Evening star., 1935-04-23
CHAPTER XIII.
RED CARPET.

vAMEs kissed Jane and told her
she was q wonder. He tried
then to appear enthusiastic.
- He agreed that the plentitude
of cleaning polished oak made
4 delightful golden glow, though he
thought it dreadful.
Later, when Jane had forgiven him
and was discussing furniture and
color schemes, he even esssyed few
tentative suggestions about his prefer
ences.
"rd like my den papered in red"
he said. And rich red carpet would
look like a million dollars on the
stairs"
Jane laughed. '"This is woman's
work." she countered airly. Don't
20 bothering your blessed old head
worrying about something OF Whicn
YOU know nothing"
A day or two later at an evening
party in their honor, James over
heard Jane laughing contemptuously
over his alleged TASTE"
'Would you believe It," Jane went
m. James wants the entire down.
stairs, ceilings, walls, floors, papered
and painted and carpeted in bright
turkey red? And bolts and bars on
all the doors. He thinks the only
use for door is to slam it and bolt It,"
"You might feed him red meat
through the bars" Sam Fletcher sug-
gested.
eyes, doubtless it will 60 with his
aura" Jane laughed. Every one
laughed except Leslie Harris, who was
seated on a cushion on the floor.
s"The loveliest house I've ever been
in Is the Haskells in Fort Leaven-
worth" Leslie said quickly. you
know Mrs. Haskell was one OF the
Whitneys from New York. She made
the house over inside and she has q
crimson carpet on the stairway. The
walls are white and there is an iron
balustrade. I thought 1t was beau
tiful. And it must be as it's been
pictured in House and Garden. Mrs.
Haskell says crimson is the richest
color there is"
Mrs. Haskell Is red-headed herself;
that may account for it. Well, every
one to his taste. And taste is never
arguable, is it?" Jane asked frigidly.
yes" said Leslie hatly. IT think
good many of us might argue
whether certain things are in
good TASTE"
"And who Is to decide?"
"One's own finer instincts II
one has them" Leslie jumped to her
feet and made for the piano. It'll
play. Let every one dance" She broke
into that new success, I'm the Man
Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo" )"
James went out to the front porch
and smoked cigar. He had left Jane
sitting flushed and discounted.
James heart was warmed with q
sneaking glow of which he knew he
ought to be ashamed. Still Leslie was
right. It wasn't in the best Of taste.
He supposed he'd catch it going home.
But the incident was never men
toned by either James or Jane. James
noted that at subsequent parties given
in his and James honor Leslie Harris
was conspicuous by her absence.
In the meantime the preparations
for the wedding went furiously on.
A wedding between Stimson and
a Northrup naturally was no ordinary
event. For weeks and months Jane
and her mother had devoted them
selves to making it the most brilliant
wedding ever held in New Concord, II
not in the entire State of Kansas.
The brides frocks were purchased
in New York and the wedding gown
came straight from Paris. The lingerie
was made every bit by hand in a
convent in st. Louis. The table and
bed linen were imported from Ireland
and every piece monogrammed.
There was to be caterer down from
st. Joseph and an orchestra up from
kansas City and a canopy and Grim
son carpet Imported from God knows
where) at both the church and
Northrup doors.
The Governor, United States
Senator and two justices Of the Kan