Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-11-13
Margaret CARROTS
Husband
BOB REMAINS AT HOME.
+ By JANE PHELPS \
i: X x 4 X !: \: x X x x X X !

CHAPTER LYI.
Bob did not go. TO John Kendall 4
house party. | was very miserable anG
when Tom asked him what day they
could expect him he replied:
81 shan It get down Tom. 1 explain
ed to John that it would be impossible. .
l was delighted. The more so that ]
had not mentioned either his going OF
his remaining at hoiae with me.
He is becoming tired of them,"
said to myself, and rejoiced that it
was so.
The holiday week passed quietly, and
/ for me, happily. We made very little
I fuss, and gave each other our simple
remembrances on Christmas Eve. Don
aid was too little to know what Christ
mas meant; and as father was far from
well we dispensed with tree. Bob was
all kindness and thoughtfulness for
all, and if he regretted being unable
to join John Kendall's party he gave
no sign.
SIT has been the very best holiday
week 1 have ever knownl' - 1 declared
the morning of the second of January;
the day the house party was to break
up, "It has been just perfect. -
81 am very glad you have been so
happy Margaret, /" Bob responded, and
1 didn t think until afterward that he
had said nothing about enjoying him
self.
Elsie came in that afternoon just
bubbling over with talk anent the good
time she had had at the house party.
cit was perfectly wonderful, Margar-
ct! How Bob would have enjoyed it.
John spared neither expense nor pains
to give us a good time. We danced, and
skated and motored, and had private
theatricals. Every minute was filled
with something"
$50 was our holiday time, Elsie,'
replied, "and as for Bob l imagine he
was just as happy with me as he would
have been at the party. We had a de-
hghtfully quiet week, and I know it
was better for both of us than it would
have been had we gone with you"
"All right, Margaret! but 1 don It
quite understand your reasoning. I know
that Tom and 1 had better time than
we possibly could have had alone. Yet
we were together almost as much or
more than if we had remained at home"
I said nothing more because 1 knew
it would not convince Elsie. She was
so gay-such a CLEAN of a woman; and
she slipped the sweetness-as she saw
it-from the cup of life wit no thought
of the results. 1t was uesless to reason
with her, but was so fond Of her that
I overlooked what I should have un-
hesitatingly condemned in another.
The remainder Of the winter passed
quietly. Bob scarcely ever left me and
mother was with me as often as faith
er's health and her ONE duties per
mitted. In May my second boy was
born. We, named him George, after
father. t
"They are so nearly of an age, they
will be almost like twins as they grow
lp," mother remarked one day, ''and
It will be easier for You to care for
hem as they will be company for each
,ther, and enjoy about the same, things"
Bob was delighted with is two sons,
yet almost as soon as L was up and
lbout L noticed a difference in him, al
most intangible at first, yet a differ
,nce.
We spent the summer down on Long
sland with mother and father as usual.
Bob played golf and tennis as enthusias-
lcdly as DeIOre, DuC ne Fendlneu LII
own oftener. His excuses seemed made /
Iuate anent what kept him; and either
would decline to answer, or fretfully ex- !
lain lamely that some business had !
,ept him.
l talked to mother about it, but she
dismissed the subject lightly: 5
Bob is old enough to know what |
e wants to do, and what is necessary.
% not try to hold him with too tight a,
rein, my DEAR II
"But if he gets in the habit of re- /