The Glenwood post., 1924-04-17

WHICH, ne KNEW uUIulu4 WudtStSA
about. He thought of Miss Rickson-
what If some morning she should
bring In his letters. and say, "There,
DEAR with that good little way of
dipping her head and turning 1t side
wise without turning her eyes.
They considered the theater and
gave up going. They considered tele-
phoning for somebody to come in and
make up table and gave that up, too.
Clauson built fire and smoked and
Jep read aloud. Then they sat talk
ing. Once they disagreed on the
ethics of bit of gossip and had
a spirited ten minutes. He didn't
quite like Jep when she argued.
When they sat silent Clauson thought
Joining Exactly" to all his opinions.
He suddenly imagined her saying
EXACTLY, dear; imagined her sitting
here beside him; caught the zest, the
laughter. the thrill which talk with
her could conceivably hold :.
Obediently on that he halted his medi-
tations.
4C IOOhCu al CCPs NSp
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 a surprise, not
even a variation. She was Jep for
ever.
At nine Clauson rose and wound
+H0 o1o chs ,ycr1o1 that
he must have 1t regulated.
1--WE heard you say that oceans of
times, dear" Jep remarked-also as
usual.
Dear" again. What continual
farce! And he wished she wouldn't
always say oceans" What a rotten
go everything was. How had he got
himself into this miserable little jail
of life, full of clocks and keys and
kettles. What did any confounded
thing matter? No wonder everybody
was tired of everybody else.
He faced about and said abruptly !:
"I'm going out for little while, Jep."
"Well, where on earth are you go
ing?" she inevitably asked.
"To take turn around block or
two. I'm seedy. I'm seedyi" said
he, and went.
Ten minutes later he was back and
at the look in his face Jep said !:
"Why. darlingi Is anything the
matterY'
'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-Jap
always did that. He had seen her do
1t innumerable times over nothing.
'Yes, pulled down." he repeated
sharply. "well all have to get out
by fall. Dibble heard 1t pretty
straight. Says he's got his eye on a
fiat and he's going to get ont 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 addition7 II
we only could-let's look tomorrow,
dearest, and If we can get one, let's
move now"
"But don't want to move at ALL
said Clauson bitterly. II like this
place. I'm used to 1t. What right
has he got to turn us out?"
II saw one Of them last week." Jep
went on absorbedly. Darling little
cupboards and such oceans of closets
"1 don't want to move at ALL" Clau.
son repeated doggedly; "I'm 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 darlingr Jep was be
ginning. A thousand times had he
seen her settle down with the same
| gentle evaporation to an argument
"Tm 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.
Accomplishments broken. big con.
tract lost and Miss Rickson at home
i'll. When he picked up Jep waiting
on a corner Clauson was In no mood
to like house on a street Of pearl
Yes, the bungalows were undeni.
ably nice Jep was In ecstasies "See
darling. Oceans Of pantries." She
put, he thought distastefully, white
tiling and an outside door for the ice
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. can't smoke unless
there's cornerstI tell you Jep. don't
want to move"
They went home in the rain and ali
the way there Jep was absorbedly-
and aloud-imagining furniture Into
that bungalow. ClausOn sat silent
Il