South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-06-16
Their Married
Life.
THE THIRD YEAR.

Met Randall on the 81 DWay TINS
morning" announced Warren, as he
stirred his after-dinner coffee.
"Oh. you did" Helen leaned for
ward with eager interest. Has he a
position YETI"
L believe he's trying 20 sell some
thing or other on commission. He
wasn't communicative. and you can
jump a fellow when he's down and
out. but know he hasn't any regular
job"
Didn't he say anything about Mrs.
Randall and the Children"
Yes. they've sublet their apart
ment furnished end gone TO board.
He said they weren't givingt heir ad-
dress. but ne thought Mrs. Randall
would like 10 see you. You ought 10
go-don't you think SOP
"Oh. OF course, il you think she
really wants me-"
"Hhe wouldn't have said so II she
didn't. 1 started to tell him he could
count on me for anything / could do,
but ne shied-changed the subject.
Jove II must go hard with a man Of
his pride to be up against II like that E"
But. dear, don't you think he'll get
something soon? Surely a man of his
ability"
Ability Not Counted.
Now you've been over all that be-
"
but this time his irritation was not at
Helen, but at the general injustice Of
. the business world 70 men OF RAN
dalPs type. 81 told you a mans abil-
ity didn't count when he seeks a job
with gray hair and no capital Osler
has fl about right-a man over forty s
out Of the running"
You didn't give me their address, 3"
reminded Helen.
49, W. Twenty Second St." read
Helen from the slip. II wonder what
kind Of place It is"
Some cheap boarding house. You'd
better call tomorroW-maybe you can
cheer her up. Ask 'em here TO dinner
If they'll come. I intended 10 ask
Randall. but ne was of before / got
the chance"
Helen had seen Mrs Randall only
once since her husband had lost the
position he had held for over twenty
years with Crane & Barker. They had
not given up their apartment then.
and Mrs Randall had cried that they
could not give il up-that they could
not live cheaper anywhere than they
were living there.
Yet she had admitted helplessly that
the resin was $1,000 year, and that
they had always lived up to every
cent Of his alary-saving nothing
And Helen had wondered pityingly as
she looked around the extensively fur
nished apartment how long il would
be before Mrs. Randall would have to
realize that they could live cheaper
Evidently that realization had come
very soon - for already they had
moved.
The next afternoon Helen paused
before a dingy brown stone house on
w. Twenty-SecOnd st. It was only
one of the many in that block. They
had once been well-tO-dO homes, each
~
was the stamp of the boarding and
rented-roOm house about them all.
She went up the stone stoOp TO the
shabby doorway and rang the bell.
There was no response and she was
about 30 ring again, when a man ran
up Ties tops. feeling in his pocket for
n key. As he stopped over to unlock
the door. Helen noticed his OvercOat
@-ith its worn fur collar and his gen.
eral seedy air of the lower class actor.
He held the door open as though
expecting her to enter. 1t was an
awkward situation, for he was plainly
one of the rOOmers.
do you know If the RandaIls have
hooms here?" faltered Helen.
Don't know anybody. Wait. I'll
call susan" Leaving the door open.
ne went TO the top of the basement
stairs and shouted. Susan! Hell.
Susan. somebody's up here!"
Then he glanced over the letters on
tho hall rack. selected one and hur-
ried upstairs. A moment later a slat-
ternly maid came up from the base
ment
Who'd you want to see, ma'am 90
staring at Helen, who was still stand
ing in the open door.
rms. Randall"
Third floor back" briefly, as she
slammed the front door and shuffied
down the back stairs.
With the door closed, the hall was
dark and the odor of stale cooking