El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-08-29
Married Life the Second Year
By Mabel Herbert Urner ssj.n

over the ratings and tucked it under
the mattress on one side. leaving the
other side free to climb in.
i There, that's not badw Warren
stood back and surveyed it compla-
Gently. and I'll bet that'll do the
work, eh?''
''Oh, hope so." said Helen. IF it'll
only stay like that, but I'm afraid
when we get in
We'll. we can get in carefully
can't WEI"
They did get in most carefully.
Helen could not help but smile at
Warren's big, ue-pajamaed figure
creeping under the net so stealthily.
Now, turn the light out and come
to bed" he demanded 81 want to get
some sleep tonight"
Helen slipped in as cautiously as she
could, and in few minutes Warren
was asleep and brea thing heavily.
"Thunderationi"
I Helen was instantly awake. Warren
was sitting up in bed savagely rub
bling his arm.
"Why-why, dear-what's the mat
ter?"
'Matter?" he growled. Those infer
nal mosquitoes are in here as bad as
ever"
"Oh-oh, the net must have slipped.
Wait. dear-rll see." She slid out of
bed and turned on the light.
For a second Helen turned away to
hide a smile. Almost anyone looks
rather foolish under a mosquito net,
but Warren with his big night-robed
body, rumpled hair and angry, blink
ing eyes seemed like a surly lion
aroused from it's sleep by a disturbing
flea.
'Oh. yes; it has slipped here-from
over this railing. We must have done
that getting in. I'll pin it back"
Warren blinked at her su1kily. His
attention was now divided between a
place on his arm and the one on the
back of his neck.
'Oh, dear, I'll get you the camphor
bottle"
She brought him the camphor, and
he applied 1t with all the seriousness
of one treating a dangerous wound.
Once more Helen turned out the
light and crept into bed. But she was
hardly asleep before she was again
awakened.
This time his language was more
vigorous than before. Again she slip
ped out and turned on the lights.
Now the net was pulled up from the
foot. 1t had also dropped down in the
center, and as Warren sat up, glaring
out angrily, 1t rested against his head
and shoulders. His remarks were
growing more and more emphatic.
'Sh-, Don't dear. Wait just a
minute-Tr fix it"
We'll, take 1t out of my face then
1 don't want this Internal stuff against
me-"
Helen drew 1t down tightly, raising
the net from his face.
There! Now, listen, dear; you lie
down and let me pin this all around
you tight. And then I'll not get in
that's what pulls it up. TIL lie here on
the couch
Warren made some faint protest
about her having no net.
"Oh, the mosquitoes won't bother
me much I'll sprinkle some camphor
on the pillow That'lI help keep them
away. And you know I'm not nearly
So sensitive to them as you are"
But there's some in here now
we've got to get these out before you
pin the net down."
And here followed 10 minutes in
which Warren searched the covers and
all inside the net.
But Helen was now too tired and
too sleepy to appreciate the absurd |
picture of Warren on his knees under |
that green netting, searching with the |
utmost gravity and some profanity, for |
an Elusive mosquito or so.
George with a vigorous slap. 'T
got that one"
Then he lay down while Helen |
pinned the netting closely all around |
RAISE 1t up-dont let 1t drop down |
on my face"
She drew 1T more tightly, and at |
last 1t was all securely pinned. Then |
once more she turned out the light |
and lay down on the couch, sprink- !
ling some camphor about her.
And Warren, now undisturbed by |
mosquitoes, slept soundly. and noisily, |
through the night