South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-05-01

With swift. practiced movements
Dicky stripped the wet clothing
from Junior-of course, man
fashion, leaving the soaked gar
ments in a heap on the floor-and
went into his bedroom.
Ny little chap was so adorable as
he stood roguishly smiling up at me.
his face and body all rosy, his curls
wet and rumpled, that ] forgot my
gown. and gave him a hearty hug
even as / began rubbing him vigor-
ously with the bath towel I had
brought while Dicky was stripping
him.
Let me do that" Lillian said,
taking the towel from me, "whils
you get his clothing
h 1 obeyed her sensible suggestion.
and had no sooner laid pumps.
socks. underwear and romper on
the chair beside her than Dicky's
voice sounded from the next room
in the imperative. querulous demand
had feared:
"Madge. Where are those gray
trousers? Have you been disturb
ing my things? Yes. sir, you have.
Well. by the left ear of Adams off
OK. if this isn't the holy outside
limit. Say. come across with those
pants. pronto. What the dickens
did you do with them"
I shot a dismayed though laugh
frg glance at Lillian, for I knew her
quick comprehension would see the
connection between my announce
ment to her that I had been rack
ing for the journey home. and this
disappearance Of part of Dicky's
wardrobe. And I saw an answer
ing smile on her face as I made
evasve answer 20 Dicky's demand.
why don't YOU put on your
knickerbockers? -
Because they're in no shape 10
wear after last nights crawling un
der barbed-wire fences and over
stones"
"I don't mean that pair"
"You know 7 wouldn't wear those
10 a dog fight. Tailor made 'em
about a mile too big. Look here.
what arc you trying 20 do. stall
about those gray trousers? What
have you done with 'em. traded 'em
for a teakettle 10 the tin peddler?'
There was a rising note Of irrita
ton in Dicky's voice which I rec
ognized. But I dreaded telling him
the truth. Not that 7 minded un-
doing the package into which I had
packed them. but I knew that fas-
tidious Dicky would not wear the
trousers after being thus rumpled.
lillian struck into the converse
ton. giving me time 20 think.
you grossly overestimate the
purchasing power OF pants in these
later days dear boy" she called
Even if there were a tin peddler
left in the world. which ] doubt
YOU would get no teakettle for the
niftiest trousers in all the land A
coffee-strainer, perhaps. or a pairing
knife. or even saucepan. If YOU
threw in a necktie. but a teakettle,
II is 10 taught"
1T is 20 murder" Dicky growled
cas- you two idiots viii find out in
about two seconds more Here,
What's this Well, I'll be
What he would be. though I well
knew the familiar ending OF his
sentence. was lost in the furious
tearing Of paper knew that
Dicky had discovered one Of my
parcel-post packages which I had
putt had hought-beyond dis
covery behind some books on the
to2most shelf in Dicky's room.
waited nervously for the explosion
knew was coming.
"I miCht have known you'd begun
your usual Internal packing stunt
To my surprise Dicky's voice was
only mildly querulous and I decided
that by some miraculous streak OF
luck the gray trousers were not so
rumpled but what they could be
worn. I signalled my belief 70 LII
Ian and she rose. her eyes giving
me a mischievous answering signal
This is no place either for an
innocent chee-ild, a loving wife nor
a faithful friend" she said. Come