The St. Charles herald., 1922-03-18
The Younger
Set
By JANE OSBORN


Gosh J" said Mrs. Gleason, puSnlng
her small feet painfully into smaller
dancing slippers. Excuse me, Tom.
for saying gosh but honestly I'd
rather scrub floors than to 60 to that
dance"
Tom Gleason looked sympathetically
from his post before the chiffonier.
where he was struggling with the
studs of his evening shirt. Il suppose
we've got to CO."
"Oh, l suppose So" said the young
wife, now carefully brushing the col
lar of Toms evening coat as 1t lay on
the bed. "Housework and the twins
are nothing to compare with what l
have to undergo for that younger set
/ promised to chaperone them. Grace
Hayes will meet us at the clubhouse
and will be back for the night. Your
brother, l suppose, will be there and
he'll want another spare room.
thought once we'd pull OF q match
with him"
''Them," echoed Tom sneeringly.
They're just like the rest of the
younger set. Crazy for excitement
they'll never settle down and have
real happiness the way we did. Young
people are different nowadays" Tom
was all Of Ave years older than his
brother James, and Mrs. Gleason was
two years older than Grace Hayes,
yet these two felt the advantage Of
many, many years.
So the Gleasons. clad In their best,
went to the dance at the Country club.
leaving the slumbering twins in the
custodlanship Of the maid Of all work.
who also slumbered In her room on
the third floor.
An hour later Jim Gleason tried the
front door Of the Gleason suburban
home, found 1t locked and made an
unceremonious entrance through a
partly open front window. He took
Off his hat and coat and then his shoes,
rummaged for and found a pair Of
clippers and smoking jacket Of his
brothers In u downstairs hall closet.
A foraging expedition in the kitchen
resulted In some crullers Of his sister
in-law's baking and some apples.
These he laid on the table beside the
easy chair In front of the fireplace.
He filed his pipe with his brothers
tobacco, poked the embers, threw on
u fresh log and sat down to enjoy all
the comforts Of home that was not
his own.
lx o. kn alma fNP
an hour. At 1880 he heard knock
at the front door and opened 1t to see
Grace Hayes. In day clothes with an
overnight bag In her hand.
~ thought you'd be at the dance"
she said with some hauteur end some
apology.
"No." drawled James, assisting
Grace on with her wraps and seating
her In a second easy chair beside the
flre.. II can't stand the pace. said
might come. but 1t was only for an
excuse to spend the night here. How
these married people want to CAD
about as they do can't see. With a
home like this-have cruller and an
apple" he interrupted, pointing to the
outlay on the, table. Gee. II ! had
4 little house lilse this and wife. be-
lieve me I'd stay at homel But then
we're sifferent. Since the war fel-
lows have known how to appreciate
q home. But that ol6er married set
all they think Of Is experimentation
ding and jazz and AIN that sort Of
thing"
Grace looked wistfully into the fire.
VI know" she said. "Girls are differ
ent now. They are more Serious"
There was long and rather painful
pause. Then James Gleason bent to-
ward Grace. who was sitting up
straight In her chair. "Grace. won't
you marry met"
.sNo,. Grace said. still very wistfui,
and she nodded her head slowly and
looked into the fire. Il think wonld
marry you IL l married any one. Jim
INV, but I'm afraid OF marriage. 1t
seems to change people so. I'm afraid
that once l was married I'd be like
your sister-in-law. And you might
change about and be as mad about
dancing and excitement as Tom. I'd
rather go on dreaming about home
than TO have home of my own and
not appreciate It"
1t was James turn to look wistfuiiy
IN the fire and shake his head sadly
He had been pleasantly surprised t.
hear Grace say that she would MARI,
him IL she married any one. That was
something of comfort.
~ get your point OF view. Grace
he said. ut would be frightful to find
yourself in home like this, for In
stance, and not appreciate Il. or to bs
married to the girl you loved and find
her unwilling to stay home for Quiei
evening. I'd be sorry for Tom. only
think he Il as far gone as Mabel An
other PAUSE ensued. sCouldnt we gel
engaged and see how. that affected usf'
ssThat would be trial engagement.
Grace looked little checked. NO
Jimmy, I never intend to be engaged
except to the man marry. When
do get engaged want to be marriet
very. very soon. You know, TAXI
those things so seriously: think al
he girls IN our set do, They are >.
different from the older girls IKE Ma
bel"