El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-09-30
THE HUSBAND QUESTION
The Widow Finds Dr. Haynes Real Help.
By VIRGINIA TERHUNE VAN DE WATER

n EATRICE awoke on Sunday morn
ing with an uncomfortable con-
- seriousness of duty to be per
formed She liked to rest on Sunday.
but today she appreciated that in
SO hours she must leave town, while
before her lay what seemed to her i'm
agination to be a weeks work in the
way Of preparation foir her departure.
YEARLY she went in 10 breakfast,
and sat silent throughout the meal
Then she began with hearted in
terest to survey the tasks before her.
Rugs must be taken up, curtains taken
down, trunks hauleu up from the
depths of the basement store room by
the up-aspirinS 1anitor. Bric-a-br.lc
must be put away IN closets and sill
yer must be packed preparatory 10
lnS- These were but preliminaries,
but they were tedious and tircsome. BY
10 o'clock the once tidy apartment
apt expression, the devils wife had
had a lit in it"
Had Beatrice been In a more cheer
full or philosophical frame of mind she
would have comforted herself with the
thought that, after all, her lot was
much easier than is that of many
housewives at this seaGon OF the year
To be sure, she had al thai she could
do TO get away at the time set, but
she was taking into the country only
wearing apparel, bed linen ana table
linen.
For, in the complete little cottage in
which she was going, there would be
furniture for all the rooms, including
china, glass and cooking utensils. There
were rugs and carpets laid, while cur
talns and draperies were at windows
and DOORS The former owners wife,
who had been taken, as Helen Robbins
had thought, proVidertially ILL.,, was u
crN- a Ha.T~ 80
we'll So the cottage lacked nothing
but linen
Mixed Motives.
Yet Beatrice, kneeling on the floor
before a huge Saratoga" trunk, was
hot dusty and out of temper as she
packed her clothes for an outing which
she declared mentally she did not de-
sire. To plan 10 go was one thing, OF
do the work necessary for the summer
fitting was quite another. She would
have postponed the trip until a merci-
dared to do so. She used the word
"darned" in her thoughts and she meant
it Each time that size was tempted 10
defer her departure, DIR. Haynes's alb
rupt command REQUIRED to her, and she
resumed the agreeable task.
Yes, he had told her to go, and she
was going as he had ordered. She did
not deceive herself with the pretense
that anxiety for her child's health was
her only motive in hurrying her de-
parture. To be sure, she was uneasy
about Jean, but she had something
akin to dread of the brusque physi-
clans displeasure. The psychological
effect of his harsh command had been
great and the woman was, against her
own inclinations,. obeying him. She
hated him, she told herself, yet she
was implicitly following his COM
mands. She could not have explained
why.
Of bed linen into the living room
where the trunks were ranged-when
the door bell rang and second later
the man against whom she had
last hour STROBE into the room.
DR.. Haynes! exclaimed Beatrice,
astonished
She deposited her burden upon a
her head to arrange her roughened
hair. Il know L look a fright" she
said apologetically but I've been
working very hard. 1 had TO in order
to carry out your instructions. More
over, was not expecting company"
Her tone and manner were not cor
dial, but the man laughed good natur
edly- Bless your SOUL he said I'm
not company. I'm only the doctor,
though I did not really intend to stop
here this morning But 1 began to
cided to see her for myself how she is
progressing. / wanted to know, also
if you were following my directions"
The Doctor Helps.
morrow afternoon" answered Beatrice
coldly, although 1 doubt il I can get
my packing done today. 1t is
wearying and trying piece of work"
The man smiled good-naturedly.
oh you'll get finished packing all
right" he said with irritating optim-
ism. There comes in every job a
sticking point at which one is ready
to weep--or swear-in despair of ever
getting through And then, if yoI
drive straight ahead at it you sud
denly find that you are almost done.
Here, let me help you with that"
He stepped forward and took hold
Of one end of a heavy counterpart
Beatrice was struggling to fold.
There's no use in my standing here
all the day idle" ne went on smiling
genially. Il think I'm doing more
good helping you people on this Sab
bath day, when you are working to
get a sick child to the country. than
I would do by going to church and
listening to a sermon.
What do you thing about il, sweet
hearth"
The question was addressed to Jean
who, proppe6 among pillows on the
living room divan. had been gazing at