The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-07-23
REVELATIONS
OF A WIFE
5Y ADELE GARRISON.
What Troubled Madge When DicIcy
Played Lady's Maid for Her.

Played Lady's Maid for Her.
| applied the liquid preparation
which Lillian Underwood had left in
my chiffonier drawer to the faint
patches of flame color just below my
throat, reminders of the burns I had
received at Dicky's birthday dinner
and which was afraid would spoil the
effect of the dinner gown had put on
in honor of the guest my husband was
bringing home.
Then I stepped nearer to the mirror
to view the effect. 1t certainly dis
guised the faint scars, but to my dis
may saw there was such a difference
between the color of the preparation
and the natural tint of my skin that
must either remove what / had put
on or cover my entire throat, shout
ders and arms with the stuff
I looked at my watch and saw that
the minutes had slipped away more
rapidly than I had supposed. I must
decide at once what was going to do
With a feeling that might as well
die the death of a sheep as of a lamb,
I seized a cloth and began to apply
the stuff to my throat and arms. But
it was slow work, and / was most un-
skilled in the task I became more ner-
vous with every passing minute and
when 1 heard the roll of a taxi below,
having come upon a train Is minutes
earlier than the one Dicky had men
toned over the telephone, gazed at
the CHASTITY image OF myself in the mir
ror with a feeling of horror.
For the love of Mike, Madge, what
the devil does this mean? ?"
Dicl1y burst into the room, his face
like a thundercloud. I knew, of course,
that he must be angry and disap-
pointed at my failure to meet and
greet his guest below stairs, but the
absolute aversion on his face as he
looked at me made me shiver.
Have you gone out of your mind?"
he demanded. "Do you think I'm going
to let you come down stairs looking
like that? What in thunder ever pos
sessed you? Here Drake is cooling
his heels down stairs. A pretty recep-
tion for a stranger. isn't it? Lucky I.
thought of telling him l had mistaken
the train and had brought him out on
an earlier one. Now tell me quick how
to get this blasted stuff off"
ooh Dicly. if you only could!" II
said brokeniy 81 was afraid the scars
of my burns would show above this
gown. and then when I had begun 1
had to fix it all over alike"
81 think Dicky heard the tears in my
voice. and realized that if could not
keep from weeping he would have a
red-eyed wife TO introduce to his new
acquaintance. At any rate, he changed |
his manner instantly.
"Goose!" he said tenderly, those
scars are hardly noticeable. You're
foolishly sensitive about them. Here, |
tuck these towels in about your gown
and give me some cold cream. III get /
this stuff off in a jiffy."
And then, Dicky, smiling tendefiy |
removed the horr'd CHASTITY mess with !
cold cream, wiped the flesh carefully, |
and then busted rice powder over the
exposed surfaces as skilfuily as la
dy's maid could have done.
'There." he said, stepping back and /
surveying me. you haven't a trace Of /
a scar. And my eye! what a scrump- /
tuous gown, Come give me kiss for
reward, and let's go down stairs to our
guest. / guess you won't put his eyes
OUT" he finished extravagantly, and /
knew that Dieky was doing his level
best to restore my equilibrium.
His kiss was hurried. though tender,
and then. seizing my hand, he started
for the door. But stopped him. notic-
ing for the first time that two florists
boxed lay upon the bed where he had
tossed them when he came in.
what are these. Dicky2" / asked
.sBy Jovel" DiciSy stopped short and
began to open the boxes. Lucky you
saw them. This big box is for you,
from Drake. and in the smaller one is
something which ] hope win go with
your gown. from yours truly"
He had opened the smaller box first
and was holding out to me an ex-
auisite cluster OF creamy orchids