The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1933-02-03
Dressed for
Dinner
@ by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
(WNU Service)
BY JANE OSBORN

that second night of his residence
sured himself that there was nothing
out Of the way in his appearance. No
one, of course, would know that the
reason he was thus formally dressed
was because he had but one business
suit at present in which, after he had
returned from the office quarter Of an
hour ago, he had discovered ripped
seam that had made it quite neces-
sary to take 1t to the tailor for re-
pairs.
sat at one long table, and to hide
any slight embarrassment Wren began
to talk Of the weather to the prim lit
tie old lady who sat next to him.
AS he was talking he noticed that
Miss Ames cast preoccupied glances
across the table and when she could
politely turn her attention from him
she looked brightly across and said:
Coin out tonight, Miss Drew?"
"Why, no. Miss Ames," said the girl
made you ask that?"
Then you are expecting company"
announced Miss Ames with the famili-
arity that she seemed to think living
under the same boarding house roof
permitted. Wren Baldwin eating the
watery soup before him felt surpris-
ing twang of jealousy. He had no.
ticed this girl-Miss Drew as they
called her-that morning In her trim
dark business frock and noticed too
the lovely gray eyes shaded with dark
long laShes.
After dinner the boarders adjourned
to the boarding house parlor and lin
gered there If for no other reason
than to postpone the time of going to
their insufficiently heated rooms.
II suppose you're going out" said
the old woman.
"Oh, to be sure" said Wren, remem-
bering the suit at the tailor's and Won
dering somehow whether Miss Ames
knew of his errand there II do have
to go out for a few minutes later on"
Then pleasant man of sixty named
Brown approached Wren.
IF you weren't going out I'd ask you
to make up table of bridge" he said.
"There'd be my wife and l and Miss
Drew If we could get fourth. It's
too chilly to go up yet"
"rll play" said Wren, and then,
6nplu irna oina Misc nrax, mill ho oxyo
another partner presently"
But apparently Miss Drew had no
other partner. The table was opened,
Mrs. Brown went upstairs for the
cards and the four sat down with
Miss Ames constituting an unlimited
audience with her chair drawn up be-
tween that of Wren and Miss Drew.
SO they played, and as they played
and no caller arrived for Miss Drew,
Wren's jealousy abated, and as 1t
abated his admiration for her in
creased. All at once he looked at the
clock and saw that the hands pointed
to half-past nine. He happened to be
playing dummy at the time, so without
much ceremony about 1t he rose and
made some excuse about having to go
out for few minutes. Then seizine
his coat and hat in the hall he hurried
around the corner to the tailor shop,
the terrifying thought that 1t might
any minute close for the night quick
ening his steps. Back in the board
ing house hall he tucked his suit un-
der his coat and hastened to his room,
then back to the card table.
did you get what you went after?A
asked Miss Ames, and Wren with all
the nonchalance he could command
eleven and time to go to bed, Mrs.
Brown said that 1t had been a very
nice party, and very dressed-up
party, too, she added significantly Mr..
Brown took his wife's arm on one side
and Miss Ames on the other and start
ed for the stairs. "We old folks will
go along and let you youngsters put
up the table," he said, almost drag
glng the unwilling Miss Ames with
him.
he ought to make an explanation-per-
haps complete confession to begin
with would be best
$50 that's why had to hurry out
at half-past nine" he finished his ex-
plantation. 81 would have explained
then only that little Miss Ames vas
so anxious to know"
Miss Drew laughed delightfully."-. She
explained, too. "I'm terribly poor my
SELF" she said, "but before we lost ev-
erything did dress for dinner and my
first position was as a resident social
secretary where I was expected to
dress Now | am working In an Of
nce, but 1t seemed so dingy here and
just made up my mind that I'd feel
lot more cheerful II / dressed-as
long as | have the old evening dress
on hand" Their hands met as they
were folding the card table cover and
for few seconds Wren held the girls
in his.
please dress again tomorrow
night" said Miss Drew. "Just so Miss
Ames won't suspect you had special
reason"
"I'll dress for dinner every night"
said Wren, III you want me to. 1t
will give the boarders something to
talk about"
But before many months had passed
the boarders had more than that to
talk about. Wren and Miss Drew
were married and went to live in an
inexpensive little apartment q few