South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-10-28
MARRIED LIFE THE
SECOND YEAR
BY MABEL HERBERT URNER.
THE SPOKEN PROMISE


her occasional calls somehow always
managed to make Helen most uncom-
Portable.
"No-not yet-we haven't finally de-
cided upon a name yet
And she is how old-four months
isn't she?"
Not quite-three months last Tues
day"
Three months and no name-why,
l have never heard Of such a thing"
Well, we have so gotten into the
habit Of calling her just baby that we
haven't felt the need of any other
name yet"
But the child should think you
would feel you were doing her a great
injustice"
Helen depressed a smile. II doesn't
seem 10 be distressing her"
''Oh. of course, it's your child-you
can do as you please. But 1 would
feel that l had been criminally negli-
gent in my duty as mother. if 1 had
let baby of mine come to three
months without a name"
Her Attitude About 1t.
That night after dinner Helen
brought up the subject.
Warren, Mrs. Willard was here to-
day; she seemed very much shocked
We'll, what of it; il doesn't concern
her, does it?"
NO but I suppose we really
oughtn't to wait any longer; we should
decide upon something"
We'll, thatsNup to you"
Helen flushed at his curt, slangy
manner. why, l thought you had
some interest in it."
who said l hadn't?"
You spoke as though
Il said it was up to you, and it is.
Didn't you object to every name moth
er or father suggested? Dodn't you
say it was your baby and you were GO
ing to call it what you-pleased?"
"Oh, Warren, you know l never said
such a thing"
We'll. if you didn't say it-you i'm
piled it so strong that there wasn't
much doubt about your meaning"
But that was your father and
mother-nOt you. l never implied
anything about your right to name our
baby"
You never seemed over anxious for
my help. I thought you had half
dozen names you wanted TO think over
and finally decide upon"
81 did. / wanted GeneVieve or Mil
dred, but somehow 1 don't like either
of them now"
The Way He Suggested.
81 should think not! 1 told you
they sounded like third-rate novel"
well, I've a long list upstairs; shall
l get it? We can 60 over them now"
mo, I've a better way than that"
He went out into the hall and return
ed with the telephone book.
1.-The telephone book"
Yes, the telephone book" as he sat
down and put it on the table before
him.
Its the place to get name for
everything; why not for the baby?"
"Oh, Warren, you can't be serious
you wouldn't name our baby out of the
telephone bOok?"
"Why not? tn suggest names you
never thought of; it's a darn sight bet
ter than your list upstairs"
He opened ii a randOm-at the HIS.
Helen was leaning over his shoulder
in amazed silence.
mo here"-running his finger down
the column
but they are all mems names!"
mot all. Here-Mrs. Sarah j."
Sarah Surely, Warren"
Now, just hold on; nobody sug-
gested Sarahl Mrs. Elizabeth r."
Your father suggested Elizabeth"
Miss Amelia E."
"Oh. I've never liked Amelia. 1t
sounds So-sO-meeki"
"And If the baby is anything like
her mother she'll not be meek, Ell?
Mrs. George H.-why on earth don't
she use her own name? Here's an
other-Mrs. Richard land mil
liner. too. Now Kitten. whenever you
start a millinery shop you'll please not
use my name. Do you understand
short and Simple.
She laughed and kissed him on the
collar. He had been so irritable late
" that she responded eagerly to any
thing like tenderness. And Kitten was
one of his old pet names for her that
she always loved.
Miss Ida F.-Ida-Ida! How do
you like that? Its short and simple.
"Oh. no-no. | rad a cousin Ida
whom I never liked, and l always as
ISOLATED her with the name
We'll. here comes the hospitals and
the hotels-I guess we can skip those
He turned to the next page.
my. what a lot of Towards and
Howe's." as she settled herself on the
arm of his chair. And they don I
look interesting-let's turn to another!
I don't think J like the HIS" with a
laugh. Lets try something else
She lifted his hand from the book
and opened it to another place. "!
Van Dusen. Van Dyke-that sounds
impressive; let's see along here"
Again he started at the head of the
page and ran MS nnger DOWN the SOl-
umn.
Miss NJ. F. that's enlightening!
Mrs Helen-by Jove, here you are
Mrs. Helen z. Van Norden. Hair
Drsg. What on earth is Hair Drsg. =
Hair Dressing, of course"
"Oh, we'll. since you've taken up
that business"
Helen laughed. But at least L m
using my own name"
Mrs Caroline c. Miss Winifred
L."
"Winifred." Helen caught his arm.
''Winifred! Winifred, Oh. I've always
loved that-and / haven't thought OF
il, Winifred. Winifred. Curtis! Don't
YOU like it," eagerly.
yes. that's all right"
We'll. shall we decide il now? Shall
we eau her Winifred p
Settled" as he closed the book.
so the telephone book served the pur-
pOse-didn't it,"
oh" slipping from the arm of the
chair into his lap, the telephone book
is wonderful, Winifred, Winifred
Curtis! Dear. that's the sweetest
name,"
HIS DEFENSE.