The Washington times., 1923-10-06
BY Ann Isle.
Whose Serials of Married Life
Have Won a Big Popular
lcopyright. 1923. King Features
Syndicate. Incl

up to me that ! used
that little mink around
my placer he cried flashing
himself into what he evident
~ deemed righteous rage. "Wen,
I'm off-but I'll say this, the
show has to be a darn sight
poorer than ] expect to make the
rest Of the evening marker
on this part Of it for unpleasant
ness. Good night
sJim! Is that how you say
good night when you're going
off for a pleasant evening and
leaving me?'
Now wimper! That's all /
need. I wonder If you're as cheer.
ful when you're with Ralph?
Well, good night"
Good night" I managed, stiff
ling the retort that Ralph did
nothing to make ME miserable.
For q long time after Jim left
me sitting there alone, cold ana
disappointed because he hadn't
even given me good night kiss.
/ remained immovabIe. After Il
while I. stirred and poured my
self second cup OF coffee.
felt the need OF the stinuiant
and was willing to. risk its keep
ing me awake since hadn't
any idea that I could find soIace
in sleep.
jim and L had touched on big
things. But we had touched them
and had sheered off. And with the
weekend at DreamwoId looking
ahead, / felt a deep and stirring
terror. II Jim and I couldn't
settle our own problems, how
would Virginia settle them for
US?
On the morning after Jim left
me to q lonely evening while
he went to the theater with
Ruth Gregory his manner was
decidedly asgrieveti 4 felt that
he was stealing my thunder. But
iDsteod OF getting peeyish i man
aged to, feel a little amused as
well as hurt. And talked along
about commonplace. After
time Jim responded. 1t was clear
that he hadn't enjoyed our dis
cussion Of the evening before.
I longed to renew that dis
cussion. wanted to try again
to talk things out with Jim. II
we go to Dreamworld for the
weekend without coming to a
better understanding than we
now have. I'm afraid of Vir.
ginia's influence over Jim But
] knew better that to force the
issue. AS Jim didn't want to
talk to me at all. knew he would
refuse to go into the matter of
my work and his outside inter
ests and where we were drift
ing as result Of both.
Jim wished his breakfast cof-
fee hurriedly and got UP to go
without waiting for me to con-
fer with cook and finish my
ordering.
I'm a hurry. dear?' I contrived
to say without show of chagrin.
"II be home early tonight to
greet you. And I'll have such
q good dinner that last nights
fiasco won't count against cook
or me.
"All right. l could do with a
good dinner after a hard days
work." grumbled Jim ungracious-
ly. "See. you later"
"Ad revoir," I said, getting up
to go to the door with him.
But he came over and gave
me hasty kiss on the cheek
which seemed to dismiss me. 1
to let even this 'dampen
my spirits and went out to the
kitchen determined to have
from honeydew melon
to .Gruyere cheese to compose
Jim's ideal of a perfect meal
And feeling that I'd lost nothing
by being made to realize that 1
ever slack on my house
keeping, I hurried down to the
office in sanguine mood which
enabled me to do a fine morn
lng's work.
Charlotte dropped in shortly
after noon and insisted on TAX
ing me to lunch: The old friend
Illness was strongly in evidence
I've felt the strain of
our difference Of opinion about
Neal.zts. But. today :. Carlotta was
the dear. warm-hearted girl while
Jim was away. And her attitude
toward me seemed a good omen.
[ felt that if friends don't drift
apart, husband and wife certainly
needn't let a temporary rift widen
TO a breach.
You look a bit tagged" said
Carlotta over the hors d'oeuVres
which she insisted on ordering.
IT'S a miracle to me how you
IAN run a successful business and
still make a go of being wife"
Maybe I'm not any great