Evening star., 1928-11-15


m SN'T it beautiful, just marvellous
- Jim? And to think Of Mary
Mary-having all these lovely
i things! I'm so glad for her
aren't you?"
"Sure am. And she's the girl that
can step into all this class and carry 1t
off. ali right. But, say, this bathroom
with all these mirrors, makes me
jump-don't know how many people
there are in here with me. Pretty
keen, hon, isn't it. for you to get o
look-in at the back of your bob while
you are patting the front? Some class!
xVonder If Mary has an honest-to-
goodness towels around here-feel like
/ mustn't touch any of these"
Doris, from the dressing alcove OF
the Immediately appointed bathroom,
where she was luxuriously dipping into
all the foreign powders and creams OF
Mary'S powder table. pointed out the
palmer towels. and sighted as she saw
the piles of fine linen disclosed there.
"Oh, my sainted auntl" exclaimed
Jim. swinging out the shaving mirror
and light. What do you think OF
this? What wouldn't I give to have
this outfit to shave by back home. Oh,
boy! What do you say, Doris, to our
saving up and getting a room IKE trns--
sunken tub and ALP"
And Doris sighed again as she
thought how little Jim realized the
cost of that room, with its alabaster tub
and mother-of-pearl fittings.
"Let's" she exclaimed gayly. Might
as well let him think he could buy it;
make him feel more prosperous. But
she thought anxiously of how dissatis-
fed he would be with their little, old
fashioned bathroom at home.
And Jim, glancing over at Doris,
sitting at the little powder table she
had exclaimed over as adorable, caught
the wistful look with which she was re-
garding him, and misinterpreted 1t.
well, kiddo, We'll do over our III
OF bathroom next year, sure" he said.
And felt himself piker that she hadn't
such house as Maryes.
Doris disappeared into the orchid
hung bedroom and laid out Jim's
"other" suit on the Satin-covered bed,
with its myriad little pillows, then took
it up again and looked about for some
other spot for it. It looked so tncon-
gruous in all that glow of satin. Even
her own little best frock looked out OF
place, and as she slipped it over her
head she thought regretfully OF the
gown she had been planning all Winter
She would buy for this trip, and then
had bought instead new chintz for the
living room.
Jim put his head in at the door and
gazed around.
"Are we expected to sleep in that
cream puff? Must have taken Mary
all the time since she left us to buy all
this stuff Well, you've got her beat
q mile for looks, anyway, sweetheart"
But his eyes wandered from her over
the satiny room, and his smile faded.
Mary and her husband awaited them
at the foot of the stairs, Mr.. Haven
immaculate in dinner clothes. One
glance at Jim, and he said casually:
you'll excuse me, know, but after
dinner have to look in for half
hour at an affair where I'd get thrown
out if I appeared in a business suit.
Awful bore"
Meeting Jim's embarrassment with
an apparent frankness that sat him
at ease, whether he believed 1t quite |
or not.
Marys gown was as simple as Doris
own, and she knew quite well that, |
seeing the modest little frock Doris |
planned to wear, Mary had chosen her
own accordingly.
The faultlessly served dinner, the
china such as Doris had dreamed Of
but never seen, the crystal and silver |
and exquisite linen caused Doris to
look anxiouSly across at Jim, talking |
animatedly with his host, but with q
worried pucker between his eyes. Was
he thinking, too, of their own silver,
worn thin with much polishing, and
the darned spots in the linen? Jim