El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-02-16
Mabel Herbert liners Great Series
] Married Life's Troubles
Helen Is AstOunded at an Incident at the Wedding of
Wanen's Stenographer
BY MABEL HERBERT URNER


Then the bride, seeing her, quickl!
came forward and introduced her nus
I band. In that mOmentary glimpse O.
him, Helen's impression was JhaL M
/ was much flushed and nervous. Per
maps that awful yep had Deen ONLY
( the result of sheer nervousness. Al
/ least she wanted to think that
J Now won't you all come out IN tnt
I dining ROOM" some one asked
( The parlOr had been close, put the
dining room was suffocatlngly not
/ There was q glowing coal stove ana
/ all the windows were closed J1t zen
! could hardly breathe.
I Against the wall was square UNI
ing table generously spread win
( chicken salad, sandwiches, pride 5
) cake and punch. They all stood around
and helped themselves. But Mrs Perry'
wishing to be especially hoSpltaDIe 10
Helen, brought her a plate of refresh
ments and insisted on her taxing
( chair by the glowing stove.
Warren Unbends.
Warren, with his easy good 1eIIow-
ship that was his when he chose, was
the center of an interesting group by
the table. Now he was shaking hands
with the groom, and Helen heard MIN
say earnestly:
You're a very fortunate man, Mr..
Baker. You've got a mighty fine lit
tie woman for your wife
I know that sir" proudly ana
I'm going to do my best to make her
The strained awkwardness of the
whole party was being dispelled by
the wine and strong claret punch.
There were much laughing and many
jokes.
But the bride moved about as
though in a dream. In the white
Skinner of her bridal gown and the
shining radiance of her eyes she
stuffy little room. 1t was as though
she was living this hour in a world
of her own-that no one, not even
her husband, could enter.
Helen looked at her in thrilled Won
der. Was this the plain, prosaic little
stenographer that for two, years had
been in Warren's Officer
Now some one announced that a taxi
groom to photographers few
blocks away.
They'll only be gone a few min
utes'' cordially. "and they want every
body to stay till they come back"
Hope they'll not have it taken
with his hand on her shoulder" was
Warren's cynical comment, for Helen
mad managed to get away from the
stove and was now by his side.
Dear can we go nOW?' she WhiS-
pered- I'm almost suffOCatedr'
Just beginning to enjoy myself as
he complacently washed down huge
piece of fruit cake with generous
gulps of claret punch.
Just then Mrs. Perry brought up her
brother and his wife to be introduced.
The evening had been a series of
strained intrOductiOns, and Helen had
the conventional I'm so
glad to meet you" and Didn't the
bride look charming?" until she now
said it mechanically.
In answer to Helen's appealing
glance, Warren now turned TO Mrs
Perry with a tactful:
since I haven't your daughter to
depend on, I must be at the office
early these mornings, so we'u have to
be getting home"
In the little bed room Warren had
some difficulty in finding his hat He
sCOWled into the labels of a dozen or
more before he found his own, while
Mrs Perry fluttered about in anxious
concern.
Then came succession Of rather
awkward good byeS," and when at
length they were out in the hall Helen
gave a profound sigh of RELIEF
well. that's over" announced War.
rem with grim satisfaction, as they
started down the four flights.
oh, II he's only worthy of herr
Helen. her mind still in
aim for a mOment-but I liked him
better than I thought He may make
her a very good husband after all"
Hope So"
But oh, dear, that awful 'Yepp |
Wasn't that dreadful2 Do you suppose |
t was nervousness
Bad break, whatever il was"
But do you know, don't believe /
she even heard it? She seemed al /
most in a dream. Her face was IL }
Could you reconcile her with &
7ou plain little stenOgrapher?"
Yes, she did look pretty fine.p
Pretty fine" was not at all what 4
Helen meant It was something so 4
much more than that, but she did not 1
~ to explain
For after all, only a woman couId (
ave understood that look of rant !
wonder that had transfigured the 4
ride.