The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1917-10-04
h - ~ = p = p = - p - y Ili
= HIS ALMA MATER n
= BY JANE OSBORNE. n
~ IN IA, a. ~ mn ~ NJ
BY JANE cssoRNE.


Peggy Peggy made all the difference
In the world
II wasn't that Peggy was selfish, but
Peggy was the sort of wife that needed
20 be financed generously. II would
have been as allen to peggys nature.
thought Clay 10 attempt amy sort of
economy. even In war time. ass Ii would
be alien to thc butierilys nature 60
start In storing away the honeyed
sweetness that Il gathers from the
flowers as the thrifty bee does
II was just when he was turning into
the long driveway that Ted TO the low
rooted bungalow nesting amoug the
trees where Peggy, who, hc Was sure,
ought 10 have lived in ana Italian Villa,
al least deigncd 20 dwcll, greeted him
with even more than usual excitement
at the door II was posgy's manner
always To be in a state of delightful
expectancy and impaiieneo when Clay
returned home every night Her viyac-
ity was contagious and Clay would
have been transported from business
or thoughts of the departing stenog-
raphcr had il not been fn the Thought
OF The unsigned check for one thousand
dollars. lie was rather pensiye ai dim
ner, stealing snatches of time between
Peggy's clever little sallics TO medi-
tute and wotk out his plan of action.
IN order TO dispense with The slcnog-
rapher. he was thinking he would have
10 work overtime. II would often mean
that he would have ia return TO his of
fee al night, patiently 10 type oui the
letters that were NOT typed ia The day
time.
or course Peggy should not know.
He would have 10 ten Peggy simply
that business detained him
Peggy talked glihly through dinner.
Which she seemed TO eat with a relish.
And more than once She stopped TO
give directions to the waitress.
DO you think the new cook will do?"
she asked knowing wen enough that
Clay never had word TO say about The
household management you know, l
had to dismiss Brady. l think this one
IS rather better
Eyes; that caviarre was delicious"
Clay had presence OF mind enough to
say; and then, venturing into IN I'M
accustomed field Of inquiry, lie added:
81 suppose wages are advancing even
with cooks -
Peggy pouted with playful note of
annoyance.
Yes; | really had to agree to forty
dollars this time l suppose l shall
have to make an Increase If I 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 a check for 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 III
TO date, so that the burden Of his iater
work would rot he too heavy. ~ shun'i
in the least mind your going" Peggy
reassured him. as he started out. I'm
dreadfully sleepy, and I'm afraid J
should have been quite stupid il YOU
had stayed home
Three or four 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 a new evening frock
changed his mind It was one Of those
exquisitcy simple gowns that expert !
ence had taught Clay to know We're the
most expensive kind. But even this
Knowledge did not spoil the pleasure Il
took in beholding his pretty wife so at (
tractively dressed TO meet him.
do YOU very much like this dress?r
Peggy asked him after they had fin
lshed dinner. Il can really tell that
you do just by the way you look at ii. 8
And then, not waiting for Clay's Ell 4
thusiastic response Peggy went on
Il never could keep a secret. 50 | just
have TO tell you that l made it, She
paused a moment and watched. and
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
never meant to tell you that too, but I
you know | can't keep a secret and lf 4
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 70 help little But
| knew you couldn't endure having
dinners or seeing me
dressed in a shirtwaist IN the evening.
SO I decided to 90 along living Just as
we always had. and ia save the cooks
wages and my dressmaker's bill By do
ing a little myself. And that caviarre
we had the other night wasn't eayiarre
at all il was just mock cayiarre made
Dut of sardlnes Nelly's been a trump
and has done lot TO help me with the
cooking And nights when you do stay
home She does the dishes all alone.
ana the nights when you don't we
really have fun together. SO that's my
secret.
Half an hour later Clay and Peggy