Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-12-18
Moonlight and
Money
BY Marion Rubincam
BETTER AND WORSE

CItAlFJEI( pN
Two elements were at work about
Louise. Improved physical condi-
lions were building her up a little;
for rest, good food, sleep and care
will benefit even the broken hearted.
But nerVouSly she was worse. Her
mother had been ordered to bed by
h doctor, where she wore herself
out fretting and wore out everyone
who waited on her. Her mothers
condition, worry over Harry. and the
Inevitable dread of the tremendous
unknown experience OF motherhood,
were undoing whatever good the
material comforts were accomplish
Ing. 1t remained to be seen which
Condition would triumph in her case.
Still, she did look better. Her girl
friends, coming in with frivolous
gossip to cheer her up. n with
dainty offerings for the baby that
was to come, remarked on her day
by-day Improvement. Her mother
was less hattering. She merely said,
as she watched the pathetic look
around Louise's mouth:
FOR heavens sake. don't mope all
the time. Don't you imagine l feel
awful enough without having to look
vt n walking graveyard"
And Louise, stung to the quick,
but not daring TO reply, fairly ran
from her room.
1t was Carol who frightened the
gloom of hat day for her. Carol
came I'm looking moro than
ever, with an armful Of roses to send
In to Mrs. Driscom.
They're unusually lovely" Louise
commented as she arranged them in
@ large jar.
'They are" Carol commented
ch%eerfully. "Breck sent them to me.
You see, every time he does anything
he knows / won't like. he sends me
an extra expensive bunch of roses or
brings me home some jewelry or else
buys opera tickets. It's to salve his
conscience. The poor boy doesn't
know that he gives himself away
absolutely by his kind attentions to
his Wife"
s"Nhat do you mean?" Louise ask
ed smiling back at Carols own smil-
ing face.
HE has a SYSTEM" Carol explain
ed. 1.-THE only flaw is that he doesn't
think 1 know 1t. When he takes an
other woman to lunch, he sends
home flowers. If he stays up half
the night at the club losing money
playing cards, he buys me opera tic
kets-that keeps me out until late
myself, you see, so I'm not so apt to
inquire what he was doing all the
time
II see" Louise said.
IF It's anything more serious than
that, he buys me rings and bracelets
and barpins. He gave me q stunning
diamond when he went off to n wild
weekend at the Barlow's and left
me home"
Louise looked at her c~uriously.
This woman did not talk quite like
the Carol of the old days. h Won
dered whether she liked the new
note of n%ippancy.
Are you happy?" she asked sud
denly.
Dear heart, yes" Carol answered,
and her voice was sincere though she
was laughing. II adore Brock and
should take each other awfully seri-
ously and stay at home all the time?"
'N-no," Louise answered, absently
readjusting the flowers in the jar.
Doesn't Breck know you know what
he does"
"He suspects, but he isn't sure"
Carol said. Besides, he never does
anything awfully bad. I always wear
his flowers and rings and use his
opera tickets. and If / car find out
where his luncheons with pretty girls
take place, I hunt up my cousin
Walter and lunch there, too, only I
choose a distant table and pretend I
don't see him. Walter watches and
tells me how uncomfortable he
looks"
us this the common sense princi-
pie YOU told me once to applv to
mo4~'~ro~vp" louise asked Suddenly.
"1t's the common sense pri"cinle