Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-11

gracefully over the arm Of property
chair, it suggested having been just
discarded by some princess returning
Aom an afternoon Of gayety. One corner, art
fully turned back, displayed bit of Silken lining
somehow suggestive Of the f1lmy garments
which would some day lie between it and the
smooth, white flesh the coat was worthy TO
enfold.
The price tag was concealed, but Martin
Falsey knew the price. 1t was $500, so he
had been informed by rather supercil1ous
salesperson whom he had questioned timidly
q week ago. It was that $500 which kept
intruding its unwelcome presence as he stood
before the window obliSious Of the snownakes
and the cold raw wind sweeping IN from the
river.
Five hundred doIlarsl That was q large sum
OF money for q young assistant manager. It
was one-sixth Of his years salary, and more
than he had been able to accumulate in his
savings account through two years Of effort.
OF course, the coat could be paid for IN
insta1lments, but even that would mean wiping
out the savings account and giving up all hope
Of replenishing 1t for q year or more. Some
times, Martin suspected, Virginia was, a bit I'M
reasonable in her demands.
virginia. Martin glanced at his watch.
Time to be getting home to help her set the
table for supper. She was always cross IN the
evening IL he did not get home in time TO
help. As he walked through the streets Of the
little city, responding abSent-mindedly to the
greetings Of friends who were also hurrying
home to supper, Martin continued to wonder .
little about Virginia.
1t seemed to him that she was always dissatis-
fed. She was continually craving the Injuries
his income made impossible. He didn't blame
her for wanting costly and beautiful clothes;
she wore them well and he was proud Of her.
Virginia was still beautiful, though Martin
wished she would not frown quite so much
disposition toward permanence.
"A ND an almost total lack Of exercise was
"A beginning TO show in her figure. She was
not unaware Of this latter change. Martin
had not ventured to say anything. He recalled
that Junior was now nearly six years old.
But maybe all women become somewhat dumpy
as they grow older: he was getting q little
stout around the waistline himself, so he ought
not be harsh IN his judgment Of Virginia.
Martin wondered If he had made her good
husband. They were not wealthy, but, ON the
other hand, the home he had provided for her
was considerably better than the one she had
before her marriage. She had borne him one
son..
Hello, Mart, how're things?" this from an
other heavily muf1ed figure hurrying through
the falling snowfiakes.
Hello, Bob. Fine, hows yomsek?"
Martin wished Bob Thayer hadn't oveFtaken
but Martin had always rather disapproved Of
BObs overly breezy manner and had felt that
the latter was little lacking in delicacy IN
the manner In which he described the meth
DDS he used TO manage" Mrs. Thayer. The
peculiar part Of the situation, from Martins
viewpoint, was that Bob really did manage his
wife and Mary Thayer seemed to like the treat
Enent Martin had sometimes wondered how
Virginia would have responded to some Of Bob's
methods Bob was in q confidential mood to-
plight.
Your wife got the closed car fever yet2"
he asked as he fell into step with Martin.
mo. Haven't heard about 1t If she has"
well you'd have heard about it II she had
It," Bob observed IT had to lay down the law
on that subject this morning. What do these
women think they are anyway? They have to
have fur coats and cars and silk underwear
and silk stockings and q new hat every month,
hnd what do they do to earn them? Most Of
them hardly want to keep house any more"
Hard to satisfy them sometimes" Martin
admitted embarrassed by the turn Of the talk.
You bet It Is. Now take Mary for instance
Martin knew that what Bob meant was take
Virginia, for instance.C She's got good, COM
Portable home, and only two kids TO look after,
and we've got q car that fills the bill all right
sven though II isn't q closed job.
but she's taken notion she has TO have q
closed car, and that's all I've heard for three
days. Finally blew up this morning and laid
down the Law right. told her We were not
going to have new car, and, furthermore, THAI
b she didn't like the old one I'd get ria Of -