Evening star., 1935-07-28


her visit was caused as much by
morbid curiosity as by ysympathy She couldn't
keep away from Leonore; she had to see what
new addition to the Legend of the Perfect
Husband Leonore had made, what new way of
cherishng Jim's memory Leonore had in
vented. Since Jim's death. Leonore had gone
through life person set apart by sorrow.
IF Id only looked upon his dear face
once more" she would exclaim. out of clear
sky. But poor Jim had been crushed beyond
recognition in railway accident and only by
h's watch, which had been luckily left un-
damaged, and his wallet. had he been iden-
tilted.
A strange thing was happening to Jim
Evans; not only had he been so defaced that
he could not be recognized, but now he was
being obliterated. Bit by bit, Leonore was
changing him. The old lovable irritable Jim
was being changed over into the Perfect Hus-
band. the Romantic Lover that Leonore had
wanted but had never had. 1t was like watch
ing a slow and subtle murder of personality
to see Leonore at her work.
Leonore had changed as much as she had
changed Jim. Her resigned look had turned
to something exalted; her air of misunder-
stood wife doomed to live with a man indif-
ferent to the higher things of life. that had
gone. too. The lavender she wore (Dear Jim
hated mourning became her.
How hadthe Legend Of the Perfect Husband
come about. Elizabeth often wondered; on
what had it been nourished? How had Leonore
wiped out of her mind episodes like the time
when Jim had thrown out the window all that
menagerie of quaint china animals Leonore
kept on the dresser, saying that he'd be
damned if he d tip over another china elephant
when he was looking for a stud.
Poor Jim How he had suffered over
Christopher Robin. Elizabeth could still see
him gritting his teeth behind the newspaper
as Leonore caroed at the piano: Christopher
Robin goes hoppity, hoppity, hoppity, hop
pity hop" The white scar at the corner of his
mouth which hardly showed other times
would flush bright red. He had gotten it in the
war together with the wound in the leg that
made him little lame.
1t didn't seem possible that one could come
in now and find Leonore sadly humming
Christopher Robin ditties at the piano - be-
cause dear jim loved them so!'' But Jim's
old hatred OF Christopher Robin had dropped
into the same oblivion as had the memory of
Jim's obstinate silences when he wouldn't
speak for fear of the angry words he might say.
You mind my word Elizabeth, " he'd NUT
ter "One of these times when she starts
reading aloud bits from the paper, when I'm
reading, too. something going to happen
She's so good, Jim," Elizabeth would re-
mind him.
"Oh. don't know Il" Jim had groaned.
Seriously, Elizabeth Id clear out except
that I've made my bed, and I've got to lie in
it Good! I'll tell the world she's good! Good
as gold. true as steel, and talking baby-talk!
And when think that Leonore was as good
as engaged to David Strong, and took her
away from him for no better reason than that
he won the chess tournament from me-"
AS Elizabeth ran up the steps one day, she
speculated IL wonder what new thing Leonore
is going to pull on me today. Well, I'll soon
know"
And sure enough Leonore said with wan
smile: 1T seems so strange that Puff is here
when Jim is gone"
Puff pranced up and down. Jim had hated
all toy dogs, especially toy poodles.
That one of the strange things about
DEATH" said Leonore "A mans dogs 60 on
living and his personal effects go on living,
and his old clothes"
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