The Washington herald., 1914-09-14
TRE MARRIED .lIFE OF HELEN AND WARREN
By MABEL HERBERT URNER.
NOra's Sunen Spells Are Most Trying, and Helen De-
cides to Let Her Co.
CouWnas. ma,
Of Their Married LEs," Author Of ~Ths ]
Neglected Wife," The Woman Alone" Etc.

down the dish. How much had she
heard?
For the rest of the evening Helen
felt vaguely uncomfortable. She
thought of Nora out there brooding
alone, thinking, no doubt, they were
still talking her over" She could
never bear to feel that they were
two against one-and Nora was 50
aloneI
Finally, yielding to her uneasiness,
she went out to the kitchen. The
door Of Nora's room was open, but
she was not there.
NoraP she called, uncertainty.
On = warm night she sometimes
went up to the roof, but never with
out permission, and never so late a.
this.
Only yesterday Helen had read
about servant hurting herself from
the window because she was home
sick and lonely. The next moment
she was out IN the hall Not wait
ing for the elevator she darted up
the stairs.
As she stepped out on the roof q
rain drop splashed IN her face, Il
was 4 heat shower. The drops came
faster, rattling heavily on the tin
roofing. The rumble Of a cab came
up family from the street below.
Nora was not there. The roof was
deserted. Helen turned to 60 down,
then paused. What was that over
by the chimney? Something moved.
Il was Nurs, huddied against the
chimney, her head on her arms.
why, Nora, what are you doing
up here in the rain|
No answer except a choking sob.
You'll be sick" Helen shook her
lightly. her thin waist was damp.
Il don't care" sobbingiy.
well, / do. / can't afford to have
you sick on my hands"
The heartlessness of this remark
struck Helen, but it had its effect II
checked Nors's emotionalism. With
out a word she rose and started
down Determinedly Helen follow
ed her to her room.
Mora, you're not happy here. You
say your mother wants you 70 come
back to Ir.land-now. why don't
you go1"
Helen was not prepared for the
storm Of tears that followed.
Hush, Nora hushr r Sternly.
They'll hear you outside II you
won't 60 back home, then why don't
you get another place where you'll
have only chamber work. You'd
Like that better, I'm sure"
Gradually Nora sobbed out that
she didn't want another place, that
she had heard what they said about
the 18th, but that she wanted TO stay.
Helen, helpless before this hySteEi-
cal outburst, finally promised to give
her another moath's trial, another
chance to conquer her sullennesk
Reassured BY this, Nora quieted
down, but Helen left her with vague
misgiVingE. Already she half re-
gretted her promise
Where IN the deuce have you
beenS~ demanded Warren
With Nora 1 told you she over
heard uJ at dinner" Then resign
ediy: Tive promised to give her an
other months trial
For the love Of Mike That
makes how many times you've dis
charged and taken her back7"
Only once before, dear. And
this time, if she doesn't improve
she'll have to 60. l told her that
distinctly"
We'll, BY lingo" STOPPING for his
paper with 4 disdainful shrug, that
girls got your number. She can
work you to the limit.
Absently, Heien tidied her work
basket, wound up the Spools, and
thrust pins and needles into the
cushion Warren was
right Nora did impose on her. No
one else woufd put up with her sui
len oSstinaey. Why had she prom
iSed to keep her? For the moment
bar resentment against Nora hard
med into a positive dislike.
Mechanically she opened q tightly
folded envelope and poured into her
hand some bullet-ike pearl buttons
W had they come from7 They
had zen on that old silk waist she
1ad given Nora for a dust cloth, and
Nora had carefully cut them of and
put them here
They were a mute testimony of
Nora's loyalty and economy. She
was always doing just such things.
No other girl ever worked % whole
for their iuterest.N
And it was only lately that she
lad begun to slight her work. She
rad said she was not well; perhaps
The was tired, overworksd. She had
been with them over a year with
,ut a days rest or change.
Slowly, thoughtfuily, Helen put
,sck the buttons, refolded the en-
Telope, then turned to Warren with
IN abrupt,
Dear, how long has Miss Middle
on been with your
Bout a year. WhyT
You're going to give her a vaca-
ion this summer
"Sure. Two weeks this month.
Nhy?"
Nothing. I was Just wondering"
The stenographer would get her
Tacation, that was taken for grant
ID. Why not the Servant2 Her
lours were longer and her work
more moAotonous. No wonder Nora
vas growing sullen and irritable.
She was never away from that kitch-
n or her little room adjoining II.
Warren, about how much does it
,oEt to go to some nearby seashore
or a weekl / mean for someone
Who has to 90 cheaply. Not to a
'ig hotel, but just to cheap board
ng-house?"
'What're you driving at, anyway?
Miss Middleton can engineer her
'wn vacation"
Il wasn't thinking of Miss Mid
Ileton." musinsiy Then, with sud-
en- briskness, Dear, do you know