The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1912-12-12
HELEN'S WAKING UP.

"Helen seems to be more ornamen-
tai than useful"
The words were spoken in the sew
ing-room, and Helen, who was toast
ing her slippered feet by the library
Preside while she lay comfortably
back in an easy chair, overheard
them. She knew the speaker; 1t was
Mrs. Willis, neighbor and old friend
of the family who had a way of ex-
pressing her opinions very freely. She
was speaking to the seamstress, now
long resident in Helen's home. Helen
wondered what Miss Green would say
in reply; Miss Green said:
"Helen is very capable. She, her
self, doesn't yet know how capable.
She will wake up one of these days"
The maid here entered to tidy the
room and Helen took a magazine and
strolled into the sitting-room. Seat
ing herself on a couch, she was soon
lost in a story when she heard her
two aunts, who had just descended
the stairs from a morning call to her
mother, speaking Of her.
VINE Is f16l0u! why UOoSu she
take hold and help now that her
mother is laid up? l believe, Agnes,
never saw girl of her age so utter
ly Indifferent to the affairs of life as
she is. Why, at her age you were
quite womanly and l was bearing a
good deal of responsibility"
'Be patient, Lois, Helen is only
sixteen; hardly more than a child in
years and certainly child in her I'M
consciousness. She will wake up and
find herself before very long, I am
sure"
'Thank you, Aunt Agnes" said
Helen to herself as the aunts let
themselves out at the front door. At
this moment, Ralph, Helen's twelve
year-old brother, came in, crying:
"Helen! Where are you and what
are you doing? Come! look at my
new tools and tell me what to make
with them"
20 Ralph, you can make less noise
the easiest of anything, and I wish
you'd do it. Go away and don't both
er me, that's a good boy"
"No, Miss, you've got to wake up
and tell me what mamma would like
made"
But Helen did not wait to hear
any more. She rose and assembled to
lay down on couch and prepared tc
read undisturbed. In few minutes,
however, she heard her fathers step
on the stairs. He entered her moth
er's room, leaving the door ajar, and
said:
''I think, Mary, there is no way but
to get a housekeerer. With such
good help in the kitchen one would
think Helen might take the direction
of affairs, but l suppose that is too
much to expect"
'FNow that it is vacation she has
time and could do it if she were will
ing, but I fear have neglected my
duty to Helen. She has seemed, for
a year or two. so apathetic that !
have left her to herself hoping that
she would wake up to the fact that
life holds some responsibility for her.
but I am afraid that l have waited
too long"
Never mind. Mary, cannot have
you worry over it now. 1 believe
Helen has capability and know she
is too much her mothers daughter
not to have a good heart Let us
hope she will soon wake up"
Helen rose and walked inpatient
ly about the room.
wake upi Wake up! Wake up!'
repeated she. Zone would think ]
had taken a narcotic and that every.
body is anxious for the drug to spend
itself. What do they want me to
do? There is Stebbins in the kitchen
and even mamma never gives her any
directions; then the second girl is ex
pected to keep the house neat, and
Miss Green always does the sewing
and mending. AS for Ralph and Amy
they are not babies and I don't see
what am needed to do. OF course
things are a little irregular since
mamma is confined to her room, bu
dare say everything will be all righ
before her sprained ankle gets we'll.
With this comforting assurance
Helen thought to dismiss the subject
but the subject would not be dismiss
ed. wake up! Wake up! Wake
up!" seemed to be ringing in he
ears, and the words spread them
selves over the printed page. Sh,
closed her book and thought sh,