The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1932-11-11
PARADISE
I DAWSON



occasion Of the gifts bsstoWal.
He became so sensitive he sus-
pected that many Of her lowe-names
were borrowings from herr old vo.
cabulary.
Ibid you ever call him that?"
ridiculous old thing, do you ex.
pect me to invent new Language
for you?"
More than once at dinnerparties
she caused him discomfort. by re-
ferring to places at which he was
never present. !
when we visited Havana----"f
Even when she had provoked a
litter. she sailed on gaiiy. with a
bright glance at Give, ~That was
before your time"
Tactless of herl No husband is
pleased to hear his wife mention
honeymoon in which he was not In
cluded.
II wish you wouldn't, Santa"
"But what's the harm. Every
one knows" She failed utterly to
comprehend his fastidioEsness.
That's as may be. But why yell
1t from the house-tops?''
With repetition Of the offence
she invented an explanation.
Il was paying you; compliment
The few times I was happy witt
Dicky fancy that must have been
with you"
And that really seemed to be the
case-that her memories Of her hus'
bands had blended.
Her other husbandi One never
saw him. He battered about like
disembodied spirit. AS far as Give
was concerned. he felt that his mar
riage was haunted. The haunted
marriageI Already b had acquired
enough data to write a book on it.
In his most peaceful moments he
was continually laundering on foot
prints left by Dicky.
Meanwhile all her effort was ia
convince him that her past was
most remotedly banished. She Law.
ished gifts on him--stick-pins. cuff.
links: whatever suggested itself to
her generosity. For his birthday
she begged permission to give him
q check suit -- black and white
one. She chose the tailor.
You're so handsome. I long to
see you In one that's made.to-meas.
ure."
Under pressure he consented, to
discover that Dicky Oak was one Of
the tailor's favored clients.
"Mr. Oak is rare one for checks,
sir. He's what we call q snappy
dresser"
Before the suit came home Give
had taken an aversion to it. When
1t had been hung in his cupboard he
never wore It
Santa accused him OF not caring
for It.
Frankly don't"
"But It fits. What's the objec,
tion?"
''T'm NOS Oak. ] purchase my
clothes ready-made. Always have"
CAS- you choose" Santa smiled
She was imperturbably pleasant
"The janitor's about your size. Why
not give 1t to him?"
He didn't tell her: to hold up his
end he was drawing on his savings.
His out-of-pocket expenses for the
atre-tickets, automobile.hire. gen.
eral entertainment, amounted 20
more than his contribution to house
keeping.
Pride demanded that when she
showered him with gifts. he should
return them with an equal gener
osity. He was living on q plane
which nothing in his prospects war
ranted. TO increase his nervous
ness he had q shrewd suspicion that
his firms affairs were going none
too prosperously.
Three months after his scatter.
Drained return from Chicago. Mr.
Cleasby called him into his office. !
"Pve been watching you. Give.
You're all strung up. Ought to take
q holiday with your wife. There's
a concern we've financed In London.
I wish you'd run over and make a
report on II"
Give clinched with the offer.
Away from familiar surroundings
Santa might re-adjust herself.
"When the affair in London IL
concluded and It shouldn't take
long" Mr.. Cleasby added. "you can
dash OF to France. II that suits you,
and snatch Q brief honeymoon. You
kind OF slipped Ep on your honey.
moon"
Eve did. sir. rye sometimes
thought"
Mr.. Cleasby finished bis sentence.
"That Q honeymoon might have
made all the difference. You're
right my boy. Women expect EN-.
They don't feel married without q
honeymoon"
When that evening Give repeated
the theory. Santa confirmed Il by
plopping herself IN his lap.
"My sultan. that wise old guy
said a mouthful."
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