The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-12-27

listened without comment to her lame
excuses for not insisting that Donald
spend his evenings with them, but she
had the impression that he disap-
proved
The skyline IL wonderful" she
heard woman at the next table say,
like great gray castles against tur-
quoise. those buildings are"
Jean fell into one Of her dreams
promptly. Again she was In Edin-
burgh looking down first at the gay
flowers In the square and then up at
the rocky hill that led to her favorite
castle
I'D Ike TO live In a castle" she
meditated. then her common sense
caught back her vague fight on the
unsubstantial back of Pegasus A cas-
tie Of that age would not be apt TO
be equipped with the modern Injuries
that American women consider ne
cessities. There would, likely, be mice
and dubious drains. Jean smiled at
this fancy. Ladies Of a castle do not
worry much. she felt. about the fur
nishings Of the remote kitchens. Still,
homemaking had opened a new vista
TO Jeans mind and she felt that the
kitchen was the heart Of the home. A
castle might be romantic, but-Jean's
smile vanished. Her mind had ieaped
ahead again. She loved Scotland, al
though she had only a faint strain Of
Scottish blood in her. But she was
thinking Of that factor of a Scotch
mans character. Loyalty was the
She saw herself, as she sat in the
fower-scented room that thrilled with
music, as a shirker; one who had &C.
cepted wifehood but who denied any
responsibility in the joint work of
marriage She had done her work
carelessly, touching her dishes with
lazy, abhorrent fingers, dropping her
tea-towels about instead of scalding
them and putting them out in the sun
shine. She had sulked and dropped
and complained instead Of telling her
husband frankly that she was fitting
off TO Europe TO play while he re-
NAMED at work. he had told her
that one more year Of the strenuous
almost incredible work he staggered
under would put him on Easy street
Jean hadn't cared much, scarcely lis
tened.
Il don't care" said Jean aloud, then
bit her lip. No one had heard, though,
for some one near her hummed the
words to Laugh, Clown Laugh"
I'm going to laugh" she told herself
sand I'm going back home tonight.
Donald might not want me back" she
worried, her mind suddenly alert to
the danger Of leaving husband alone.
And the spicy carnations suddenly as
sumed a new value in her mind.
Sturdy and sweet and enduring they
were Donald was like that. Contrite
and frightened, she planned, shaking
her head when a man asked her to
dance, glad when her uncle suggested
going back TO the hotel. II guess this
gay crowd bores you, Jean"
Breathlessly she told him of her
change Of mind and he agreed to take
her out to La Grange that night
When their taxi stopped before the
old house that Jean called a bungalow
because it was on one floor she looked
out eagerly through the snowy trees.
There was a light.
Run on in, Jean, I'll follow pres
emily" was the tactful command
Donald sat hunched over the dining
room table and Jeans heart sank. He
was working and might be cross.
Donald, I'm sorry. / came back"
she cried, hurting herself across the
Uttered room and landing il the arms
he swiftly opened to receive her
Castles and heather and moonlight
can't make up for-home."
His tired eyes twinkled as he caught
the familiar smell of violet that al
ways heralded this fragrant if lazy lit
tie bride and be held her close a mo-
ment before speaking. I'm sorry.
too. jeanne After all a woman's home
is her kingdom and we're going to buy
in the spring. Meanwhile, I've been
making out a list of some things you
want for your kitchen. Maybe" he
finished quantity. you can make be-
lieve it's a CASTLE
Pasted to the lengthy list was the
scrap of turquoise fabric that would,
in the generous estimate he had made,
turn that shabby kitchen into beauty.