San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-09-01
The Making Of
a Husband
Hmm Lisle's N e ID
Phase of Jim and
Anne's Marital
Adventure
By ANN Isle
Chapter So.
BY ANN Isle


Christmas tree. 1 looked around the
big brown-walled studio, where holly
and mistletoe turned the room into
place for holiday-making. 1 glanced
at our hosts drawn face. And was
as sure as il he had told me that his
whole Christmas party had been
built for the moment which had not
come.
HE wanted Jeanne here" ]
thought. HE wanted to give her
this little portrait concentrating
their first meeting. He wanted her
to have it-but he wanted to make
the presentation casual, correct, just
part of the general celebration. Now
che isn't here. He doesn't want them
to see her gift. He doesn't want to
face their teasing and jibing. I've
got to save the dag. I've got to hide
Mr.. Perry's reckless boyishness from
JIM"
Again found myself asking my
self:
But how,
Then it came to me that the sim
pie and direct method was best, and
reached out and tweaked Jim's ear,
pulling him back with a jerk as L
said firmly:
Come now, there's been enough
nonsense. Our host will think us
lot of ill-mannered children, more in
quisitive than courteous. This pack
, age you two men are scrapping over
was meant for someone. who isn't
here. You have no more right to
open 1t than you would have to open
a letter addressed to someone else.
Let Mr.. Perry put his two gncalled-
for gifts away, and present them to
the rightful owners when next they
visit him"
"Spoil-sport!- scoffed jim.
But Bert Stratton turned to his
wife with a boyish puzzlemcnt that
made his big, bulky figure seem more
absurdly cherubic than ever.
Am I behaving like a hobble-
dehoy, mother?" he asked.
You arc playing too hard" ad-
monished Ethel Stratton, smiling
largely with show of big firm teeth
that went well with her Amazonian
figure. listen to Mrs. Harrison.
She is giving you good advice. And L
wouldn't call such a little darling a
spoil.sport, If / were you, Mr.. H."
Jim and Mr.. Stratton both took the
good-natured rebuke amiably. And l
thought the incident was closed. But
as we were preparing to leave, Mr..
Perry drew me aside and asked anx-
iously:
did you see what was in that
'uncalled-for' Christmas PRESENT."
THAT flat package was obviously
a little picture" l said evasively.
But did you see?" our host per-
4 Eisted.
81 got a glimpse of orange" I re-
piled.
- "And you rccognized-the por-
trait!' he demanded.
az recognized by own negligee," ]
pArried.
Rand its wearer" asked Mr.. Perry.
EObviouSly you wouldn't be paint
ingNa portrait Of me TO give to an
othef, person." answered, persisting
in inGirection.
p But Mr.. Perry suddenly decided he
had enough of this method of speaking
and avoiding what he wanted TO say,
for he demanded with curt tcnseness
do you think it was wrong of me
10 paint Mrs. Dalton? II was from
memory. She didn't sit for me, you
know"
II haven't missed my orange negli-
gee from the chest" I smiled, real.
izing that didn't want to be dragged
into whatever it was that gave Mr..
Perry so much concern.
"Mrs. Dalton didn't sit for me-" he
repeated earnestly. 81 did this from
memory-a lovely memory" he muir
INJURED half to himself. But l wasn't
sure il the STATIONS would under
stand. They are good souls. neighbor-
", kind and amazingly clever. He's
one OF our best humorous illustrators
and her 'Tricksie Dolls are famous. |
But they seem to put all their humor
on paper and to take life in three di- |
mansions very seriously. And they, are
awfully solemn transformations"
I'm a conventional person." J.
warned.
"Conventional-but not study"
Mr.. Perry half insisted, half ques-
toned. "You can see the possibility |
of enjoying n conversation with an
other man even though you happen to
love your husband. You would mol
more be shocked at my painting a
memory portrait of Mrs. Dalton than
Mt the idea of my sketching my
blessed little old tousekeeper, Mrs.
Cruikshank."
"And would the Strattons" de-
manded.
Probably" he replied. |
what do you think my husband
would say to your making his sister
n present Of valuable portrait Of her
even though you did it from mem
ory7" I asked.
"Didn't ] give you couple Of little |
sketchesr he countered. How could
he see anything to criticize in my Civ
ing his sister one sketch, no matter
who the subjectT'
Ready. Anne" called jim, putting
a sudden end TO my tete-a-tete.
And as we left Mr.. Perry's house
and the scene of our Christmas festiv-
titles. found myself wondering, won
dering:
Is Nicholas Perry the childish, di-
rect. simple soul nc appraiser is he
. subtle, scheming diplomat? Did he
give us the little sketches of Zckc
Schmidt and Mrs. Cruickshank which
decorate the Birches because he want
to pave the way for presenting
tnie with her portrait, which seems
ole engraved on his memory?
ITO Be COntinuod.) !