San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-08-31
7
The Making Of
a Husband
"A mn Lasle's N eW
Phase of Jim and
Anne'S Marital
Adventure
BY ANN Isle
Chapter 81

Jeanie and Pat did not come to the
impromptu Christmas dinner at Mich
olas Perry's. Their excuse was a pre-
yious engagement, and it had to be
accepted. But / couldn't help Won
dering whether it was really another
appointment which kept them away or
whether something entirely different
accounted for their absence.
The questions that kept popping up
in my mind all during the Christmas
festivities in the big brown studio
over at "The Hedgerow" were these !:
Is Jeanie so bitter against Jim she
cannot even hold out her hand to him
on the day of peace on earth, good
will to menT' Then what will hap
pen if she ever discovers that she has
been judging her brother for her hus-
bands fault? /.
This line of questioning brought me
inevitably to other-and quite differ
ent problems. / found myself Won
dering if Jeanne had been unwilling
to let Pat and Nicholas Perry become
social good friends-or if Pat was a
bit miffed over her interest in Mich
olas Z. and so was unwilling to share
the artists Christmas cheer.
Christmas dinner was very interest
ing, for after the STATIONS had re-
ceived us with q little suspicion sea-
soned by curiosity, they began to for
get that we were newcomers, under a
ban and possibly undcsirables. Christ
INNS spirit got out from under social
awkwardnes in 10 minutes, and pres
emily Jim was joining in the great
TODD the STATIONS made of laying
the table, serving, carving and help
ing Nicholas Perry with the tree he
was rigging up hastily for the STRAIT
ton children who were to dine with us
and then share the tree with Zeke
Schmidt's children who were to be
brought over by May, Arlette and
Zekc himself at seven for festive
hour.
|. Jim was called on to do his usual
\Santa Claus stunt, and the hours
Mced by happily and with real 1ule-
tide warmth and gayety.
After dinner was over, the children
come and gone, and the cleaning and
dish-ya shing handled by May and Ar
lette, who would not listen to our pro-
tests that dish-washing was no holl-
day for them and was a lark for us,
Nicholas Perry got out another tree
n tiny one for people who had only q
tiny bit Of the child left in them, as
he explained it.
He had prepared a gift for every
one. And if my recognition of his
charming, delightful and warm per
sonality had needed boost, the clev,
erness and humor of his gifts would
have furnished it.
For Jim there was a book wrapped
in hand-illuminated parchment, worthy
of framing and bearing a card, which
said:
Something to start the bookplat'
going, And the book was nothing
less than a cook book dedicated to al
home-makers.
When we finished laughing at this
Bert Stratton unwrapped his present
which was beautiful harmonica, of
fered to the "leader of family sym
phony."
Bert Stratton puffed out his cheeks
and proceeded TO play us God Res
You, Merry Gentlemen, Let Nothing
You Dismay."
Ethel Stratton giggled over work
box with the nOnchalant inscription
"Keep your family buttoned up tight
and stop borrowing my palette to paini
on the buttons"
My gift was little japanese fern
cry in a Vsihted bowl with a card at
tached saying: you make folks bios
som. Lets see what you can do witt
plants" :.
Here are two more packages y
cried Jim, holding up two unmarked
bundles,
"Oh-give them to mel" said Mich
olas Perry with n tinge Of crimson
under the bronze of his skin. -
didn't have time to detach them from
the branches, and the people expect
cd couldn't come"
"I'll rattle them off to the highest
bidder!" Jim cried gaily.
three bent pins" shouted Der
Stratton entering into Jim's play
full spirit.
In a tumult Of excitement, the STRAIT
tons and Mrs. Cruikshank began bid
ding, drowning Nicholas Perry's pro
tests-and finally there was n scuffle
as our host tried to get one Of thu
packages from Mr.. Stratton. 1t CAM
half unwrapped during the fracas, an;
j got a glimpse Of sketch Of fig
ure in flaming orange.
"It's Jeanie--in my orange neglige'
the first costume in which Mr.. Per
~ ever saw her." flashed across m!
mind. "What would these folks thinl
il they saw it? / must get it befor,
anyone realizes who it is. mus
stop this Glowing and teasing. Blu
how?"
ITO Be Continued