Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1920-02-26
A PARTY FOR jim
BY MATTE a. RAMSAY.
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CO 1879. BY Mcclure Newspaper syndicate.l
He had been chuckling to himself all
day. For that morning he had leased
an apartment and had big surprise
for Dorothy. They had been married
In May, upon his return from France.
and on account of the house shortage.
they had been obliged TO live In room
and take their meals out.
Y He was In the gayest Of spirits. Dor
Othy, who, under the circumstances,
had retained her position. was home
ahead Of him. She was combing her
hair. He bent over to kiss her and
demolished her couture. She laughed
and kissed his cheek and began comb
Ing again.
Then with boyish eagerncss he
told her Of the apartment, how his sis.
ter had heard Of 1t. how happy they
!, would be. And what stroke OF wis.
dom that had been when they had
bought their furniture at the reduced
summer rates. All day his thoughts
had evoked such cosy pictures, and
he had spoken with such enthusiasm
that at first he wasn't conscious of
Dorothy's lack Of spontaneous ap-
pr0val.
His cheeriness vanished. He sub
1ected her to sharp scrutiny. 1T
sounds NICE" she returned smiling;
"and we can talk about 1t after dinner.
Come; I'm famished."
Her tone had been trife careless
and noncommittal. Still, he told HIM
self that he must not be too exacting.
He admitted that 1t was rather high.
handed Of him to have taken the whole
responsibility. He should have con-
suited her. Going back from the res
taurant, he apologized, but the atmos-
phere did not clear.
Lets have 1t all straight out, Dor
Othy," he said quietly, once more in
their room.
He fixed his eyes upon her with an
appeal that stirred her. She knew Of
his longing for home; and with what
gusto he talked Of the fine house warm.
Ing they would have, If they only had
. little fat. Two years ago, when ha
and his brother had gone across, his
home had been broken up.
That she was not as keen about a
home as Jim had never dawned upon
Dorothy. But now that she was facing
such a possibility, she was alarmed at |
her disinterestedness. Though she was
sorry to disappoint him, she must
speak the truth; though she smiled |
rs she talked, he was aware of the
sadness that tinged her reply.
She didn't want to give up her posi-
ton. Today she had raise of So;
now $35 week. And she didn't have
the strength nor the inclination, after
working all day, to putter around the
house at night. Living was too high /,
TO give up $35. How could they meet
expenses on $40 a week.
"You silly boy" she said softly, "you
have no idea what clothes cost today"
She o?cred q box and displayed u new
suit. "That cost me $780,"
Jim flushed red. Her money; not
lis, he thought. And 70 all his beau
iful dreams collapsed. The reference
. her raise and to his meager salary
hurt him. She knew nothing of his
Icheming to earn extra and Of his fine
iguring; for he could show in black
md white that it cost very little more
o have little fiat. As the days went
y. he felt lonely and depressed to an
'xtent that Dorothy didn't realize.
They never referred to that subject
gain. Jim grew sensitive about mon
". He never told her of his raise.
One day Dorothy renewed her pro-
'osal Of some time previous, which
lin had Indignantly repudiated, that
he be allowed to pay her share, and
was accepted with such alacrity that
Dorothy was startled. Even Jim was
urprised at himself.
November came. One evening Dor.
thy went over to see her friend Jen.