Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-02-17

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Charlene laughed. Everyone was little embarrassed and
yet each had admit it, Initiated looking wife husband
wonderngy all with the dull ache of memory and regret
The Sprngers the first to leave that night For half
hour had been obvious that they merely had been waiting
for the polite moment to make their getaway Charlene
hadn't much acknowledged the admng gances of the
other males Jack hadn't taken his his hands away
from Charene all evening Deborah watching from the
porch door Jack went around and opened the car tor
Chaene the way George used to in their coshp days An
involuntary sigh became little s1ed yawn when Jack
kissed Charlene as he helped her in
well, there isn't much doubt about those two being in
love-" Deborah had turned back to her husband with an
ambiguous smile.
Il think it's little gooey myself" George grumbed
They should be able keep their hands off each other in
public"
Il don't know. / think it's rather sweet Deborah said
And she wanted add How long has it been since held
hands the table pressed knees together in that
exquisite conspiracy of lovers while dining out with friends?
1t had been nice reassurng Why had stopped! What
day - what minute?
George and Deborah arguing about in the weeks
to carefully feeling their way around the edges OF it,
for fear of upsettng the balance of their union their
own comfortable. loyal. tired tenth-year love.
WHEN they all dined out together traditional
separate wives and husbands but in the of the Spnges
this courtesy had had to be jetsoned What God has
brought together let dinner party split asunder Jack
had laughed and squeezed Charlenes hand
When the crowd large to drive to the movies in
one had become standard practice for married couples
split up amidst the usual banter about mot trusting that
wolf with my wife" But Jack always made sure it was
Charene who Struggled into his lap and there
shril unwey cries of Jack stop it, that brought George
and Deborah back to their college days of double dates
George kept saying all pretty revolving, especially
when. at the Grins party, Jack and Charlene dis
covered the arbor necing like couple of youngsters
That's the last straw George insisted why they've been
married almost year now why don't they relax?"
But that's just the point, dear" Deborah said.
She and Emily Stever had had lunch with Charene that
day, and Charene had fascinated them with book
she had just read Marriage Life Sentence Prolonged
Love Affair.""
Once you think of yourself just housewife and your
husband just the breadwmer, you're finished Charene
had advised these who between them represented
II years of contented married life ITO keep your marriage
oue you try just hard please your husband charm
him. yes girls and excite him, before you married"
1t had seemed to Deborah third Martini that
three her luncheon quota terribly wise and adult advice
IT her wonder for the first time in years. about her
marriage. What drab, matter fact thing it had
become Why when she think of it, George probably
didn't love her at all She just convenience,
habit In the ladies' she gave her cheeks desperate
little dab of rouge and regarded critically than usual
the somewhat acky figure staring out at her from the mirror
She could have been deamboat like Charlene Of
But she had let herself There that compacen
WHAT oes-it-matter- Il ve-got- my-rnan look.
At Charenes suggestion, in fact with Charene along
mentor she had had her hair cropped short in the
noodle cut that had looked SO adorable on Mary Martin