San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-08-24
The Making Of
a Husband
A nm Lisle' s N e 10
Phase of Jim and
Anne's Marital
Adventure
BY ANN Isle
Chapter 46.
BY ANN Isle

up from the collection of Sunday
papers with which he had surrounded
himself and cluttered the big couch
in the living room of The Birches.
II guess we could do with an extra
log on the fire. Any up here?"
I'VE put the last big log on after
breakfast" / said. And that was
almost noon and this is almost dark.
That doesn't mean much elapsed time
though, for these are the shortest
days of the year."
And it will be the last day of my
life If / don't warm up" chucklcd
Jim. "Me for the cellar to see how
the log supply is holding out. And
if there's nothing big enough to roast
an OF, don't be surprised il you hear
me outside presently chopping down
a couple of trees"
go to it and 60 do it, Samson" ]
laughed.
AS Jim swung out of the room
after stopping en- route to give me
pat on the hair and kiss on the
forehead, i Struggled down in my big
chair and gave thanks for the cold,
the family driving snow, the beauty
and peace of our home life and the
warmth of my heart even though the
day was cold. There was n sudden
pull ut the rusty old door bell which
pealed through the house in unac'
customed grandeur as IL it were aston
ished at its ability to sound so loud.
Callers" i told myself in dis
may. Now who can be coming to
see us and ringing the front door,"
In little furry of excitement i
got up, smoothed down the folds of
the brocaded tea-gown / was wearing
and started slowly toward the door.
The informality of my costume didn't
disturb me, since I've seen the hos
tess at a five o'clock tea similarly
. dressed.
= But l was not sure that a Zeke
ASchmidt or a caller of similar social
Experience would know what to make
Of me.
A SECOND peal of the bell made me
hurry. Nand l flung open the front
door to admit Nicholas Perry, dressed
in tweetls, his usual mackinaw of rich
blue and green plaid and thick golf
stockings and heavy brogans. His
gigantic figure lowered above me and
his whole manner had a formality
which would have gone better with
a cut-away coat than with his golf
Knockers.
Hello, I've come to call~ doomed
Nicholas Perry with n chuckle OF
amusement at his own formality.
Come TO call on the misses and the
massa and the house and everyone in
it--formal. ncighbor business. Al
most got Mrs. Cruikshank to get my
afternoon coat and striped trousers
out of ten years Of camphor. Then
i thought how much she'd have to
let out to get me into 'em. and de-
cided I'd honored you enough by the
mere thought of all that society bust
ness"
Mr.. Perry was stripping off his
mackinaw as he spoke, shaking the
snow, out Of it, and drying his red
beard with his big artistic hand. And
now he put his hand under my arm
and piloted me back into the living
room which he had for SO many years
known better than we who dwell in
the house, built by BERTHE Lingard
for the poor Lisa" who did not live
90 fulfill her romance. ! thought of
this as Mr.. Perry exclaimed:
Don't tell me forgOt-no / dida't
its in my mackinaw pocket. I'll
get it. Told you last time there was
TOO much yellow in this room"
Our visitor whirled out into the
hall and returned with n big flat
package under his arm and bulky
round roll in the other. He flung
down his packages and began dragging
covers from bookshelyes, mantel and
tables.
what are you up to-" / demanded.
1--WE batiked some silk green and
brown, and bronze and blue for you, !"
he explained at last. "I've painted
some crash in greens and blues. And
I've done you a couple Of little can.
vases. When you throw blue or
bronze silk squares over the lamp
shades and make n few heavy brown
pillows with bronze cords, you'll be
rid of the yellow glare Lingard got
Into this room-to make it look sunny
for Lisa, suppose"
Mr.. Perry was in the midst of his
Amazing labor of love" when Jim
came staggering into the room under
the burden of two heavy logs which
ne was with difficulty carrying,
There were smudges of black across
Jims face and his suit was dusty
and strcaked from his work in the
cellar. To see him struggling with
a few young tree trunks while the
gigantic Mr.. Perry was mincing
around with bits of colored silk and
crash was funny. l held back q
laugh with difficulty, and waited for
Jim to get rid of his burden before
performing the necessary introduc'
ton.
It hadn't occurred to me that Mr.
Perry was so absorbed in his color
scheme that he had not observed
Jim's entrance. But knew this
was the case when he burst out with
an eager:
IL knew I'd get the right colors
for this place If i just concentrated
on il for week or so. Now. you re
going to have the right sort of home
lady. This is the setting for you. y
He drew back pace and pulled
something out Of his bullying coat
pocket. With the gesture of a mas.
ter Snowman. he unfurled n magnifi-
cenL square against whose background
Of bronze and green exotic flowers OF
rose and blue and fuchsia red were
done in rich bAtik.
Jim dropped the logs with thud
He strobe forward with an acccntua-
ton Of his limp. And in his uglicst
voice he said:
"How is il you can get your work
men TO come on Sundays. Amer"
Now what am ] TO do?" | thought
But Nicholas Perry. nmiably grin