Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-10-24
Married Life the Second Year
Helen Persuades Warren to Go With Her to Buy New
Fall Hat.
By MABEL HERBERT URNER.

NbhhNA OINEhs
Il don't know, dear" doubtfully. THE
hats are all rather unusual this year"
'Unusual That's putting Il mild. I'd
call them monstrosities"
AS they crossed over 10 the elevator,
the saleslady who had stood freezingly
aloof while they walked through the
show cases, now gazed after them with
angry eyes.
When they reached the street he
paused with brief: Now, where2"
I'VE might try at Ms that's very
near"
How bout that place across the street
there2" pointing with his cane TO a small
millinery store opposite
why, yes, shall we go there7 i've
seen some very pretty things in that
window"
This time the woman who came for.
ward to meet them was undoubtedly the
owner or manager OF the shop. and her
manner was very different from the
condescending saleslady. Also her judy
ment in what would be suitable for Helen
was somewhat better.
But though the hats she brought out
we're neither so large nor so freakish.
and though Helen tried on one after an
other. yet none Of them seemed TO suit.
! The moist air had taken the curl out
of her hair and II dropped In little unbe-
coming wisps about her face. She was
warm and flushed. too, and longed for a
chance TO use her pocket powder puff.
She was looking far from her best. and
Warren was watching her with very
critical eyes
As she tried on another hat. a most
unbecomlng one, instinctively she turned
to avoid his gaze
Here, turn around. I can't see that
way No, that won't do. It's a good
looking hat but you can't wear H."
Tho words stung Helen keenly; she felt
herself flushing miserably.
| III you would wear your hair just a
little fuller suggested the woman.
Yes, I know" hastily. MY hair looks
dreadful this afternoon. I really should
not try 10 get a hat now"
Nonsense" said Warren. III you
want hat. now Is the time 70 get II.
That's what we came for, isn't Il? Here.
| try that one over there"
But that, too, was hopeless, Then War
rem insisted on going TO another place
and stil another, declaring that, since
| they had come for the hat they would
not go home at all without II.
With each hat she tried on Helen grew
more warm and flushed. and her hair
more disordered. She was wrstchedly
conscious that she was looking more I'M
attractive every moment And Warren's
gaze grew more coldly critical.
At last in desperation she decided on
one OF the hats-anythins TO get this
ordeal over.
When they reached the street he said
critically. You're mighty hard to get
a hat for-do you know that? Is 1t the
way you wear your halr-or what7'
"Oh, Warren. I've always worn my
hair like this and you used to like II.
You wouldn't want me to wear a lot Of
false puffs would your
Certainly not. But you ought to do
somethlng-.fix II different in some way.
You didn't look very wen In those hats
! can tell you that"
They went home on the top OF a bus.
At any other time she would have loved
the ride up the broad avenue with the
street lights cleaning through the misty
October dusk. But now she gazed. before
her with unhappy eyes.
She had bought q hat that abe did not
ike. that she knew she would never like.
But 1t was not Of the hat she was think.
ing. but OF Warren's cold critical apprais-
ing gaze.
What had been In his thonghts9 Had
he realized for the first time that abe
was not as young or as attractive "a
she had been? Had he seen her in an
abstract impersonal way-as he had per
haps never seen her before7