contagious and Clay would
have been transported from business
or thoughts of the departing stenog-
rapher had it not been for the thought
Of the unsigned check for one thousand
dollars. He was rather pensive at din
Ier, stealing snatches of time between
Peggy's clever little sallies to medi-
tate and work out his plan of action.
In order to dispense with the stenog-
rapher, he"was thinking, he would have
to work overtime. 1t would often mean
that he would have to return to his Of
f1ce at night, patiently to type out the
letters that were not typed In the day
time.
Of course Peggy should not know.
He would have to tell Peggy simply
THAT business detained him.
Peggy talked glibly through dinner.
which she seemed to eat with relish.
And more than once she stopped to
give directions to the waitress.
EDO you think the new cook will do?"
she asked, knowing well enough that
Clay never had word to say about the
household management. "You know,
had to dismiss Brady. / think this one
is rather better"
Eyes; that caviarre was delicious"
Clay had presence of mind enough to
Say; and then, venturing into an I'M
accustomed field of inquiry, he added:
81 suppose wages are advancing even
with cOOkS!"
Peggy pouted with playful note of
annoyance.
Eyes; I really had to agree to forty
dollars this time. I suppose I shall
have to make an increase if am to
keep her"
Had Clay found it possible to throw
off his air of preOccupatiOn more easily
he might have remained at home that
first evening. But so eager was he to
begin the work that would make the
sending of check for a thousand dol
lars possible that he excused himself
after dinner to return to his office By
eight o'clock he was busy with the
files, bringing his correspondence up
to date, SO that the burden of his later
work would not be too heavy. II shan't
in the least mind your going" Peggy
reassured him, as he started out I'm
dreadfully sleepy, and I'm afraid ]
tshould have been quite stupid if you
had stayed home"
Three or fouy nights out of the week
Clay returned to his office, and as often
Peggy, apparently uncomplainingly,
profeSsed perfect willingness to retire
early and forget her loneliness. One
evening that Clay had intended to de-
vote to his correspondence, the vision
of Peggy in q new evening frock
changed his mind. It was one of those
exQuisitely simple gowns that expert
ence had taught Clay to know were the
most expensive kind. But even this
knowledge did not spoil the pleasure it
took in beholding his pretty wife so at
tractively dressed to meet him.
"Do you very much like this dress?"
Peggy asked him after they had fin
ished dinner. 81 can really tell that
YOU do just by the way you look at it,
And then, not waiting for Clay's en-
thusiastic response, Peggy went on:
never could keep a secret so just
haye to tell you that made it," She
paused moment and watched, apd
not finding a reproving frown on Clay'S
face she went on: "And have cooked
dinner every night for two weeks
ever since the last cook went. Oh, l
meyer meant to tell you that, too, but
YOU know can't keep a secret, and If
YOU ever found out you'd hate me for
deceiving you. You see, the girls in
MY class at college were getting up a
fund for an ambulance, and Of course
they looked to me to help little. But
I knew you couldn't endure having
tWo-course dinners or seeing me
dressed in a shirtwaist IN the evening,
SO decided to go along living just as
we always had, and I'd save the cooks
wages and my dressmaker's bill by do
ing little myself. And that cavjarre
we had the other night wasn't saviarre
Oh oil ,,e~&x@ ayv 10