The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1923-12-07
obedlentiy on that he halted his medi-

LdIlOnA
He looked thoughtfully at Jep. Jep
was responsive; she had humor; she
could be amusing. But he was so
used to her Her hands, that gesture
to her hair, her absent look, her little
crooked yawns. Not surprise, not
even a variation. She was Jep for
ever.
AT nine Clauson rose and wound
the clock and observed as usual that
he must have 1t regulated.
'Tve heard you say that oceans OF
times. DEAR" Jep remarked-also as
usual.
Dear" again. What continual
farcel And he wished she wouldn't
always say oceans" What rotten
20 everything was. How had he got
himself into this miserable little Jail
of life, full Of clocks and keys and
kettles. What did any COMPOUNDED
thing matter7 No wonder everybody
was tired of everybody else.
He faced about and said abruptly:
"rm going out for little while, Jep."
"well, where on earth are you go
mgr" she inevitably asked.
ITO take a turn around block or
two. I'm seedy. I'm seedyP said
he, and went.
Ten minutes later he was back and
at the look In his face Jep said:
"Why, darlingi Is anything the
matterT
'T wish you wouldn't call me 'dar-
ling when you don't mean It," he
burst out, and added: II beg your
pardon. Yes, something is the matter.
I met Dibble down in the office. He
gave me the tip that this building Is
to be pulled down."
pulled DOWN. she repeated, and
he wished irritably that she would not
let herself look so surprised-Jep
always did that. He had seen her do
1t innumerable times over nothing.
Eyes, pulled down." he repeated
sharply. "well all have to get out
by fall. Dlbble heard 1t pretty
straight. Says he's got his eve on
fiat and he's going to get out of here
now and sublet till his lease runs out.
Arthur" said Jep absorbedly, "do
you think we could get one of those
bungalows in the new addltion7 II
we only could-let's look tomorrow,
dearest, and II we can get one, let's
move now"
"But I don't want to move at all"
said Clauson bitterly. 81 like this
place. I'm used to 1t. What right
has he got to turn us Outr
"I saw one Of them last week." Jep
went on absorbedIy. Darling little
cupboerds and such oceans of closets"
II don't want to move at ALL" Clau-
son repeated doggedly; "Im used to
this place :" His eye rested on
the deep fireplace that never smoked,
on the familiar brown tile, on the
shelves that could be reached from
his chair.
"Well, but darlingl" Jep was be-
ginning. thousand times had he
seen her settle down with the same
gentle evaporation to an argument.
I'm going to bed" said Clauson;
and went.
Next day they drove out to look at
the bungalows in the new addition.
1t had been terrible day at the of
Accompaniment broken. big con-
tract lost and Miss Rlckson at home
Ill. When he picked up Jep waiting
on corner Clauson was In no mood
to like house on street of pearl.
Yes, the bungalows were undeni-
MI In. oil
darling Oceans of pantries." She
put, he thought dstastefully, white
filing and an outside door for the lee
man above every wifely consideration.
But even he was forced to admire the
closet-room, the loaded windows, the
compact kitchen.
mo corners. though" he growled.
mo corners. l can't smoke unless
there's corners-I tell you Jep, don't
want to move"
They went home In the rain and all
the way there Jep was absorbedly-
and aloud--imaglning furniture into
that bungalow Clauson sat silent,
hunched at the wheel. He was think
Ing how frightfully used he was to
Jep's enthusiasms.
Miss Rlckson," he thought "now'd
be so different So still and-and
considerate Thinking of mans
comfort instead of the closets" And
now for the first time he let himself
think of her without reproach.
While he was hanging up his coat,
Jep called to him from her room:
Darling" she said, "when we came
in the house just now did l kiss your"
"Why, yes. l think So" said Clau-
son. "whyf"
"Oh. nothing. I didn't think I'd for
gotten she answered 81 never mean
to forget"
Clauson thought: Good heavens,
have we come to this9'
When he Joined her she was bend
Ing over the living-room table, all
heaped up again with whatever II was
and she was saying absorbedly that
these looked just as notify as the
others did. He wondered discomfort
eddy II any other woman on earth
found moths in everything, the way
Jep did.
"Pll bet you'll find moths in the
new bungalow" he told her. "Pll bet
you'll find moths In paradise :"
Through dinner she talked of the
new bungalow, and Clauson, going in
by the fire, groaned He filled his
pipe and thought about the fireplace
which drew SO we'll and the ole brown