The Nome nugget., 1942-07-13

the office.
 His wife looked at him, rebellion darkening her pretty blue eyes.
 Joe was always like that.
 He was forever interfering with things that she thought belonged en- tirely to her sphere.
 For the first few weeks after their marriage she had rather enjoyed his telling her what she should wear and what food she should serve Lately, however, Joe's continued re- quests for her to wear this dress or that dress had begun to get on her nerves.
 T just can't wear that dress to- night, Joe" sighed Ethel.
 Well, maybe you have worn that dress long enough" Joe said. T guess I'll stop in at the Fashion and see what they have that I think will make my little Honey look pretty. You leave it to me, Ethel Don't you worry. You'll have some clothes that will outshine everybody tonight.
 With hasty kiss Joe rose from the table, snatched his hat and hur- ried away, beaming with joy at the prospect of bestowing fresh love to- kens upon his wife.
 In the course of the morning messenger brought several pack ages from the Fashion. Ethel opened them. There was a purple dress, sheer stockings and slippers with amethyst-studded buckles. The doorbell rang before she had opened half the packages. It was a man from the florists with a corsage bouquet of purple violets.
 Any other time Ethel might have accepted as inevitable the purple ensemble, but today she simply could not endure the sight of so much of the color she was growing to dislike so intensely.
 Joe might be blind to the awful combination her bright red hair and purple clothes made, but others were not. She just couldn't go to the club banquet if she had to wear it.
 She would call Joe up and tell him so.
 "Joe,' she said when she got her husband on the telephone. "I can't wear purple tonight"
 Cant - wear purple tonight! Why, what's got into you?"
 Joe was plainly astonished.
 Weren't the things I sent up all right? They certainly cost enough. That mess set me back half my months pay. You're to meet one of my old girls tonight, and I wanted you to look your best"
 'Then that's all the more reason why l won't wear purple. She'd think 1 was crazy. I'm sick and tired, Joe, of having my things bought for me just as if I were a kid," she managed to say.
 Her heart was crushed with hurt feeling and sudden jealousy.
 F1AJ HNlA, lily
 Oh, how Ethel hated Joe's voice when he said My dear" in that cold tone! If you don't think enough of me to do as want you to it's just as we'll if we come to an understanding right now. You will either wear those things I had sent up for you, l say, or you can stay at home. Furthermore, I won't come home tonight until I get good and ready"
 Suit yourself, Joe," Ethel said, but her voice trembled.
 A click on the wire warned her that her husband had hung up the receiver. It was the first time that Joe had ever done such a thing to her.
 After good cry, which helped to clear the atmosphere bit, Ethel began to realize that mere choice of color was silly thing to quarrel over But she had started some thing. It might be a turning point in her life, and she would not turn back. Perhaps the thought of Joe's old sweetheart helped to strengthen her determination.
 She bathed her face. powdered her nose, and put the purple en- semble back into the boxes and re- turned them herself to the Fashion. She was gone several hours and when she returned she brought many packages.
 Joe kept his word.
 He did not come home to take Ethel to the banquet So she went alone. She had her own ticket.
 Joe was on a committee, so no one would notice if she did go alone.
 When she arrived at the clubhouse she was late, The doors of the big dining hall were already open. She glimpsed Joe well to the head of the line. He evidently was taking in a big blonde who was dressed in spangled purple chiffon.
 The big blonde was losing no time in trying to make an impression. She was gazing into Joe's face with rapture in her eyes.