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CONFESSIONS OF A WIFE
FACT SHATTERS MANY A HAPPY VISION
" 'I thought you told me, you did
not know Tom Perry, Paula,' said
Earnest Lawton to me the next eve
ning. "
" 'I don't,' I answered, for the mo
ment surprised out of my decision
to speak to Earnest only on the
stage.
" 'Well, this doesn't look much like
it,' and he held out a big bunch of
violets and dozens and dozens of old
fashioned clove pinks with Mr.
Perry's card on it
"I took the flowers in silence, but
I was furious, and when I went home
I gave the stage doorkeeper strict in
structions to deliver any packages of
any kind addressed to me into my
hands and mine only.
"I don't know whether Earnest
had read the note attached. It said:
'My dear Miss Newton Your old
friend, Jeff Perrygreen, who is also a
friend and classmate of mine, is In
town and both he and I want you to
dine with us this evening.
" 'I hope you will excuse this in
formality, as I have already invited
Alma Huntington, and she said she
thought you would be pleased to
conle. Sincerely, Thomas Perry.'
"Jeff added a few words: 'Please
come, Paula. I want to tell you how
wonderfully the bed of old-fashioned
pinks in your mother's garden is
blooming under my mother's care.
Jeff.'
"My eyes filled with tears, and all
at once the alley into which I step
ped from the stage door after read
ing the note became my darling
mother's old-fashioned garden in my
home alas, mine no longer. I could
distinctly smell the spicy odor of tfie
homely posies.
" 'Pity, pity yaidy, won't you div
me a fower?' I looked down on one
of the sweetest babies I had ever
seen. '
" 'Of course, I will, darling,' and
quickly I put as many of the pinks.
into her hands as they would hold.
She looked like an angel over the
rosy blossoms and confidently she
pursed up her mouth for a kiss.
" 'Tank you, tank you,' she said
with a little gurgling laugh and then
a voice beside her said: 'Honey, I'll
bet you've been asking Miss Newton
for flowers.'
"I turned and faced a very pretty
woman whom I had never seen be
fore. 'It is Miss Newton, isn't it?'
she inquired.
" 'Yes,' I answered.
" 'Well, I'm Mrs. Earnest Lawton
and this is Earnestine.'
" 'For a moment I was so astonish
ed I could not speak, but the baby
helped me out of my dazed condition
by molding up her mouth to be kissed
again.
" 'I like the pity yaidy, muwer.
" 'Of course, you do, darling.' Then
turning to me, Mrs. Lawton inquired:
'Has Ruth gone out yet?'
" T think not. I got away as soon
as possible, for I aiu going out to din
ner." " 'A little frown came between the
eyes of Mrs. Lawton, but she seemed
to dismiss her annoying thoughts im
mediately. Ruth's sister and Earn
est's wife seemed absurdly young to
have evena 3-year-old child. I could
not help thinking that probably her
love story with Earnest Lawton was
much like my own. Also I know now
why I got my chance at the part of
Elga.
"One could see immediately, Mar
gie, that the part was written for
Mrs. Lawton, but when the play was
rea"dy for rehearsal the break had
come between them and chance had
flung me in the breach.
" 'I'll see if I can find Ruth. Come
along, baby child,' said Earnestine's
mother.
"I wondered if Earnest Lawton,
knew they were coming that day I"
(To Be Continued)
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