South Bend news-times., 1913-09-11
By MABEL HERBERT URNER,
AFTER THE HONEYMOON

ton across the breakfast table to
Warren. And 10 VIII Carter"
Warren gla1ces at it and laid it
aside.
well" slipping his coffee, hes
pretty decent sort Of a chap, isn't
hep"
Yes. I suppose so-but not at all
the kind Of man thought Estelle
would marry"
Well, she isn't as young as she
washer choice may be limited"
"Oh. Warren, how unkind!"
IT'S true, isn't it?"
You've always disliked her!"
"Oh, 1 wouldn't put it as strong
as that. merely never fancied her
that's ALL"
but why?" Reflling his empty
cup.
'she talks too much-and doesn't
always tell the truth"
Hitting at Her Failures"
Yes, she does talk a great DEAL"
Helen admitted. But 1 didn't know
she was untruthful.'
"She exaggerates and tells things
always a little different from what
they are"
Helen flushed, uncomfortably con-
! scious that she. too, had that failing
to some extent.
and prevaricate more or less about
little things-they are not as exact
| and literal as men,"
We'll, 1 have no tolerance for un-
truthfulness in any form. There's no
excuse for it. If, as you say, most
women prevaricate-then 1 certainly
hope that you are an exception"
Helen crumbled her toast nervous
| ly. She knew that she was not an
i aXcRnfiOn fo
truthful in her statements Never
about anything serious, but in harm
less trivial ways she often resorted
to the little evasions and subterfuges
that are the stock-in-trade of most
women.
With Warren she tried always to
be exactly literal. She knew and
deviation from the truth. But she
feared, too, that sooner or later she
would forget and unconsciOusly slip
into some fight falsehood or equivo-
cation which he would detect
And now anxious TO change the
subject. she asked nervously
What shall we get for a wedding
present? You know Estelle and her
mother gave us that silver vase"
He frowned. THE Hardmans are
wealthy-we can't afford anything so
expensive"
But we can't send anything
cheap"
But something simple and in good
taste. 1t needn't be expensive They
wouldn't expect it,"
We'll. what would you suggest"
He hesitated. "Oh, ] can't think
of anything just nOw-something use
ful and inexpensive. This idea OF
giving extravagant presents because
others do is all wrong. Gifts should
, be a free expression of ones good
will-they shouldn't be forced or be-
yond ones means"
Yes, l know-but if you'll give me
some idea Of what TO get"
Il told YOU" irritably, II couldn't
think Of anything just now. But
there are plenty Of useful and simple
things. Look through the shops-a
dozen things will suggest them.
selves"
About what do you think we
"Oh. not more than five or six
dollars"
Five or six dollars! Why. War
rem. l couldn't get anything for that.
I'd rather not send anything at ALL"
That will suit me quite as we'll"
"Our expenses have been heavy
enough in furnishing this apartment.
I've no intention of adding TO them
! He pushed back his chair and rose
from the table. It's after nine. III
be late as il is.
He kissed her coldly, perfunctorily,
and was gone.
Five or six dollars for a wedding
present for Estelle Hardman! The
! angry color famed in her cheeks And
the vase she had given them had
cost thirty at least,
The Wedding Present Found
/ Was Warren as mercenary as
that? Their expenses had been
heavy, Of course, but they had plan
ned for that And now
which one Z them silver bread
| plates, MIN, did you say for me TO
use ?" Anna had come in and was
clearing off the table.
"Oh, yes, Anna, why that one
there on the end of the sideboard.
It's palmer than the others and
easier to keep polished. III put the
/ other two away in the china closet.
I We don't need them all out"
And then like a flash came the
/ thought-why not send Estelle one of
| the silver bread plates! They had re-
| ceived three as wedding presents.
They would never need them all.
She rushed over TO the sidebOard.
The one Warren's Uncle Joe had
/ given them! Fortunately IL was not
| engraved. She would TAXI TO a silver
I smiths at once and have il marked
\ with Estelle'S initials.
1 Warren would be furious If he
/ knew. But he would never miss it.
! He need never know.
And il wasn't wrong, she assured
/ herself, trying TO silence an uneasy
/ cOmpunctiOn. She had often heard of
] people giving away their duplicate
( wedding presents. She felt uncom-
/ Portable when she thought OF how
/ Warren would view such a thing. But
/ Warren was unnecessarily strict
about many things-and besides he
need never know,