The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1921-01-01

~ looked across the feStively
\ decorated restaurant table
eA at her husband, who was
&t&/ consuming fndifferently hi:
S& frozen, nut-sprinkled des
GSN sert.
~ He certainly was not grow
ing any younger, while she-well, only
Eleanor herself knew the exact mum
her of gray hairs in her carefully ar.
ranged couture and realized the un.
eoual battle being waged between the
cold cream of her masseuse and the
,nsidious crows wrinkles at the cor
ners of her dark-fringed eyes.
"Do you know, Fred, this doesn't
interest me q bit?" she said, with G
casual glance at the gay scene about
her. "Other years l have enjoyed
# well enough, but tonight, some
how, it seems-stale."
II suppose" returned her hus-
band, placidly, shat the people who
get the most fun out of this sort Of
thing after all, are those who come
here from the backwoods where they
douse the kerosene lamp at p. m.
and light It again when the ROSTERS
crow. The rest Of us are used to It,"
BY making reservations long in ad-
vance the Richardson's had been able
to secure q place in the most desir-
able location in the dining room
not too near the palm-embowered
orchestra loudly dispensing jazz, not
toa far from the tinsel-draped stage,
where ut the moment were twisting
and gesticulating Hawaiian beauties
in very tropical costumes, which
seemed absurdly inappropriate con-
sidering that 1t was New Years eve.
Elecnor cupped her chin in white,
extensively ringed hands. perhaps
It is the reaction from the season or
perhaps I'm merely bored, but l feel
out of sorts. AS l look back on our
ten years of married life they seem
happy enough, and yet to look for
ward in the future to the same sort
Of ten years doesn't seem worth
while"
Fred Richardson looked at her in
surprise. Retrospection had never
been one of Eleanor's habits. "Whats
the matter, old girl" he asked with
unusual solicitude. "Shall we leave
this joint and go the rounds? There
won't ne much in the way Of excite
nent anywhere until midnight"
But tell you, Fred, I'm not look
ing for excitement tonight" exclaimed
Eleanor impatiently; strange as 1t
may seem. For one thing. I'm worried
as to whether I've done the right thing
BY Beth. You know that Jim Goddard
has been wild about her for some time,
and wants to marry her offhand on his
ndiculously small salary. OF course
Beth, after living with me all these
years, asked my advice, and l en-
phatically advised against 1t. Told her
70 wait until they had laid by enough
70 put them beyond the chance Of
worry"
well, that was sensible enough ad-
vice nowadays, guess" acquiesced
her husband, good-naturedly, Ticking
the ashes from his cigar.
Eleanor looked at him keenly. Time
was when he would Have spurned such |
counsel as savOring Of too worldly q
wisdom. Ten years of money-making |
In the big city had wrought their |
changes In him, too. She sighed.
Then: "Oh, WELL" she exclaimed,
snrugging her shoulders; Il should
worry about that now. Jim was to
get bis sanswer this evening, and I
imagine BY now Beth has turned him
down quite definitely"
At that moment shower Of con-
ietd and colored streamers shot from
me balconies and mezzanine. turning
me Interior Of the restaurant into a
serlfable rainbow-tinted blizzard, de-
scending In confusion on the bril-.
nantly dressed women and their COM
panions seated below.
Eleanor rose, drawing on her long
white gloves. Lets go home, Fred"
sne said. Moved by one of the many
Gao impulses which had been stir
ring within her, she tucked Into her
ause muff the evening favor-a frail
papler mache representation Of old
fstner Time bearing In his arms
very pink, very Impressed baby, pre-
.umaDly significant of the old year
onnging In the new.
As Eleanor and her husband ap-
Woached their car, a moderately
pnceo sedan waiting On quieter
.ue street, Fred thought with Salts
action of the neat little sum in the
Nsk, now almost sufficient for the
s1cnase Of a very late very COM
Lev equipped, high-powered model.
Aesolving also to acquire chauf-
ne opened the door for his wife :
skirts held high to avoid the :
mpled slush, stepped m. At the
instant. "Fredl" she cried in
IS