South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-04-01
j. Glasgow Wins Prize In
who's to Blame" Contest

After what II seemed would be al
most an interminable examination OF
letters Tie News-Times is ready 10
announce the award OF the prize for
what is considered the best OF the ex-
pressiOns on the married life OF Helen
and Warren Curtis, depicted in Mable
Herbert Urner.s interesting serial.
Hundreds OF letters which took
weeks TO print and more weeks TO
examine carefully. besides the fact
that scores and scores of them were
O practically uniform excellence made
the task OF selecting the winner par
ticularly difficult That interest in
the contest had not waned however.
was evidenced by the frequent inquir-
ie9 As 20 when the prize would be
awarded.
Through a curious coincidence The
News-Times is unable TO tell whether
the winner OF the prize is man or
woman. Whatever the sex the name
IS j. Glasgow, 170S s. Leer st.
IL happens that at the address in
dicated there lives a James Glasgow
as well as a Jennie Glasgow, accord
ing TO the city directory. The writer
or the letter VIII recognize his or her
epistle. which is reprinted herewith.
and should claim the prize of So at
the editorial offices of The News
Times
AS above indicated the uniform ex-
cellency OF the letters made the task
OF selection exceedingly difficult and
IL was only after long deliberation
that the editors selected the follow
ture OF AN Observer" when the let
ters were printed:
NEITHER REALLY TO BLAME.
We should blame neither Helen nor
Warren for this turmoil which seems
10 exist In their home, If a place like
theirs could be called home. Home
is "A place where love is. They were
not meant for each other.
We cannot control what nature, OF
whatever you choose TO call il. be-
slowed or imposed upon us. To be
sure we can in a degree temper our
natural tendencies, but the distinction
can easily be made between the gen
uine and the imitation. the one is
natural, the other acquired
If born with a kind, loving and
sympathetic nature. we are not 70
blame, yet such a one usually lives a
pure and beautiful life, and will cling
devotedly. regardless of the hardships
privations and sacrifices they are
sometimes compelled 10 make in or
der TO tighten the burdens and add to
the comfort and happiness of those
whom they love, and regardless also
Of the faultfnding spirit, and the
harshness and unkindness received at
the nauQS OF those loved ones, and
when all others neglect fOrsake and
turn aside. still those natures cling
They can't help ii. Money, leisure
influence, or any Of these seeming
pleasures have no charms as they
cannot bring happiness and content
ment. DO you know the world is
dying for a little bit of love -
This seems 10 have been Helens in
heritance. Reared in an atmosphere
Of love. affection and gentleness. it
takes but a short time TO Wither and
die when surrounded by an Amos
phere Of selfshnesS, fault-fnding
and thoughtlesSness. On the other
hand TO be born with a selfish. mar
row and ENJOYABLE nature, and reared
in such surroundings, as seems to
have been the case with Warren, IS
no fault Of the one so born. 1t is "a
calamity, not a crime" such a one
will soon become more irritable and
more easily annoyed when coming in
contact with a nature in direct oppo-
sitiOn TO his own A good wife.
imagine. wants TO be proud of the man
she calls husband, and Helen certainly
tried TO do. in her way, what she
thought right. and which her nature
lead her TO believe was right. while
Warren, at times when above all
others. he should have been noble.
manly. and have done his best TO
make his wife proud and happy. stOOp-
ed TO acts which To one of an opposite
nature seemed so far beneath the ac-
tons of a man. that instead of bring
ing her JOY and pride. brought only
shame and humiliation.
Mistakes Unintentional.
So with Helen, her mistakes were
not Intentionally made TO wound, but
through kind. loving and pure mo-
tives: her faults were on the surface
only, and like the swan. when its en-
emies threw mud upon it sank quietly
beneath the waves and came forth in
more dazzling beauty than before.
while Warren, with a nature like his.