South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-09-30
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: MARRIED LIFE THE
FIRST YEAR AFTER
THE HONEYMOON
BY Mabel Herbert Urner.

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At last came a day and night full
OF terror. Four hours Helen lay IN
conscius while Warren could only
walk helplessly up and down the hall.
every cry from her room tearing
through his heart.
Now and then the doctor or nurse
same out for some needed article. but
only 10 hurry back again. They had
no time to reassure him. And their
grave. anxious faces only added 10 the
could fear he was so desperately
fighting. To lose her now.
The heavy odor OF iodoform filed
the apartment. And ever afterward
the scent Of that drug could bring
back TO him the memory Of this night.
The front room. his room, the hall.
the dining room and kitchen-again
and again he paced back and forth
through them all.
The closed door of her room and
the nursery-FOr months afterward
he could not see both Of those doors
closed without feeling some of the fear
and horror that overwhelmed him
now.
He had wanted his mother to be
here. But Helen had begged that
there be no one but the doctor the
nurse and Anna. And at this time he
could refuse her nothing.
The Doctors Orders.
She had wanted. too. that he should
be with her. Her last whispered
words were that he should not leave
the room-not for a moment. But
when she became unconscious the
doctor had forbidden him to stay.
He had insisted on remaining until
the doctor told him CURLY that the
case was critical enough as it was, and
that he would not be responsible if
all his orders were not strictly obeyed.
And he had gone out with wretch
ed feeling of having deserted and be
trayed her when she was helpless to
prevent it--and at the time she told
him she would need him most.
She had feared chlorofOrm and un-
consciousness above everything else. Ii
was the dread of the unknown that
had so terrified her.
And now every moan from her room
seemed a piteous cry for him. He
would feel that he must rush in-that
at any cost he must be at her side.
And then the fear Of the doctors
words would hold him back.
He would go to the farthest window
of the front room that he might be out
of reach of every southland yet
something always drew him back to
her door.
Anna made him a cup of strong
coffee which she insisted that he must
drink. Her kindly Irish face was full
of sympathy and distress. He gulped
down the coffee and began again his
restless wandering back and forth.
On the table in the sitting room was
! IL Iar bod 1aff
it. And folded beside it was tiny
white garnet with threaded needle
still in the seam.
His MANY Memories.
He sat down by the table. and with
awkward reverent fingers touched the
little garment and the dainty fittings
of the basket-the slender shining
scissors, the. blue silk needle book, the
strawberry bag and the silver thimble
that was too small for even his small
est finger.
He remembe the day he had sud
denly taken her in his arms while she
was sewing. and she had laughingly
pricked him with her needle, and
then with one of her childish whims
had tried to fit the thimble on his fin
ger. and had spread his big hand out
and put her own little one over it
laughing at the difference in the size
and whiteneSs.
Many such foolish little memories
now flashed through his mind, things
that had seemed so trivial at the time,
but that now seemed SO precious
And still other memories came
memories of his Impotence and sell
fishness, Of his cold rebUffs TO her
pitiful little appeals for love.
How many times she had sat on the
arm Of his chair the very chair he
was sitting in now. and had wanted to
kiss him, TO 'purr" over him, as she
called it. And he had impatiently
drawn away and asked to be left alone
that he wanted to read his paper.
How hungry she had always been
for his caresses, and until lately how
few he had given her. She had need
ed love as a plant needs water. He
had felt that all along, and yet. some
how her very clinging little appeals
for love had irritated him. The more
she had wanted, the less he had given.
Waiting-Just Waiting.
From her room came the sound Of
a stifed cry. He started toward her
but the closed door held him back.
Would they never let him so 20 her?
All the love he had ever withheld
seemed now burning into his heart If
he might only have a chance to atone
he would love her so tenderly as
she so longed to be loved. If only she
would get well-if only!
He was still holding the little
thimble. He walked back TO the table
and let il fall into the basket. What
if she should never wear il again.
What if all these things must be put
away?
He looked around the room-every
where was some evidence of herself
of her personality What would