Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-05-10
What Madge Did to Keep Dicky
From Spelling the Party.


Alice Holcombe sprang to her
feet, swished out Of sight the tell
tale pieces of embroidered crepe
before opening the door. To my
horror Dicky stood there.
81 wanted to know" he began,
then he caught sight of me stand
ing before the mirror attired in Mrs.
Stockbridge's fearful pink gown.
What the" he began, striding
inside. | saw Alice Holcombe
noiselessly lock the door again. TOR
which | was most grateful. did
not care for any more OF an au-
dience than was necessary while l
explained matters to Dicky.
will you kindly tell me what this
meansa" he asked. "You give out
you have headache, and I've been
worrying about you, came up. IN
fact, to ask if / shouldn't 60 and
get you something, and here Nhnd
you tricked out in this awful thing.
What's the idea, costume party OF
the bolshevik taste in art, or what!
do hush, Dicky" ! begged,
smiling involuntarily at his char
acteristic expressions, smile which
I saw reflected on Alice Holcombc's
face. II did have a headache"-l
might as we'll be prevaricating
sheep as lamb, l said to myself
"but when we came up here we
found that my dress had been hung
against some calcimine, and was
spoiled for tonight, so Mrs. Stock.
bridge kindly offered me one OF
hers. We're trying to fix it."
| felt little sense of shame. not
so much at deceiving Dicky for
few hours, but at the necessity for
so doing. But, alas, l knew his
temper. II he should guess that
Milly Stockbridge had purposely
spoiled my gown there would be an
explosion, and l was sure that he
would insist upon leaving the house
at once. / simply did not dare to
tell him, but my face flushed at the
quickly hidden look of grave inv
quiry I saw in Alice Holcombe's
eyes.
"And you mean to tell me-" Dicky
Numbered, that you're planning to
wear that-that-"
He fairly stammered in his cx-
citement.
"I'll have to, dear. I would far
rather wear the skirt to my suit and
blouse"
81 should hope sol" interjected
Dicky.
"But Mrs. Stockbridge has been
SO kind about this that / couldn't
hurt her feelings"
"Fiddlesticks! Now l can just
tell you one thing, you're not COM
ing downstairs in any such looking
object tonight. Let's see, what time
is 1.-THE pulled out his watch.
H -m-yes / can make it. Look
here" he faced me belligerently.
isn't there an evening gown Of
yours at home you could get into:'
"Why, yes" I said reluctantly,
there's that blue chiffon"
"Of pre-war vintage" Dicky
shifted. well, it can't be helped.
it's better than this thing anyway.
Now I'll get a taxi and dash over
there and get it, and be back here
in time for you to put in on if
you'll be all ready to get into it the
minute I come"
ooh, the White"
"All right" / agreed promptly, IF
you'll promise one thing, not to hint
to the Stockbridges what you're go
ing for. l don't want to upset Mrs.
Stockbridge."
"I'll fix that" Dicley promised
lightly, and the next moment Alice
Holcombe was closing the door after
his retreating figure.
WELL" she said admiringly,
"Your husband is an energetic per-
son, isn't he?"
"Oh, yes" l returned laughing,
entirely too much so sometimes.
For instance, if l had told him the
real state Of affairs he would have