The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-04-15
Married Life
the Third Year

Helen's brown broadcioth suit, in
which she had felt 50 wellgroomed all
winter, seemed suddenly shabby and
dusty az she came out in the bright
spring sunlight
Although she had brushed 1t before
starting out, she stopped over now
and with her gloved hand shook the
..ont of the skirt. and brushed one
OF Pussy Purrmew's hairs from her
.Ieeve.
The things that look so we'll all
winter are apt to look disconcertingly
shabby on the first bright spring day.
and Helen felt uncomfortably shabby
as she took the car at the corner and
sat down in the only vacant seat by
a woman in an assertwely new light
gray suit.
AS she took out her carfare, even
her brown suede gloves looked con-
spicuously dark and dusty beside the
fresh gray kids that held, with an air
of superior daintiness, a gold meshed,
bag.
The air was quite chilly in spite of
the brilliant sunlight, yet the brown
suit seemed suddenly much too warm
and too heavy. The realization that
spring is far advanced and that she
has no spring clothes is dismay
ing one to any woman.
Helen had started out to get the
material for an afternoon gown, some
thing in foulard or some soft summer
silk. 1t would take her two weeks
before she could get it made, and she
needed it now.
She left the car and hurried in to
McCormicks. The store was crowded
and the silk counter the most crowded
of all.
There was no chance of being wait
ed on for some time. But Helen was
glad of the opportunity to look over
the many silks displayed on the
counter and draped on skirt forms
seen enough Of the new spring fabrics
to know they were gaily colored, but
in McCormick's display today the col
orings were rotous.
Had Nothing Else.
Just why American women should
wear barbaric hues because there has
been 3 war in the Balkans was not
gu t. clear to Helen, and she had no
IL ,r,ion OF making herself conspic-
;2.s for any such freakish fashion.
Lat when the clerk was free to
W. On her she found they had
IS nothing in quiet colorings and
~. dos igns. "Everythings large
, &, aal bordered this season." he
i L her.
IN haven't you something from
j.. so n that is more quiet?"
It3ver carry anything over,
49,, with a glance that implied
d, 0st be a most peculiar person
&c, ..s anything from last season.
IRE was nothing to do but try
- other shop. and Helen hurried
er 10 Cordon's But the crowd
,Jnd tho silk counter here was
n greater than at McCormicks and
display of colorings and designs
i.y as spectacular.
ne counters we're covered with a
'Jnfusion of bolts. which the over
; led statesmen had not had time 10
PIT back. AS Helen glanced over
.ncIe she started joyfully. Here at
=. was just what she wanted-a
/ rastel blue foulard with tiny,
ili: met white figure.
lie bolt was underneath several
Others, but on the exposed end was
marked the width and priCe-"42 in.
$500" 1t was more than Helen want
ed to pay, but all the silks were high
this Spring, and she was SO relieved
to find som ething quiet amid this
glarirg effulgence of color that the
words six yards, of this please" how
cred on her lips.
She looked impatiently up and down
customer with two or three others
waiting. Her chances were just as
good with the clerk nearest her. A
this same clerk now got up from the
seat beside Helen with an audible:
well, ] can't wait any longer.
Helen quickly took the seat, glanc-
int; up at the clerk to remind him she
was next But the customer he was
now serving, an excessively stout
woman. with huge dangling pearl
earrings. was plainly taking her time
No, this isn't quite what I wanted"
as she held up fold of green and
red flowered foulard. Haven't you
something else in these same shades
but not quite SO dark:'
The Fat Woman.
1--WE showed you everything we
nave, madam answered the clerk
with an unmistakable note of Weari-
ness.
We'll. let me see that piece with
the purple figure again. No, that
isn't the one | meant" as he drew
out a bolt from a dozen or more
others he had evidently been show
Ing her Didn't you show me some
thing with a purple figure on red
and orange ground? Yes. that's it. -
throwing an end of the silk over her
arm and viewing 1t complacently.
Helen gasped as she pictured this
ponderousiy fat woman in q dress Of
that silk.
II suppose those colors are fast?
oxpoct a. tho coaShOre-