South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-10-30
MARRIED LIFE THE
SECOND YEAR
BY MABEL HERBERT URNER.
THE SPOkEN PRONUSE.

family Christmas dinner. Inc dinner
was TO be at two o'clock and after
dinner there was TO be a tree for the
grandchildren. The grandchil-
dren" Of course meant Carries chill
dren, for Helen's baby was only four
months old.
Helen knew that she must go; for
Warren's sake she would have TO go.
But she looked forward to il with
anything but pleasure.
She knew that Carrie and Carries
children" would be the center OF IN
terest they always were. She never
went there 10 a family dinner that she
aid not come away hurt and indignant
at some slight or fragrant inattention.
Warren said il was partly her fault
because she was always cold and re-
served with his people. But now
could she help that when she never
felt comfortable or at ease with them?
And she had never forgotten nor for
given their treatment of her wncn
she f,-st went there as bride.
CtN had had all the family at her
house for dinner Thanksgiving. But
Helen had positively refused 10 go.
She knew they would have to go to his
mothers for Christmas. and she told
Warren most emphatically that she
would not go To both. So he made
the excuse that they wanted one holi-
day dinner alone together.
HeIen's Turn.
OF course Carrie had not liked it
indirectly Helen had heard as much.
And Yet. IL she had gone, she know
Carrie would have managed in some
subtle way TO make her most uncom-
fortable-she always did.
But now the worst Of it was that it
was her time to have them all for New
Years. Since she didn't want them
she would have given anything TO
have gotten out of it, but it was so
plainly her turn.
While, of course. she had some of
them at various times to tea or dinner,
she had not given a formal dinner for
his people since she had been married.
Warren had suggested il several
times, but on one excuse or another
she had always managed TO put ii off.
But now he insisted that it must be
New Years.
So il had all been arranged almost
a month ago. His father and mother.
and Robert, Frank and Edith made
five. And Carrie. her husband and
her three children. five more. and she
and WarrenA12 in all.
They had counted il all out. Their
dining room would seat IL, but IL
would be somewhat crowded.
The fact that she had not gone to
Carries Thanksgiving dinner might
mean that Carrie would not come.
Helen secretly hoped that she
wouldn't but as yet she didn't know.
The Holiday Burden.
Never before had Helen dreaded the
holidays as she did this year. A dozen
times a day she found herself wishing
they were over. If only she and War
rem could spend them alone together,
or with a few congenial friends, But
his people dominated everything.
Warren had been raised with the
idea that the holiday time was one of
close family reunions. But he did
not seem to realize that as they were
not her people, how hard il all was
for Helen.
And the baby made it harder. She
had always secretly resented the fuss
and attention that were given to Car
rie's children, but now that she had
one of her own, which she felt would
not receive half the attention, she
knew how much more jealous and re-
sentful she would be.
She felt that it would be much bet
ter not to take the baby to the Christ
mas dinner She wanted TO say that
Winifred had a cold and had 10 Oe
left with the nurse-that, too, would
give an excuse for leaving early. But
Warren had insisted most strongly
that the baby must go. On that point
he seemed immovable.
And she knew he was planning to
spend the whole day. Dinner was
TO be at two, the Christmas tree after
that, and then they were invited to
stay for supper and the evening.
Premonitory Feast.
1t would be the first time she had
| ever had the baby there. How could
she act? Suppose the strange sur
roundings should brighten her? What
| if she should cry most of the time?
| Helen pictured her own modification
/ and Carries quiet air Of superiority,
! for Carries babies had always been
| good" She was constantly being told
what model babies they had been.
But there was another reason why
! she dreaded to take the baby-a rea-
! son she did not like to admit even 10
( herself. While Winifred was far pref
! tier than when she was born, she was
still not a beautiful baby. No
amount of mOther-love could make
| Helen think that.
She was not homely-her little fea~
lures were straight and very good.
| Her hair was so fine and silky and so
! light in color that il looked as though
there were none at all.
And Carries babies had all been
beautiful" even when they were
young The young family had pictures
/ OF them everywhere. Lawrence, Car
l
the number Of babies pictures Helen
| thought he must have spent most Of
his time photographing them.
Dread and jealousy.
They were taken in their bath. in
their baby asleep-in all
conceivable poses. And they were al
ways pretty. Why Helen had TO ad-
NIT that.
They all had beautiful dark hair,
and plenty OF IL. And now TO take
Winifred with her little bald head,
and have them compare her with the
pictures of Carries babies" that
| hung everywhere.
, She couldn't tell Warren of her
feelings about this. he wouldn't un-
| derstand. And even If he would, still
she couldn't have told him. Her
mother pride would guard. even from
! her husband the secret fear that she
might not be proud Of her baby.
Everything together. she felt she
had never dreaded the holidays as she
dreaded them this year
And the presents. The whole fam
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