The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1921-07-22
The ''Wife" Back
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By o c


hose Hall came out Of the West,
accompanied by her mother. Mrs. G..
Slater Hall, and her father, Charles
=. Hall. Rose came %jOyously her
mother acQuiescently; her father re-
mctantly, with many protesIations.
Papa Hall stayed just long enough to
get his family enseonced IN an excIu-
sive hotel and then hustled hack. to
see to 1t thal nobody made hay OF his
business in the sunshine of his abb
sence; for it was his boast that he
owed his success to strict personal
attention to details.
MIR. Hall left an imposing bank bal
ance subject 10 his daughters sigma
lure, aud for two weeks Rose was
sdbiimely happy. She was a bewitch-
ing little blonde. With softly waving
hair. 10 which a fashionable hair.
dresser did wondrous things, and a
petite figure that delighted The exclu-
sive modlsles. ~lhnumerable oblongS os
pink paper bearing the imprint Of a
big metropolitan bank passed into Will
Ing hands and in exchange Rose re-
ceived masses OF chinrons anil laces,
satins and y%elyets, brocades and furs.
which the fairy wand of commerce
summons for my lady's adornment
from the ends Of the earth.
For a year previous to the realiza-
ton Of her dream Of spending . winter
In New York. Rose had studied religi-
ously the Sunday editions of the great
city's newspapers. The result was TWO
sheets OF letter paper covered with
notes Of places and things she Intended
TO see. Theaters, famous and obscure +;
restaurants. fashionable aud merely
queer; museums, art exhibits, foreign
quarters, odd back waters that casual
visitors usually missed; everything
even down 10 the menageries in the
parks-Rose had vowed to see 1t all.
And now she was ready 10 begin. But
how was she to 90 unaccompanied2
In Mrs. c. Slater Hall, Rose could
find no solution Of her problem. Mrs.
Hall possessed two enormous interests,
and two only. Her aches aud pains
and the movies. In her home town 1t
kept her humping" as Rose ex-
pressed it. to keep up with the changes
in the programmes Of three movie thea
tiers. In New York even unlimited
leisure ana endless taxis could not
bring success 10 her desperate efforts
to see all the releases" Rose tried
the co%mpanipnship Of Marie. her maid.
Marie was blase, mappreciative-
no fun at all. Besides. She uttered
yelled threats Of leaving. Rose turned
In her extremity to a certain friendly
middIc-agel clerk of the hotel, who
kneSs all things.
IF you don't mind the cost sug-
gested he. you might engage some de-
cent. %presentahle 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
a person. until recently Il guest Of the
hotel himself. but Il hit out NJ luck and
having some difficulty finding a job,
The clerk would make a poini Of get
ting in touch with him II 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 he. And the
very next day he did. The young man,
who gave his name as .Ierabl Holmes,
seemed all he was represented to be
so Rose engaged him. Then It was a
case Of breaking the news to heT
mother. Mrs. Hall bestlrred herself
to be a little shocked at this caprice Of
! her daughters, but in the end Rose had
: her own way, as always.
a Jerald Holmes proved to be a de
llghtfully sympathetic companion. Al
the days went by Roses enjoyment Of
the things she had looked forward I,
was complete fof wasn't she seelnl
them properly dressed and properl!
escortedl
sNA'N HNN NUN klNh NNlH klN'As Af'n'
succeeded in convincing herself-tha
, Mr.. Holmes was married. In theil
first interview he had mentioned
wife "back home for whom he in
tended to send when he was settle,
permanently. Meanwhile, he assured
Rose, acting as her escort was al
exceedingly pleasant way Of brldglnI
over what would have been for him
very awkward period.
II their conversation ever vergel
on the personal. 1t vas the man VIII.
always steered It away 50 It was wit
never a hint to build IN that RIOS
connected a picture OF Mrs. Jeral
Holmes. Because her escort had a
look Of an outdoors man, she place
his wife as the tailor-made type. Sh
probably combed her hair SMOOTH
back and affected those mighty 200
looking sport suits and sailor hats tbs
one saw In the shops. Unconscious
Rose Imagined Mrs. Holmes a dire,
contrast to herself.
Yes, Rose assured herself, II was "a
better that her escort should b.
married mhn-provided his wife Of
not object. and She had Mr.. Holme
word for that. For Otherwise he mIgl
attempt to make love to her IN n
many opportunities thrown In his wa
and then, OF course. she would 1
obliged to snub him. Or he might
Fortune hunter This train 0