Evening star., 1922-07-04
The Wife Who Wouldn't
Settle Down!
By Lucille Yam SIyke.
A Seaucl to ssBrides Will Be Brides

stay every minute with your family
when we could have such bully
holiday. Please. Johnsy! You always
said you loved fishing; think what
fun We could have with jolly crown
like Kinks"
John didn't answer her. He couidh l.
He was too hurt.
Merriam didn't understand in the
least what siege of homes ckkne
her big blonde boy of husband han
been enduring throughout a dlfhcut
year in business Sfe didn't know
old confab with his droll-speaklng
old dad. that he literally dreamed
of leaning against kitchen WihdoW
sill to watch his placid mother Try
douShnuts. while his two older SIS
ters washed breakfast dishes and his
younges, sister dashed gayly around
the dining room with carpet
sweeper She didn't understand that
when her John talked about fishing
he didn't think of any smart Adlron-
dack camp. he thought OF drifting
about in a leaky. flat-bottomed. old
skiff in muddy little Fairy lake. three
miles beyond his home town. Ana
she couldn't possibly know how much
, he had missed these homely sorts OF
things during the years they had
been living in suburban New York.
She sat pouting. feeling that she
.
cause she had been forced to take
, this uncomfortable journey. The
half wakcned twins were fretful.
Smudgy from travel. they did not
look their usual attractive little
selves a miserable family. they
, descended to wait on junction plat
! form for the dusty local train. Long
! before it had arrived they were all
i distinctly snappish-even Ragsy, the
/ Cairn terrier, who was irritable from
a day in baggage cars.
"Oh, cheer up John admonished
! them all, before you know it We'll
be with Grandpa and Grandma-and
Aunt Elsie and Aunty Rose and Aunt
Gertrude will have big glasses of
fresh milk and big. round. scalloped
{ molasses cookies for US"
Merriam pulled her travelling cape
about her dsdainfully.
Much too late TO eat cookies She
announced.
Blu, us wants cookies" Ricky
I, walled.
Cookies. Cookies echoed Dicky
with the pe;ulance that every baoy
feels so many hours after bedtime.
They descended from the local train
! into a drizzle of rain. They had no
| umbrellas and there were no fond
! grandparents waiting. Only a feW
! battered fiivvers. all of which seemed
! to be engaged. John finally got a
decrepit one. into which he wedged
, the fretful babies. their su!king little
mother. the restless dog and the lug
gage.
! The driver let them out before a
! house that was dark save for dimly
/ lighted hall. 1t was only because the
] key was under the kitchen doormat
| that John could let them all in.
Chin up. Merriam marched defantly
| into the sitting room. She was in
one of her "ha ating-everything- and
| everybody" moods.
where's that dear. old welcome
home button you were going to
push" she asked insolently.
The disgruntled young man glanced
| out into the street. The corner light
shone on an empty space between the
| two churches. The rickety, old arch
was quite gone.
81 wants to go home." walled Rtcky
burying her face in her mothers
| skirts.
"And wants to go home" echoed
! Dicky.
"Oh. Oh" cried Merriam in sudden
| panic. Tets get out of this horrible
| place quick. Let's go to Kinks camp
| twins and all. He'd be glad to have
us. and your family don't care enough
about US to stay home to welcome US
Do let's co.