The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1933-08-31

- SHOW III uer NEW lOTh uTdWiuS
| room. After tea she had taken sew
eral of her friends to see them, all
laid out. 1t was Enid Cunningham
who. drawn Immediately to the
string of pearls, had read the card
and cried out incredulously, Look,
even her husband has remembered
her birthday, 1t seems" Lunch at
the Ritz, dinner at Pierre's, q box
party at the opera-the event had
been celebrated as well as IL de-
served. But Hobart, who had given
his wife that string, had gone out
of town to play golf.
This was Lillian's fifth birthday
as Mrs. Curtis Hobart. But be-
cause of something quite uninten-
tional, perhaps, in the tail of Ends
remark, she found herself looking
at life through window the exist
ence of which came as a great sur.
prise. She was painfully aware of
something In 1t that tugged at the
strings Of her heart. She found
herself saying. "This is not life. /
am not living. am only pretend
ing to live" She heard her so-called
husband as he came up to go to his
room. A thousand times she had
heard the same footsteps at the
same hour and let them pass her
door. But without knowing why she
slipped into a peignoir, went out
and said. Hello"
| Curtis was still In golf clothes.
His face had caught the sun. "Good
morning and good night" he said.
"Have you hal good time todayf"
Wonderful Come and look at my
presents glittering In the light"
He did so, uncomfortably con.
scious of the fact that he was
trespasser in that room. 'Quite a
show" he said.
Something from every one. And
even my husband remembered my
birthday, 1t seems
He nodded, smiled and went out.
Curtis h,sitated next morning
outside the door OF her bedroom
on his way downstairs. This girl
whom he had married for love had
not married but had been married
to him. Her brilliant and scheming
mother had brought that deed
about.
He felt an urge to 60 In. That
wonderful room was empty, but
through the open windows came the
rustic of young leaves. Spring had
come to town. A well-bound book
was open addressed to himself. He
picked this up with greedy hand
as his eye caught some writing on
the margin of the book. The words.
"The Key to Paradise" had been
underlined and against them had
been written "A child, boy or girl"
He drew the letter from the enve-
lope as something touched his
heart.
In the garden alive with flowers
there stood Lillian. Then she saw a
man come out Of the kitchen carry
ing tray-a man with a smile on
his sun-tanned face. His golf
clothes smelled Of grass and tobac-
co so that her mind turned back to
the previous night and the words
outside her door.
"But l wish to be alone" she
said.
'You will be alone" he said. "I've
sent the servants away. You and
are going to see what the simple
life will do"
But this was hopelessly wrong
ssle wanted to be quiet, to think,
and here was the very man whom
she didn't want to see. She found
herself in a panic and turned to-
ward the door.
He blocked the way with quick
movement and his face was boyish
and grave. "Please don't CO." he
said. Lets look life in the face. /
will be your servant"
She stared at her husband.
And so they had tea together as
though they had really been mar
ried those wasted years ago. The
light had almost gone and Curtis
sprang to his feet. Good Lord" he
said, there's dinner" and went out
with a rush. And she, too. said.
"Good Lord" and followed him into
the kitchen
She had never supposed that any
thing funny could enter into this.
But when she caught sight of Cur
tbs, the finished man of the world
peeling potatoes in his shirt-sleeves
with the concentration of one who
was engaged on work of art, her
laughter rang through the room
"Give me that thing" she said, and
took the pan and the knife. Peeling
potatoes was woman's job.
He gazed at this girl for a mo-.
ment with something new In his
eyes. 1t might perhaps have been
| hope.
And so day after day this pa
thetic week went merrily by.
She asked two questions when
| that week had come to an end syyas