Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-11-02

were undecided a friend of mothers
who was giving up housekeeping told
me about this girl, and 1 engaged her
on the spot. Bob didn't like it. He
thinks 1 should have consulted him,
and now you see he will always be
prejudiced against Della"
Della was moving about the dining
room quietly putting things away.
From where she was sitting Helen
could see across the hall, and the
girl certainly seemed to know what
she was doing.
Don't worry about it until you
have to-" turning to Louise. Bob
will forget all about it in the course
of a few days"
Il suppose so. Let's go on in the
front, they'll be wondering what has
become of us"
Warren was lounging in an easy
chair smoking a cigar, and Bob was
looking through some snapshots that
he had taken from the drawer in the
center table.
Louise" said Helen, suddenly re-
membering something, Il have a
use-warming gift for you - how
stupid of me to forget" and she dis
appeared suddenly into the bedroom,
coming out a second later with a
small brown bag in her hand.
"A present for me-" said Louise,
holding out her hand; how exciting!''
For you and Bob. Don't get too
eXcited-its just a bag of salt"
Yes, she would bring it, scoffed
Warren. Silly superstition, 1 call it,"
Helen checked an angry retort. Its
an old German CUSTOM" she explained.
"A bag of salt as a housewarming gift
10 nd
piness."
II. think it's a sweet idea" said
Louise warmly "Of course you
couldn't expect Warren to approve of
anything so romantic-he's too old and
worldly. Are you going to call it
silly, too, Bob?"
Not if it's going to bring us hap
piness," he said softly, taking the bag
from Louise and holding her hand for
moment before he released it. Bob
still respected Louises feelings,
thought Helen gladly, in spite of the
family habit of bossing that both men
had inherited from their father.
L guess you'd get your fill of hap
piness without that bag of salt" said
Warren, still skeptcally. Women
have the craziest ideas about thing
like that. Silly superstition, L call it,
nothing else
Everybody doesn't thing as you
do, Warren" Why did Warren always
have to spoil everything? 1t was such
small thing to be agreeable about,
and to scoff at 1t took away all the
sweet thoughts that Helen had had
when she made the gift.
when women get as sensible as
men they won't be depending upon
superstitions for happiness"
Little things like this" said Louise
firmly, ARE what make life worth liv-
if you like; l call them breathing
spaces on a hard, rough road. OIL
course, after all, it's all q matter of
opinion, and as it's always hard to
change mans opinion, l never try!'
Helen smiled tremulously and War
passed pleasantly enough and it
wasn't until later when Helen was
for bed, and Warren was
having a last smoke before retiring, |
that anything more was said on the
subject.
Il tell you," he said, throwing away
his cigar and coming into the rom
Louise is a very clever
woman. I never knew until tonight
that she had so much brains
She gave you to understand that
she has a mind of her own" said
Helen, who was hanging her suit
away in the wardrobe at the time, so
that Warren did not understand what
she said. !
Whats that" And then as Helen |
did not answer "I tell you, a man
likes to hear a woman express her
ideas on a subject sometimes; that is, I
if she has anything to say
Most women would have a great |
deal to say If they were given an op-
portunity a little oftener," returned !
Helen, who was thoroughly reused. |
And for once Warren was too sur
prised to answer.