El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-05-20
Married Lies Troubles
Helen With Difficulty Selects a New
Dress From the BaIkan-Hued
Spring Silks.
By MnbeI Herbert Urne
brown broadcloth suit, II


denly shabby and dusty as she came
out in the bright spring sunlight
As she took out her carfare. even
her brown suede gloves looked con
spiciOusly dark and dusty DeSlue tlle
fresh gray kids that held, with an ar
OF superior daintiness, a gold meshed
bag.
The air was quite chilly in spite Of
the brilliant sunlight, yet the brown
suft seemed suddenly much too warm
and too heavy. The realization LnIt
spring is far advanced and thaU she
has no spring clothes IS 0lslnay ING
one to any woman
material for an afternoon gown some
thing in fOulard or some SOFT summer
silk IT would take her two weeks
before she could get it made, and she
she left the car and hurried in TO
the silk counter the most crowded OF
all
There was no chance of being waited
on for some time. But Htien was glad
OF the opportunity TO look over the
many silks displayed on the counter
and draped on skirt forms over the
shelves.
Had Nothing Else.
Just why American women should
wear barbaric hues because there has
been a war in the Balkans was not
quite clear to Helen, and she had no
intention fOf making herself consplc-
uous for any such freakish fashion
But when the clerk was Tree TO " ant
on her she found they had almost Moth
ing in quiet colorings and small de-
signs. ''Everything's large figured and
bOrdered this season. he informed her
Then haven't you something from
last season that is more quiet2'
I'VE never carry anything over"
haughtily, with q glance that i'm
piled she must be a most peculiar
person 10 want anything from last
season
some other shop. and Helen hurried
out.
The counters were covered at the
next store with a confusion of bolts,
which the over rushed statesmen had
not had time to put back As Helen
glanced over these she started Joyfully.
Here at last was just what she wanted
"a dull pastel blue fOulard with a
tiny indistinct white figure
The bolt was underneath several
others but on the exposed end was
marked the width and prlce-4z IN
$500" It was more than Helen wanted
70 pay, but all the silks were hle'l
this spring, and she was so relieved
10 find something quiet amid this
glaring effulgence of color that the
words six yards OF this, please nov
cred on her lips. but the customer the
clerk was now serving, an excessively
earrings. was plainly taking her time
The Fat Woman.
I've showed you everything we
have, madam" answered the clerk with
an unmistakable note Of WEAKNESS
Wen, let me see that piece with
the purple figure again Didn't you
show me something with a purple IlS-
ure on a red and orange ground2 Yes.
that's it." throwing an end OF the SILK
over her arm and viewing 1t compla-
Gently.
Helen gasped as she pictured this
ponderousIy fat woman in a dress OF
that silk.
expect to wear il at the seasnore--you
don't think the salt air would fade tt2.
The clerk srayely assured her mat
the colors were fast
We'll. this isn't quite what want
but ] suppose III take it she muir
INJURED at length, reluctantly y on re
quite sure You haTen't anything you
haven't shown me that 1 might IKE
betterg
Madam. I've shown you every piece
of foulard in stock" helplessly.
"Well. six and a half yards Of TINS,
then" in an injured tone that Implied
she had been hurried to her decision
Helen gave a quite audible sigh OF
relief The clerk measured OF the SILK
and took out his scissors.
"Oh, wait-just a moment. Before
you cut it-just let me see this oIner
piece again I wonder after all II
wouldn't like this better2 Yet don't
quite like that striped effect. There
was one here very much like Jnis
without that-Oh, here it is Now, II
could see this in the light
A Terrible Customer.
''You didn't show me that, did you2"
pointing to a piece the clerk next 10
them was showing
That's taffeta, madam. You said
you wanted only foulard-"
We'll, of course, II can't get What
I want in fOulard / may have to take
taffeta- Let me see what you have
anyway"
By this time Helen felt that she
herself wanted to shrek. yet with
perverse curiosity she was determined
to see it through
With divine patience the clerk now
brought out bolt after bolt OF tafieta.
When he finally said: That is all we
have in taffetss, madam sbe again
went back to fOulards. To have room
to show the taffetas he had put some
of the fOUlards away. These he got
out once more.
those are exactly what I want But
you can give me a sample Of this. And
yes-T1l take one. Of this, too on,
thank you"
And She walked off sereneIy.
With the same eXpressionless face
the clerk turned to Helen
I'll take six yards Of this, please
The astonishingly brisk curtness OF
Helen's voice was due both to her
tensenes and to q perYerse desire to
emphasize the switness Of her decision
She hoped the other woman heard her.
Yes, madam in grateful apprecla-
ton. as he pulled out the bolt
But to Helen's horror, when she saw
the other end she discovered that 1t
had a six inch border Of glaring greens
and yellOWs.
She gave a little gasp and stared
at ii in dismay-
ooh, wait. just a mOmentW as the
clerk started TO measure it off
Was there a faint mockery in his
glance as he looked up2
Have you anything like this with
out a border2" Helen asked, timidly-
NO, madam, but 1 viii show you
what We have"
Helen was thinking very fast She
had seen all the other silks as he had
shown them to that WOman-and there
was nothing among them. She could
take this and cut the border off! The
clerk had placed before her several
bolts and was now watching, her with
the same lack Of expression Plainly
he was expecting another siege Per
haps it was this that goaded Helen
into saying quickly, almost defiantly;
mo. you needn't show me anything
else. You may give me eight yards OF
this instead of six. III cut of the
border"