El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-06-04
THE HUSBAND QUESTION
NOhngs Afuttern
By VIRGINIA TERHUNE VAN DE WATER

VI AN lie " ALEk-
care how fast the indicator hand went
around nor how many dollars IT
licked off When she hired a taxi for
herself she wondered If she would not
get eye-strain before her destination
was reached from staring fearfuuy
ahead of her at that moving finger"
that never paused
Il am in no hurry she said. lean
ing back comfortably, although / do
feel like a naughty child staying out
as late as this Fortunately my dear
little boy and girl are fast asleep
and would not know whether 1 got
home at 10 or at ."
Talk of Chif6ren.
Tell me about them" said Robert
How old are they"
Beatrice was glad to talk of the
children and to give him the desired
particulars about them, saying that
Jean was five and Jack seven, and
gong into many details Of their
bright and winning ways as is the
manner Of devoted mothers It's
doubtful If her listener appreciated
much that was told him. although he
laughed approximately at the right
times he was watching her animated
face in the dim light. and finding
hers a very charming personality.
At last she became conscious of his
gaze and checked her talk abruptly.
Il must bore You she exclaimed
apOlOgetically- 81 never thought how
much I was talking about two little
people whom YOU have never seen.
and Of whim. you have never heard
until tonight
Indeed you do not bore me-" PRO
tested Maynard ~On the contrary
am interested in children. although
with a regretfuI note in his voice
4 nave none Of my own If / had
/ would not be as lonely as 1 am now.
and my home would hold more charm
for me-
Jealous Pang.
Beatrice had an involuntary thought
Of self cOngratulatiOn that he had no
children. Even now she was conscious
Of pang Of jealousy toward the wOm-
an whom he had once loved and she
knew that she would not be happy II
she knew that he had living children
who demanded his time and his affec
tons But she spoke sympathetcallys
chidinE herself inwardly for her mar
row and petty thoughts.
You must be lonely indeed But for
my boy and girl would often IND life
too dreary to bear But they make it
worth living
Then she asked him if he would mind
telling her tbout himself, his work and
his interest. He, like all men and most
women, liked to talk of himself and
hsi affairs, and before long he was
speaking of his dead wife, feeling per-
haps that in cOnversinS Of her to an
other woman he was making some sort
Of amends for having forgotten her
for most of the evening Beatrice let
him talk on; in fact, she forced herself
to encourage him to do so. When at
last he stopped as they neared her
door, she thanked him for his conIl-
dence.
You see we have both suffered she /
reminded him. so We can sympathlze
with each other
"sweet Sympathy"
As ne helped her from the cab he
NJ M HnrrN
Thank YOU for your sweet sm-
pathy" he murmured. You would not
believe me il / tried to tell you how
much il has helped me-
He went with her 20 the door OF her
apartment but she, mindfhl OF the
proprieties, bade him good night there,
1T has been an almost perfect eve
ming" she said. and thank you Tor
all you have done to make II So
And I thank you for making 1t en-
tirelv perfect. for YOU have made it
that to me-you and YOU only
poor Helen and her tn e2tec tiekess
at two dollars eacfi But after an, she
might have thought rhe game worth
the candle and she knew of this con-
NAV I call soon AMI see sou and get
acquainted with the KID ticsF Maynard
asked as he held Beatrice's hand for
moment longer than was actually nee
@Certainlv-but please let me know
beforehand when you are coming. that
/ NAV be sure TO be at home" she sus-
gested. And. with a bright nod AMI
smile, she went into her apartment
closing the door softly, that sha kid
dies" might not be awakened.
Her Big Fairy.
When she got into bed little Jean.
Iying beside her stretched sleeDuy and
threw one arm about her mothers neck
Il was linking about yJu in my
dweams. Muvver,' muttered the little
girl. And 1 saw nice big fAiry
bwinging YOU home"
"One did" whispered eBatricc, kiss
ing the child. But Jean was toe
sleepy to ask for an explanation