Evening star., 1922-05-18
The Wife Who Wouldn't
Settle Down!
A Sequel to Brides Will Be Brides"
By Lucille Van Slyke.

, husband behind her. "how downright
stupid of me not to have guessed.
Just think, 1 didn't at all realize
that Miss Allerton was related to
, anybody / knew, for, of course, no
body would think that Mr.. AlIerton
was old enough to be her father.
Before which bald fiattery Mr.. AL
lerton still further expanded. Never
before had his daughters guests
found that sentleman-tn SO amiable
holding the diminutive Merriam at
arms length. What did I tell you?
Shaperon. CHI sTo inased- sss ..er,os He . ", wiped d
Colossal si sys' Joke a what we si1msd a to sag h~
that you girls better get your
partners engaged for the dance" He
led the men of the party to the
| library, still chuckling. while the
girls chartered their way upstairs.
giles, faint hint of cigarette smoke.
mingled with perfumes and powders.
| floated down the stairway. But
/ neither he nor the men who waited
! with him were prepared for the
vision of loveliness that burst upon
| them when the women folk swept
| into the room.
/! For Merriam, who had started out
! at noon to do her marketing in her
| shabby old suit, had entered joyously
into the unexpected party with never
hhelp. But she wouldn't have been hu-
man II sheshadn't risen to Trixie's dif-
| fldent suggestion that she might find
that suit overwarm for dancing.
Nothing Of Trixie's htted her It
| the rescue. That lady's daughter
started with bewilderment at the
| lovely bit of fnery that appeared
from the cedar closet on the hall
landing.
dear" Mrs. Allerton said as she put
the frock and slippers on Trixie's bed.
Il had It for fancy dress party.
she half apologlzed. half boasted,
long before this young person ar
across her Trixie's shoulders. "It was
a st. Patrick's day party and your
| father liked green and" she
| laughed softly as she fastened the
bodice. II think there's slippers to
match In the bottom Of the box" She
curl that she insisted on twisting
/ over Merry's white shoulder.
Sure, don't feel myself at all, at
| all" Merry laughed tremulously. u
think maybe my names Meggy in
Stead Oh oi Merry. or perhaps I'm a Mrs
She curtsfed her = thanks for the
Ipretty things they all said to her
her eyes demurely downcast. but she
held out her arms to her John the
! moment that Hal Blaisdell snapned
the needle down upon ths first phono-
graph record.
4 we won't know the new steps
Johhsy, SID sighed. .but we can keep
going. Johnsy. isn't It heavenly to be
| dancing again?"
He did not answer her. For his heart
was troubled. Something he had been
dreAding, vaguely for long time had
1 happened Richard Slocum had come
tback. Through the 1anguid, dreaming
+! years In which her babies had been
tiny, Merriam had been all Johns,
demure and sweet, with only faint
hints OF the spirited vivid girl that
she had been. Was II Just coincidence
that on this spring lay there was a
sparkle IN her brown ayes, joyous
Tilt in her yoiceg
He glanced at Slocum. smoking
quietly on wide leather sofa beside
their host. He caught Merry to him
30 closely that she gave q little cry
and slipped out OF his arms.
DON'T" she laughed. Besides. Tn
going to dance with"-she waltxed
toward the Aofa--,John took an irri-
petaous s$er after her-sour nice Mr.
trssszasAs 1sa4,
Nsaflnne4 II So6aagrowA st1xf