Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-11-23
THE MAN WHO WAS TIRED
OF HIS WIFE
TILE CHARACTERS
by LUCILLE VAN sLYKE
Copyright Buttertck Co.

ln,,A-HIs wife, forty-one. Careful
aa-dodger, absorbed In her mar
kitue e,a,6yrban society and in preserv-
.IagyeNRY Iagye hsE H'TTSffiE 1MP)1Thirty.two,
,a,t ffteen In spirit, Holding me key
70 yesnnd snatchcr' by the neighbors.
hpShpMNTpTE PETERSON kid, and TRUDGE,
fbE hAiTedale--Pals to the Imp.
nssMiN;-EBertha' bored Boston bull
Y secret sympeathy With Sharles; MsSns
rtIr HAsWELLS, 7, The ~, RnMSoNS, S,SsyS ~
THni,s THIi, { THE HABlTUAL MEDDLBR
VsnSabitants Of Bertha's world.
pERTHA was very decent. she had TO
b. Charles didn't lift his eyes
,be cue he was chalking. An
.rIuard silence ensued. a.,
aVnsWwon't YOU take my handF' Bertha
n shove her. cards across the
XIV miss Hasweil does pool. We're
lazy n have fourth. Truly, I'd
IsSS I,Sor not play in my own house. It's
y INA Ssrd to play and keep everybody
eomm94b III watch everybody q little
.,,,e II don't play cards.
"a"'WNsIl teach you kelly. nool. " Miss
.,rsI always Instituted herself mis-
nas"I ~ ceremonies. She showed q cue
n,os ,r,o sWarrery's hands, giving her brisk
mst ri you only do this as we'll as
,a,.used 10 do croQuet---'
0aScroouetY'' Bcrtha's pretty laughter
,.rfSeJ tho players. ~ didn't know
savbSiy saSt in the world ever played croQuet
i'TSsf TSo four bridge players wedgrd them
,,lres carefully behind their table, but
ne evening was no longer sedate or con-
'Womeric laughter waged about the
,rlIayd table. The angular spinster
Slased batter rool than any of the men
snd constantly twitted them. The new
nrnIl. delightfully."- awkward. had four
s,dpri instructors who liked to show her
sactIy what to do. They steadied her
srm and hand frequently. She was
,,Nly excited. She lodged lightly
,hont in her stubby rubber soled OK
Sords,; she took their bantering good :
tnmoredly, only, her heightened color
showed that she was conscious of the
silent snubbing Of the bridge players.
Whrn the rcfreshment trays were
rbppled in, the men escorted the un-
relcome visitor to the sha1owy window
,sat where she let them feed her
sImonds, The five Of them kicked their
Seels' IN a row and sang an absurd
sonv about the beauty of "foo- 90 God
,hnt had endless verses.
The hostess was very solicitous ABOUT
her unexpected guests.
n. rTakc Mrs. Dcrring-l mtGn Dear
borR-.dld get the name right !--more
nlad, Tina. 49,,
Miss Haswell shot a surprised glance
at the snubbed person on the window
seat, accepted wireless and shrugged
She'd known Marsery too lonG, to inter
fere with any game she wanted to start
And she knew perfectly well that th'
,gently crushed manner with which TINT
Young woman bade' her hostess good :
night was entirely for the hencilt o
the host. Nothing loath, Miss Has
well kept the ball rolling.
"ScmebOGy's got to crank Margery
car The self starter is self stopped
that's how l happened to run Into he'
out here"
i IN four men volunteered. but it was
Charles who struggled with the rusty
handle.
Nothing mch the matter" he yelled
abaye the chugging Of the other cars
"Thnk know what ails it. I'll rur
over in the morning and give 1t
lOok--See."
lie forgot to say good night to the
Others until lis wife reminded him.
lie smoked careful cigarette il
the driveway before he faced the music
BERTHA was adjusting the dog = leash.
"Cunnin' hasn't had his run today
Nas so busy. Will you give him just
one turn"
Charles took the leash quietly
enough.
II think" she remarked with studied
courtesy. "that I'll 60 in town will
.you on the $40. / want to sec about
new slip covers for the library
I'm not going on the early train.
He had the grace to redden.
Then III 30 on whatever train you
do" She eyed him firmly. Il only
suggested that train because the Sher-
mans 60 on that, and as we're going Il
dinner and theatre with them we could
make the arrangements on the way in.
lie answered not at all.
III you're thinking about that wo-
mans old car she famed out sudden
~, why, III telephone for a garage
man. 1t would be cheaper In the enc
than running your decent Clothes
Still he did not answer. But hi
Harted out toward the DearbornB' end
OF the street. He rGtraced his steps
meekly when she suggested the Other
direction.
Don t 20 down in all that shrub
nnery and weeds. Keep out in the open
don't want Cunnln' just chcwcd with
mosquitoes"
ne walked the other way, came back
smoking another cigarette, waited untl
Dertha mad carried her pet upstairs and
yaen resoi "ly took up the telephone
pertha, listening on the stair landing
ton. f''
A. sorry | cant patch up your car in
m mc morning. I'll 30 at it the first thin(
tnuiSdaE. Oh, please don't. He's a very
,aeTcient workman. III be glad to dC
=. Know exactly what's the matter
iou were! DO forgive me. What a clea,
.uAscienCe-to be able to tumble to sleeT
"9u!ckly as that! Pleasant dreams. ;
ne was at the door Of her garag'
HtInE before on Thursday. She wa
InAerhs with the car herself. her eye
saIning, her cheeks pink. She laughingl,
SaSs'ed Som that he was just to show Ire
hs deliberately lifted her to tn,
''VaG am shelf that ran alongside the wall
NJ, met out of my way. You bottle
~ he told her with mock grufness
tTn u bother me about half enough" "
rhney 6reakfastcd under the crap
anSi ySOi while n wide eyed maid ran bacl
una ar forth three times for more ham nm,
TfsS, She confessed that she adorec
" aroma OF an after breakfast cigar
lOan s launched into an animated mono
ue concerning his trade. He foun
ysns Sel telling her about his one ad
,msiure his journey to tobacco CROWN
To",s.h s' tie walked away from her with
brtni brsraS swagger; there was an air q
hs auo %o anout the very angle at whic
Nv wore his hat. He forgot to stop a
OFesaktasted. " '"'' "' IL"