South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-06-20
Their Married
Life.
THE THIRD YEAR.
By MABEL HERBERT URNER.

As Helen hung up the telephone re-
ceiver. Warren looked over his paper
with a gruff.
What made you invite her for to-
morrow Don't you know it's Thurs
day-Maggie's day out ?"
No, dear-nOt this week.
Like to know why Didn't We have
the sstevenses here last week."
"Oh, so we did" exclaimed Helen
helplessly. why didn't you tell me?"
Didn't have chance. the way you
we-e jabbering on there"
''But, dear, what shall 1 do about
it,"
Wen. you've asked her TO dinner
haven't you? Since we can't have
dinner here wen have to take her
out"
Warren turned back to his paper.
while Helen brOoded over the needless
expense Of a dinner at a restaurant.
He always ordered so lavishly, par
tiCularly when any one was with them.
10 would mean eight or nine dollars at
least, and Miss Merrill would much
rather have a home dinner. She lived
in an apartment hotel and had often
told Helen she was sick of restaurants.
Maggic's Attitude.
Just now she had called up to say
she was leaving for the south Saturday
and Helen had thoughtlessly asked
her TO dinner for tomorrow. But why
couldn't she have dinner at home, any
way? Maggie could prepare the des-
sert and the salad before she went
out She would ask her about It now.
Dinner was almost ready, and when
Helen went into the kitchen, Maggie
was Dreaming the potatoes.
Maggie, I forgot tomorrow was
your afternoon off, and I've just asked
Miss Merrill for dinner. Don't you
think you could fix things before you
go 50 l could get dinner without much
trOuble?"
Don't know what I could fix.
ma'am." answered Maggie, as she beat
a spoonful OF yellow butter into the
white frothy potatoes.
why. you could at least make the
desert and fix the salad, couldn't your
''Well, 1 never get away from here
till o'cIock-takes me all morning
10 do the work. don't see where I'd
have time"
II was so rarely that Helen ever ask
ed Maggie TO do anything extra that
now she flushed with resentment at
her blunt unWillingneSs. To leave her
strictly alone seemed the only way to
get along with Maggie, for while she
did her routine work faithfully and
we'll, If allowed TO do it in her own
way she was always sullen when inter-
fered with or when asked TO do any
thing additional
And now she launched into a long,
excited argument about how she had
planned TO go TO South Orange tomor-
row afternoon, and If she stopped to
fix things for dinner she could not go
at all: how with this big apartment
and everything 10 do she never had a
moment TO herself; how she could not
slight her work and could do no more
than she did.
Above everything else Helen hated
an argument or a discussion of any
kind. and now "a interrupted with a
sharp:
Helen is Angry.
Now. don't begin all that Maggie,
I'm not complaining Of your work. AS
long as you have your own way you
do IL very we'll. / know that. and L
try not TO interfere with you. But the
things L do ask OF you L want done
without all this discussion"
But I'm just telling you, ma'am,
that 1 can't do more than I do. But,
of course" with the air OF a martyr.
If you want me TO stay in tomorrow
and get dinner. why I'll have to stay"
You know very well / don't want
that Maggie. I've never yet kept you
any of your afternc Ons off. L only
asked you to fix something for dinner
in the morning. and now L don't want
YOU even TO do that. / never want
any one TO do anything for me unless
they do il willingly"
And Helen founced out OF the
kitchen thoroughly angry. She was
beginning to realize that Maggie dom
mated her more and more: that she
was getting almost afraid TO ask her
To do anything for fear of starting one
OF her long arguments or reasons why
she should not do it.
What was the trouble in the kitch-
en?" demanded Warren, when they
sat down to the table.
'S-s-sh, DEAR" as Maggie pushed
through the swinging door with the
soup. "Ch. Mrs. Dawson called me up
today" with the attempted careless
ness with which one always changes
tne subject when the person talked
about suddenly enters the room.
We'll, what did she have to say %
asked Warren.
Then. as Maggie went out:
Dear, she was just as sullen and
disagreeable as she could be-
Who? Mrs. Dawson"
"Oh. you know 1 mean Maggie" inn
patiently. Il just asked her if she
couldn't fix the dessert and salad be-
fore she left tomorrow, and she began
one of her long arguments about all
she had to do and of how hard the
work was here" Then, quickly as
Maggie entered again. "They went to
the opera Friday-'Tosca'. 1 think il
was"
Warren only grunted He would
not exert himself 20 talk for the ben
eft OF the maid.
Its Your Own Fault"
Helen continued the discussion OF
Mrs Dawson until Maggie served the
roast and vegeta bles and would have