The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-08-02
Chapter Nine
Perfect Housewife TYNE

Luella were alone,
"A perfect EVENING" said Hen
ry You were swell. honey. And
what a grand dinner"
I'm glad you liked it.. said
Lucia a bit stiff1y.
Henry looked at her. "Any.
thing wrong, Luella?" he asked
Luelia shook her head, and
glanced about the room.
i hope" said Henry, "you
don't mind my not mentioning
the lunch with Marie"
mo, Henry" Luella hesitated
a moment. "Only-well, its just
that / don't want you to feel that
you have to meet Marie on the
"Ye gods and little fishes!"
Henry cried. II never thought OF
such a thing. It's just that it
slipped my mind--lunching with
Marie, ] mean. ran into her on
the street. and that's the way it
came about"
Eyes, Henry. I understand" said
Luella.
But she didn't understand
not at all.
Had she run into Marie on the
street and lunched with her, it
would have been the most natural
thing in the world to tell Henry
about 1t. 1t should have been the
most natural thing in the world
for Henry to tell her about lunch
ing with Marie. But he hadn't
told her-and that was that.
She began emptying ash-trays.
Il think I'll turn in," Henry
said. "I've got a big day before
me tomorrow. Night. Luella.
honey"
Good night, Henry" Luella
said. 'I'll be joining you as soon
as | straighten up a little. It's
such depressing sight to get up
in the morning and find a lot of
cigarette stubs and smelly
glasses"
Hsnry paused in the doorway,
watching her,
She was the perfect housewife
type. he thought. And he honest
ly believed that elnptying ash
trays was Of more Importance to
Luella than the fact that some day
her husband might be out of the
land selling business and gong
places in the world of radio. Fun
ny things-women darned funny
Presently he turned away.
He went on into the bedroom,
nnd Unt ntIf HE paiarnaS
AS he prepared for bed he
thought about the episode out on
the extension roof Marie's lips
against his own. Was it possible,
he wondered, for a man to love
his wife and another woman at
one and the same time?
Date With Tommy
nN A Saturday afternoon two
" weeks after the Pell dinner
party, Tommy Mcintyre tele-
phoned Luella.
''Tve got the afternoon and eve
ming off" he said. How about
driving up to The Cloisters? / re-
member hearing you say you
wanted to go up there sometime, :
I'D love to, Tommy" Luella
said.
81 should have given you more
notice" Tommy went on, but
I'm glad you haven't something
else planned"
Luella laughed mirthlessly
"Oh, my engagement book pages
are all blanks" she said 'T'll be
awfully glad to see you, Tommy
Come by any time you feel like
it"
81 thought we might drive up
the Hudson after The Cloisters
and dine some place overlooking
the river" Tommy said, We
might even get in dance OF two.
I'd like that
$50 would II Luella told him
- "Then FL be by around three
o'clock, That all right" "a
siFinet I'll be ready
Later, as She dressed, donning
knitted sport frock that went
well with the smart spring coat
Henry had insisted upon buying
her. Luella found that she was
eagerly looking forward to the
drive. 1t would do her good, hay-
ing an outing.
During the past week she had
been lonelier than ever before.
Although she counted the hours
each day until Henry came home
from work, he wasn't very good
company when he did get home.
AS soon as the evening meal was
over, he hurried to his desk and
began working on his negro
verses.
'T've got to get them just
right" he told Luella. "Marie's
composer friend is waiting for
them"
"But, Henry" Luella had said,
"don't you think you ought to
have a little recreation movie
or something?"
'Tll get my recreation later,
said Henry. Besides, Marie wants
the composer to get the musical
settings finished in time for US
to take them along on the yacht
ing cruise with Mr.. Rector.
Marie wants this Marie
thinks this III. :. Marie suggests.
Oh, darn Mariei
1t was beginning to look to Luz
ella as though Henry was think
ing more about Marie's songs
than he was about his job. She
hoped he wouldn't end up ne
glecting the job. and getting into
trouble with his EMPLOYERS. But