Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-01-18
Margaret CARROTS
Husband
A PRETTY MUvER.
CHAPTER CXIII.
K By JANE PHELPS
+ X X x 4 X 4: X X X X X X

:
sure her husband won It be at home
let Donald sit up and have mis- dinner
with me, so finished early. Then after
both children were in bed l went down
to the library and took up book Elsie
had urged me to read.
1t was a book of travel and as
opened it / thought how dry and unin
teresting it looked. But before 1 had
read half an hour l wondered how
could have thought it looked dry, and
in another hour L became so interested
that l absolutely forgot to watch the
clock.
l was still reading when Bob came
in. He had come out on the midnight
train.
"What, you reading, Margaret7 Oh
I see! it, very interesting book, but
a little out of your line, isn't it?"
"a little, perhaps. But l like it very
much" l replied, as l laid it down. OF
course Bob thought me incapable of ap-
preciating any of his books. He WASH 4
to be blamed, really. l had read nothing
but the most innocuous stouff since we
had been married, and not much of that
"Would you like bite before you
go to bed?' | asked.
"Indeed 1 would--that is if you have
anything good.''
awe IL go and see, - I told him, won
dering what he was thinking about, and
if that puzzled expression was caused
by my not questioning him as to where
he had been or because I had not found
fault that he was late, and alone.
"Did you go to the movies9' he
asked as he picked at a chicken wing
L had fixed in the chatting dish for him.
emo. we played cards with Mrs.
Farnesworth all the afternoon, so
thought would rather read"
''I seel home the best place" " the
words were all right, the tone made me
flush.
eyes, sometimes, " then told him all
the town gossip I had heard which I
thought might interest him, things l
had heard during the afternoon.
He finished his chicken, yawned, then
went Immediately to bed. I cleared
away the dishes I had used, then 1 too
followed.
"I WILL win himi WILL make
him proud of me-" I said aloud as [
prepared for bed But my heart WASH It
as brave as my words. Often and often
I shivered as I thought that after all
/ might not be able to win him, no
matter how hard I tried.
The next morning after had attend
ed to my household duties, and all prep
arations for the evening were finished,
I went into town to keep my appoint
ment with my masseuse. When | re-
turned there was an undeniable taking
off of years. Even the very texture
of my skin seemed younger, my eyes
brighter, my hair shone with a new
sheen.
'fI hope Bob will think 7 look nice -
was my thought as I studied my face
in the mirror. Then, when a few mo-
ments afterward my new dinner dress
came home and I tried it on, | wished
he were there to see. But no, He mustn t
see it until I was all dressed for Elsie s
dinner which was to be on Saturday
night.
I couldn't resist the temptation to
call Nellie. must have some one ad-
mire me.
"Oh, Mrs. Garrett! didn t know you
were so beautifuli" :" she exclaimed, then
begged permission to call Della so that
she too might admire.
s'Land sakes ma ami you are a
ravin' beauty you are!' Della burst out
when she caught sight of me.
"Oh, my pretty muver!" Donald pip
ed up; ne had followed the maids. . l
love you muver, you We so pretty
'Is that all the reason you love
1 asked as 1 kissed him and
held him close to hide the satisfaction
l felt from the maids.
"Being pretty helps lot, Della
broke in, 'Fleastways it does with the
men,"
took the lovely dress off and laid
it carefully back in the box which L
slipped out of sight under the bed. No,
Bob must not catch so much as glimpse
of it until l was all ready for the dim
ner.
l arranged some flowers for the living
room, also for the supper table. Then |
helped put the children to bed, and
dressed myself for the evening before
Bob came in.
"Looks very festive, he remarked
as he hung up coat and hat, 'what time
do you expect them3'
"About eight. You II have plenty of
time, SO don t hurry, replied, careful
to make my voice pleasant.
That was one of the hard parts of
my task; the task Elsie had set me. To
make even my voice carry a different
meaning. To talk, as wen as to act
differently. And it was this change in
my voice which puzzled Bob, perhaps
more than any other thing | did.
He was dressed and with me in the
living room when our guests came. John
Kendall and Soma Wells had stopped
for Mrs. Farnesworth, and the others
had met them quite near the house.
cit was good of you to ask Soma and
me-" John said so that Bob heard
knew by his expression that he was
pleased.
(Tomorrow-An Evening Of
Surprises.)