The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-03-13
There Is nothing like
the veil Of romance
CHAPTER "a.

AVG NEV uI E0thNulNE
CHAPTER "a.
Honeymoon.
Freddie had been too shaken by his
conference with his family. his fathers
generosity, to talk further OF it that
evening when he returned to his hote.
and to Estrelda. He found his wife
finishing her dinner, which had been
served to her in their room. Perhaps
his utter w%eariness after the past few
days of nervous Strain cleared his els
ion a little as he looked at her; as
WEAKNESS does sometimes make us see
been regarding through the haze OF
romance. He noticed how the ice
cream she was eating stayed in the
corners of her overfull lips. 1t made
him fidgety because she did not use
her napkin more often. He pulled him
tself up with a start when he realized
It had flashed through his mind that
h was rather like a cat with milk on
her whiskers. And to change the cur
rent of his thoughts:
Did you have a good dinner, sweet
heartg' he asked. Were YOU served
"Sweill" said Estrelda and nodded
violently, her mouth full of cake.
a nervous contraction twitched Fred
die S lips for an instant. He must ask
her some time, when she was in the
mood to listen. not to use that word
bF'SAaH 1NN "" .
What did you have, sweetheart
he went on hurriedly, more to keep
words between them than for any
other reason.
Il had some cream of tomato SOUP
she said, and a broiled, live lobster
with lots Of butter and some corn on
the cob and some fried potatoes, and
now I've got French ice cream-peach
and chocolate-and some cocoanut
cakes"
Ii was a dinner for a barbarian; nay,
worse, a glutton! just for a moment
be fooling. He had never heard a menu
so i~ll-chosen. He stared at her.
You don't mean it," he asked,
aghast,
Fstrelda caught his tone, And:
now, freddie Mason she said. II had
everything l like and / guess that's all
that matters. You didn't have to eat
it, did you? It's none of your business
what l had for my dinner. You left
me here alone! What did you expect
"But-but, EstreIda," he cried dis
tressed, can't you understand? It'll
make you i'll; deathly i'll! Lobster and
all that-cream, andsend corn! Why,
I'd better get a doctor!!"
Her eyes were blazing at him now.
See here" she said. If you're not
AHNo = II NINSAAb = NheA hhNN
all! My fathers bought me just as
good a dinner as that many a time!
You needn't think you've got every
thing in your old New York; And If
it's the money you're squealing over,
I'll pay for it. I've plenty of money
though I'd like to know 1t right now
If I'd married a tightwad."
Freddie was paralyzed. He never In
all his life had heard anyone speak like
this. 1t occurred to him that she might
be becoming delirious-that the. food
she'd eaten already had given her a
fever. He thought to himself that she
certainly looked wild enough. So;
Sweetheart, sweetheart" he begged,
Il only spoke because it's not he right
food for you! LISTS"
She had sprung to her feet.
avg shut up" she almost screamed
That brought Freddie to his feet,
very white and trembling a little.
Good heavens" he got out.
She picked up the little silver com
pote dish that had held the cakes; she
was breathing hard. And all her
prettiness and all her girlishness were
gone!
'if you touch mel
He had been the star athlete in his
freshman class. Alas, that his swift
ness ever should be called upon for
this! He was around the table and had
caught her arm before the hideous
words were we'll past her lips. Don't
ever DE- that" he warned her. and
steel wa in the timbre of his voice:
This was the beginning of their first
and Mrs. Frederick Mason on their
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