Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-11-09

Helen. walking slowly along Madi~
son avenue, stopped at last before an
old-fashioned brownstone house and
looked up at the number over the
door. This must be where Laura
lived, and yet the outside of the house
seemed so different from anything she
had IMAGINED Somehow she couid
never imagine Laura the wife OF
wealthy man. the time seemed so
short since the old days when Laura
had had one room in an uptown apart.
ment and had bitterly complained OF
the small chance a woman had alone
in New York.
She rang the bell and was admitted
a few minutes later by neat MAID
who showed her into large room on
one side of the hall and said that she
would tell Mrs. Richards. Helen had
been irving ever since she had re-
turned from the shore to call on
Laura, but something had always in
tervened and Winifreds operation had
worried her so that nothing had been
enjoyable until it was over
The room in which she was sitting
was handsomely furnished with old
fashioned and very heavily carved
furniture. Helen thought that every
thing looked as though 1t might have
been in the family for many years,
and as Laura told her later that was
the case. The walls were heavily
tapestried, and several exquisite
paintings hung here and there, some
modern works and one or two of the
old school.
There was a full-length portrait of
n beautiful woman dressed in glitter
ing white material which was obvious
ly some concoCtion of the artist, and
near by was the picture of a child
painted evidently some years ago, for
the little girl in the picture. who
fol Ia go
of Innocence" was only about five,
and Helen remembered that Laura
had told her that Mr.. Richards daugh-
ter was eleven. Helen was fascinated
by the picture. She wondered vaguely
if little Joan Richards was as beau
tiful now as she had been several
years ago and was still gazing at the
portrait when Laura came into the
room.
"Helen. is it really you? Why, I
thought you were never coming to
see me-"
Laura Asks Helen to Go to Her
Domain
And ! thought I'd never get here,
so much has happened since l saw you
last"
We'll, let's go upstairs into my own
domain. l think it will be more cheer
full, and we can have good, old
fashioned talk"
Helen followed Laura upstairs into
a charming little sittingroom. done
in rose-colored cretonne.
This is my own special sanctum
where l work and read and really
feel like myself. l don't let every one
up here, YOU know, but oh, Helen, it
seems so good to see you!"
And you, dear, are you happy? I
was surprised to get your announce
ments. I thought you were not to be
married until later this Fall"
AT first we did think that would
be better, but after all there was no
reason why we should wait and
needed the rest. and so we just got
married very quietly. No one was
present but a friend of Mr.. Richards
and Joan. oh. Helen, YOU must see
my little girl. | am so very proud of
herr" ...
rs that her picture downstairs?
never saw such a beautiful child. Is
she really as pretty as that"
More so, because she is older now
She isn't home from school yet
always give her permission to stay
out until 4.30 il it is clear, and she
walks with some of the other girls
and one of the teachers"
Laura" said Helen suddenly, do