The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-07-06
The "Wife" Back
Home
By DOROTHY DOUGLAS


81 Hall. Rose came jOyOusly; her
.mother acquiescently; her father re-
ASctantiy, with many prOtestatiOns.
fapa Hall stayed just long enough to
l6et his family enscOnced In an exclu-
live hotel and then hustled back, to
zee to 1t that nobody made hay Of his
business In the sunshine Of his abb
oence; for 1t was his boast that he
| owed his success to strict personal
4 Intention to details.
Mr.. Hall left an imposing bank bal
y ance subject to his daughters sigma
ture, and for two weeks Rose was
5sublimely happy. She was bewitch-
ing little blonde. With softly waving
hair, to which a fashionable hair
dresser did wondrous things. and a
fpetite figure that delighted the exclu-
sstve mOdistes. Innumerable oblOngs Of
mink paper bearing the imprint Of
big metropolitan bank passed into will
lng hands and in exchange Rose re-
lceived masses of chiffons AMI laces
satins and velvets, brOcades and furs,
which the fairy wand Of commerce
SIMMONS for my lady's adjournment
from the ends of the earth.
For year previous to the realiza-
ton of her dream Of spending winter
IL New York. Rose had studied religi-
ously the Sunday editions If the great
city's newspapers. The result was two
Gheets of letter paper covered with
notes Of places and things she intended
% see. Theaters, famous and obscure:
restaurants, fashionable and merely
queer; museums, art exhibits, foreign
qua rters odd back waters that casual
Visitors usually missed; everything
even down TO the nfenageries in the
parks-Rose had vowed to see II all.
And now she was ready to begin. But
how was she to 60 unaccompanied?
In Mrs. C. Slater Hall, Rose could
md no solution of her problem. Mrs.
Hall possessed two enormous interests,
and two only. Her aches and pains
and the movies. In her home town it
kept her dumping" as Rose ex-
pressed it, to keep up with the changes
IN the programmes of three movie thea
i tiers. In New York even unlimited
n leisure and endless taxis could not
bring success to her desperate efforts
to see all the "releases" Rose tried
the companionship of Marie her maid.
Marie was blase, unappreciative-
no fun at all. Besides. she uttered
yelled threats of leaving. Rose turned
In her extremity to a certain friendly
middle-aged clerk of the hotel. who
knew all things.
"If you don't mind the cost" sug-
gested he. you might engage some de-
cent. presentable young man who
knows his New York as a sort of per-
manent escort. Oh. it's quite often
done" The clerk even knew of such
aperson. until recently guest of the
hotel himself, but bit out of luck and
having some difficulty finding a Job
The clerk would make point of get
ting in touch with him If Rose wished.
The idea was utterly novel to Rose
but so was New York. She told the
clerk to bring on his courier or escort
or whatever he might be. And the
very next day he did. The young man,
who gave his name as Jerald Holmes,
seemed all he was represented to be-
% Rose engaged him. Then it was a
case of breaking the news to her
mother. Mrs. Hall bestirred herself
to be little shocked at this caprice of
hef daughters, but in the end Rose had
her own way, as always.
Jerald Holmes proved to be a de.
nGhtfully sympathetic companion. AZ
the days went by Roses enjoyment OF
the things she had looked forward to
was complete; for wasn't she seeing
them properly dressed and properly
eocorted3
Also she was glad-very glad Rose
succeeded in convincing herself-that
4r. Holmes was married. In their
AFst interview he had mentioned a
VIE back home" for whom he in
tended to send when he was settled
Demanently. Meanwhile, he assured
lee. acting as her escort was an
eneeedingly pleasant way Of bridging
ouer what would have been for him a
10y awkward period.
their conversation ever verged
- the personal, 1t was the man who
aaays steered 1t away so It was with
naoer q hint to build on that Rose
ceneocted picture Of Mrs. Jerald
lines. Because her escort bad the
loek Of an outdoors man. she placed
HI wife as the tailor-,nade type She
ptefably combed her hair smoothly
heek and affected those mighty good
i0eking sport suits and sailor hats that
oue saw In the shops. Cnconsciousiy
Rose imagined Mrs. Holmes a direct
contrast to herself.
Yes. Rose assured herself. it vas far
beeter that her escort should be a
merried man-pro vided his wife did
nef object. and she had Mr.. Holiness
vQrd for that. For otherwise he might
atempt to make love to her in the
my opportunities thrown in his way,
then, Of course, she would be
o<liged to snub him. Or ne might be