The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1922-12-07
BY IONA GALE
oopyriehi b. D. Appleton = Company


night" Dwight observed to her.
Understanding perfectly that this
was said to tease his wife, Lulu yet
flushed with pleasure. She saw two
women watching, and she thought
They're feeling sorry for Ina-no-
body talking to her" She laughed
at everything that the men said. She
passlonately wanted to talk herself.
"How many folks keep going past"
she said, many times.
At length, having noted the details
of all the clothes in range, Ina's iso-
lation palled upon her and she set
herself to take Ninian's attention.
She therefore talked with him about
himself.
Curious you've never married,
Mn" she said.
Don't say It like that" he begged.
II might yet"
Ina laughed enjoyably. "Yes, you
mightp she met this.
"She wants everybody TO get mar
ried, but she wishes l hadn't"
Dwight threw in with exceeding ran.
cor.
They developed this theme exhaus-
lively, Dwight usually speaking in the
third person and always with his
shoulder turned bit from his wife.
1t was inconceivable, the gusto with
which they proceeded. Ina had as
sumed for the purpose an air distract.
casual, attentive to the scene about
them. But gradually her cheeks be-
gan to burn.
She'll cry" Lulu thought in alarm,
and said at random: Una, that hat is
so pretty-ever so much prettler than
the old one" But Ina said frostily
that she never saw anything the mat
ter with the old one.
LET us talk" sHid Nlnlan low, to
Lulu. "Then they'll simmer down.
He went on, In an undertone, about
nothing in particular. Lulu hardly
heard what he said, 1t was so pleasant
to have him talking to her in this
confidential fashion; and she was
pleasantly aware that his manner was
open to mlslnterpretation.
In the nick Of time the lobster was
served
Dinner and the play-the show; as
Ninian called It, This show was
peter Pam" chosen by Ninlan be-
cause the seats cost the most of those
at any theater. 1txwas almost indie
cent to see how Dwight Herbert, the
immortal soul, had warmed and melt
ed at these contacts. By the time
a NJ
the hotel for supper, such was his
pleasurable excitation that he was
once more playful, teasing, once more
the irrepressible. But now his Ina
was to be won back, made 1t evident
that she was not one lightly to over
look, and a fine firmness sat upon the
little doubling chin.
They discussed the play. Not one
of them had understood the story.
The dog-kennel part-wasn't that the
queerest thing7 Nothing to do with
the rest Of the play.
II was for the pirates. The one
with the hook-he was my style" said
Dwight.
"Well, there It is again." Ina cried.
''They didn't belong to the real play.
either"
"Oh, WE'LL" Ninian said, "they have
TO put in ports, suppose, to catch
everybody. Instead Of a song and
dance. they. do that"
~And l didn't understand" said Ina,
why they all clapped when the prin-
cipal character ran down front and
| said something to the audience that
time. But they all did"
NinIan thought this might have
been out OF compliment. Ina wished
that AfOnona might have seen, con.
fessed that the last part was so pretty
that she herself would not look: and
into Ina's eyes came their lovellest
light.
Lulu sat there, hearing the talk
about the play. "Why couldn't have
said that7" she thought as the others
spoke. All that they said seemed to
her apropos, but che could think of
nothing TO add. The evening had been
TO her a light from heaven--how
could She find anything to sayP She
sat in daze Of happiness, her mind
hardly operative, her look moving
from one to another. At last Nlnian
looked at her.
''Sure you liked It, Miss Luluf"
''Oh, yesi / think they all took
their parts real we'll"
II was not enough. She looked at
them appealingly, knowing that she
had not said enough.
"You could hear everything they
said" she added. ut was" she
dwindled to silence.
Dwight Herbert savored his rarebit
with great show Of long wrinkled
dimples.
sEcxcellent sauces they make here