South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-08-03
BY MABEL HERBERT URNER.

By MABEL HERBERT URNER.
Worried and depressed. Helen went
in TO straighten up Alice's room the
morning after her departure.
Everything was in disorder from
the hurried packing. Tissue paper,
strings and empty boxes lay scattered
about. and where the trunk had set
Was a dusty square.
The whole unpleasant scene OF the
night before kept beating in Helen's
mind. And not only had Alice cut
short her visit and left in a high
dudgeon-the memory Of that was dis
tTessing enough-bUt even more dis
tressing was the fear of what Aunt
Emma and Warren's other relatives
might say.
That Alice would not hesitate to dis
parage both her and Warren, Helen
knew, and about her visit she would
probably tell many things that were
not true.
Helen was always keenly sensitive
about what people might say, and
now she could think of nothing but
the unpleasant surmises and com
ments that Warren's relatives would
make.
With broOding anxiety she put back
her clothes in the bureau drawers
and the closet that she had emptied
for Alice's convenience. Besides the
burnt bureau scarf she now discovered
other evidences Of Alice's carelessness.
a black smudge on the rug showed
where she had CLOSED her shoes, the
wall paper was sprinkled with ink
where she had shaken a fountain p n
and on the back Of one of the chairs
"A wet towel had been flung, leaving
the Varnish dull and whitened.
While Helen was still putting the
room TO rights Warren called up from
the office.
Il won't have time to write that
letter TO Aunt Emma" he announced,
$50 you'll have TO write it. And
you'd better get it off right away"
Helen At a Loss.
But. dear, what shall l say?" falter-
cd Helen.
Just say that Alice took it into her
head TO go and that we couldn't keep
her"
But couldn't you write tonight or
tomorrow" persisted Helen. You
could do il much better than l."
Yes, and then Alice would have
time TO tell her mother a lot of lies.
Now you get that of right away.
want it TO go out tonight"
When Helen turned from the phone
il was with the greatest reluctance
that she went over TO the desk to
write this letter. For her letter
writing was always most difficult. and
from a letter like this her mind re-
cOiled.
How should she begin it? What
could she say? She did not want to
hurt Aunt Emma. and yet it was only
fair to them that she should know just
how headstrOng and unruly Alice had
been.
After much chewing of her pen
and many discarded beginnings the
letter was finally finished.
New York, April "a, 1913.
Dear Aunt Emma:
I regret very much that Alice should
have ended her visit in this way We
did everything we could to persuade
her not 10 start of last night. but she
was so headstrong that nothing we
could say had any effect. She de-
clared if We did not take her TO the
station she would SO alOne-sO what
could we do2
The only cause for all this was that
we tried 10 do what you asked-to
keep her from seeing that Mr.. Hamp-
ton He came on from Philadelphia
and called here ar 10 take Alice out.
But Warren refused TO let him see
her.
This so incensed Alice that she at
once began TO pack her trunk. de-
claring that she would not stay with
as another night pleaded and
Warren scolded, but she would listen
10 neither OF us. She said she was
engaged 10 this man and that she was
Old enough to do as she pleased. L
think YOU are quite right in feeling
that a man OF his age, and a divorced
man is most unsuited for Alice 1
hope YOU vii be able TO break il Of
but Alice is very headstrong.
aI sending by parcel post some
things she left in her haste l hope
YOU have gotten the house In shape
again, that you are over the worst eff
fects OF the flood. and that Aiice's I'M
expected return vii not make things
harder
We both regret more than I can say
that her visit should have such an IN
pleasant ending, but we trust you Will
understand that we did all we could
TO prevent il. Sincerely, your niece.
HELEN.
Helen was so far from satisfied with
this letter that she wanted TO call up
Warren and read il to him over the
phone. hut she knew he would be too
hurried and impatient 10 listen. So.
reluctantly. she took II out 10 the
mail chute.
The next two days were FOR Helen
most unhappy ones. She was con-
stantly being forced 10 explain Alice's
sudden departure. IL was very en-
hdA IecSAAAes EdA AANuALIlE When NdAIltt
Warren's sister. called up TO invite
Alice 20 n luncheon.
The Answer.
But even more distressing was her
haunting dread OF what Aunt Emma
would think and OF Just what Alice
would tell her. IL was Helen's nature
70 worry-and over this she worried
herself almost III
When the next morning at break
GA<< shs found by her plate a thick