Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-03-02
A Parting
Dinner
By ALAN HlNSDALE

is rect1fedi the better. 1 am gong "
leave YOU
'That's not a bad idea said the
husband. "A bit Of freedom from this
new life that neither of US has yet
become used to viii give us a breath
ing spell, and if we come together
again we will appreciate each other
all the more for it."
''That If is well put In
"And If we don't come together
again Just think of the fun Wen
hayer'
"Fun?'
Eyes. I can remain out at a poker
party till 3 o'clock in the morning If
l like. smoke and drink to my hearts
content, spend no end of time sitting
on q stool before a glove counter with
a pretty girl on the other side smooth
ing down my fingers with her soft
hand
'If these things are so delightful to
you why did you marry?'
81 haven't come to your own enjoy
ments consequent on the break yet.
You can sit all day beside your moth
er, holding her hand and listening to
her advice to you how to manage a
husband. Won't that be just too nice
for anything?"
'1f you loved me one-tenth as well
as mamma does there would be no
need of a separation"
''Oh. l could never compete with a
mothers love! That is not to be ex-
pected. l suppose that's what gives
her a right to tell you just what course
to take respecting your husband. Now
that you're going to leave me, her adj
vice with respect to me will be no
longer necessary, and l wonder what
you and she will talk about when you
nestle down for a morning chin-chin."
She was inclined to think that, the
one interesting topic being removed,
the chin-chin would be rather dull, but
she did not say so.
There's one thing l propose to do"
continued the provoking husband. las
soon as you are gone I'm going to
take down these curtains. l have en-
dured them simply for your sake.
They shut out the light"
Indeed, you will do nj such thing!'
"Why so? 1t will not matter to you
whether there are curtains here or
not. l shall make a smoking room of
this, and you have always declared
that when smoke gets into curtains
it's hard to get it out"
"A smoking room of this coy apart
ment! Why, l arranged everything
here myself!l'
$50 you did, and a delightful room
you made of it. | remember when l.
first saw It thought hQw-many de-
lightful seances we would have here.
1 little thought that a few short
months would end it all"
"Whose fault Is it,"
Mine
"Why don't you do better?'
81 can't. I'm naturally wicked. If
I were not you wouldn't need to
leave me-"
"Of course l don't want to leave
you, but you can't expect me to endure
such treatment forever"
Certainly not. l deserve it all. But
it's sad to think of my having to dis
mantle this pretty room for a lot of
fellows who will throw cigar and pipe
ashes all over the carpet and
"They will do no such thing! If
you're going to have those horrid men
here I-I-won't''-
won't goT"
Eyes, I'm going. l have come to
that decision after long and careful
elaboration"
"And consultation with your mother"
This was a home thrust.
eff there is any one who knows
what is best for the child she has
cared for and loved from babyhood it
is surely her mother"
81 agree with you. Therefore the
daughter should never leave her moth
err"
"The daughter is not expected to
marry a-a"-
Brute! But we are wasting time.
When do you go?"
"Are you in haste to be rid of me?"
mot at all. l merely wish to make
arrangements for your departure.
Will you permit me to see you to your
mothers house?"
"Who said l was going to mamma"
every well. l will take you wher-
ever you wish to 60"
you'll have to dine elsewhere to-
day. l have made no preparations for
dinner here"
Suppose we have a last dinner at
SINNERS, with a bottle of that wine
you like so well?"
She hesitated, and he suggested that
she telephone her mother that she
would not arrive till after dinner. This
last reference to her mother, though
highly respectful, called a frown to
the wife's brow. Nevertheless she
went to the phone and sent the mes
sage. Then she dressed for the dinner
and came downstairs looking very
Iugubrious,