Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1923-12-21
Wore Her Red
Earrings
By GERTRUDE CUSHING

w. AsES' Dy mcclure newspaper oShu'SaNe~'
Il think it's just narrow and old
fashioned and selfish; yes, selfish"
Anybody who knew Aleta Upton
could have told you that when she
cooked her small and very pretty head
in the particular way which she did
at this minute, 1t was a danger signal.
Her husband, pretending to read his
paper at the other side Of the coy
breakfast table, was aware Of 1t. But
there are times when a man must as
sert himself; when to retract is to
acknowledge a mistake, and he was in
no mood to do that.
you can call 1t what you like, but
1t doesn't alter my opinion. Waldo
Hatch's wife or Sam Fiske's may do
what they like, but most particularly
object to seeing my wife going about
the city decked out like an Indian
idol. Besides, they make you look
anywhere from FIVE to ten years
older"
With which poisoned shaft Ralph
Upton chose to consider the subject
closed and with an air of superiority
he was far from feeling, he bent over
Aleta's chair for the customary salute
before leaving for his Office.
Aleta lifted a nonchalant cheek.
by, Cutest," he said, airily.
"God-by," responded Aleta, coolly.
A telephone call from May Hatch
caught her while the defiant mood still
held sway, and she gave ready re-
Spouse to the invitation 1t brought-an
all-day jaunt in Mays luxurious
limousine with three other women all
in holiday mood and with bulging
pocketbooks whose fastenings were
never long closed At another time
Aleta might have hesitated, in re-
membrance of Ralph's expressed dis
approval of these too up-to-date
young matrons. But not today.
PUT on your mlllion-dollar look, AL
eta" May said. land leave your check
book at home. This is on Waldo. It's |
my natal day. The day we celebrate"
After few moments of laughing |
argument, Aleta agreed to make one
of the party, and in a state of excite
ment which borrowed something from
the disagreement at breakfast, began
her toilette.
Evidently from Mays admonition |
they were to lunch where their ap- |
pearance would be calculated to make |
an impression and Aleta's mind was
soon given over to question of hats,
shoes, etc. She selected a dark blue
crepe de chine gown, modlsh and
chic.
OF course, her fur coat, an excel
lent black muskrat, would be neces-
sary, as the weather was sharp, and
she finally decided on a close gray
feather turban, which set coquettish-
ly on her dark, carefully marcelled
hair; a pair Of gray suede shoes, late
ly acquired and Every snappy," Lou
Fiske had told her; and then she
stood, hesltant and rebellious, facing
the subject which had wrecked
Ralph's and her peace of mind, not
only that morning, but on several
other occasions.
Ralph Upton had a deep-rooted ha-
tired for the present fashion of ear
rings. Aleta was crazy about them, as
were most of her women friends. and
liked herself in them. She had
squandered a reckless part of her al
lowance on them. To avoid friction
she had been wearing them on the sly.
That is, she put them on after Ralph
had gone to the office, and was care
full to get them into her Jewel case
before his return.
Her latest acquisition had been a
pair of antique corals, very long and
conspicuous in design, and the argu-
ment at breakfast had been caused by
the remark Of man on the street to
Ralph, which incensed that young man
to the point of czarism.
when 1t comes to my wife dressing
In a way that makes a man compare
her to a famous public character, /
draw the line. forbid you to wear
those relics Of barbarism outside the
street door" Thus had the husband |
spoken
What did he actually say, dear?" |
cooed Aleta.
He said he saw my wife in a pair |
OF red earrings that must have set
me back a months income and that
when he first caught sight of you he
thought 1t was Rita Farondelli the
movie star; hang him"
He might have said something
much worse than that" murmured
Aleta, secretly fiattered.
Luckily he didn't" growled Ralph.
And the conversation had ended with
Aleta's chilly good-by.
Should she assert her independence
and dress as she knew the others of
the party would2 Or should she yield
wifely obedience and leave the trinkets
In their velvet case2
Her indecision ended in her nlpping
on her pretty ears the innocent and
offending corals. Ralph would never
know, and far better wear them than
explain to four high-spirited women
the cause of her first appearance in
weeks without them, she argued. And.
of course, the last thing In the world
that Aleta could be expected to know
was that May Hatch's plan included
lunch at the Bancroft where only four
tables away would be seated her
Ralph, summoned there by a prospec-
tive customer
But that was what happened.
May Hatch, effusive and jolly, anil
Lou Fiske, studiously vampish, bee
oned him to their table. Aleta won.
dered If she could sneak the "red ca
rings" In her handhap hafora no S,,.
them. But Ralph's courteous bow.