The Washington herald., 1916-08-28

\lNlNG MUM WINDOWS open
| J Warren, already in bed, lay an
outstretched pajamaed figure, hav-
ing kicked off the covers, in painting
protest at the heat.
Yes, dear, they're all open-but
there's no air Shall l turn on the fan
in the library?"
Won't get much of it in here. Well,
try it anyhow"
Having cold-creamed the sunburned
"V' on her neck, Helen turned on the
fan in the library and pinned back the
bedroom curtains. But the nights
heavy humidity was unstirred.
"Eh, what're you trying to do? We
don't want anything over US"
Just the sheet" extricating the
crumpled covers Warren had kicked
to the foot.
But when she had turned out the
light and was in bed, even the sheet
seemed oppressively hot, and she let
him kick it down again without protest
Dear, we might get more air if we'd
pull the bed out in the ROOM"
mo air to get" sullenly
Couldn't we have the fan in here?'
diffidently, knowing Warren's aversion
for sleeping under an electric fan.
Have that internal thing blowing on
me? Not if | know it. I'm not ken
on getting pneumonia"
A long silence in which waves of
heat seemed closing over her From
the library came the faint hum of the
fan, but not a breath of air
Helen thought of an appeal from a
fresh air fund that had come in her
mail that morning-"Children dying
like flies in the terrific heat of the
crowded East side. Three dollars will
send a child to the country for a
week" There had been a picture OF
halt-naked children sleeping on crowd
ed FIRE escapes.
If the heat was unbearable here in
this big airy apartment with windows
on every side-what must it be in the
crowded, filthy tenements? She could
see the wretched anemic babies gasping
for breath Tomorrow she would res
cue that appeal from the waste-basket
and send them six dollars. That would
mean week of fresh air for two chill
dren
For the moment the thought of this
greater suffering made her forget her
own discomfort. But now another heat
wave closed over her. Her pillow was
unbearably hot. She turned it for a
cooler surface.
A faint rumbling of thunder-heat
thunder. If it were only heralding a
relieving storm! The oppressive air
now lay like weight
Dear, can't stand i'll" she was sit
ting up in bed I'm going in on the
couch-under the fan"
An unresponsive silence. Warren
was already asleep.
Taking her pillow, Helen got a sheet
from the hall closet and groped her way
through the dark into the library.
The fan on the desk was turned to-
ward her, and the stirred air swept
over her with cooling relief. Wrap
ping the sheet about her bare arms and
neck, the droning fan soon lulled her
to sleep.
Hello, what're you doing in here?'
She awoke to a glare Of light and
Warren standing in the doorway.
oh, l Just had to have some airw
How about me-" moving in line
with the fan. Hot as mustard ir
there. What's the matter with taking
this in by the bed2"
Even though only half awake, Helen
had sufficient discernment not to re.
mind him that she had suggested that
Instead, as he disconnected the fan, she
stumbled in to clear a space on the
bedside table
"Oh, no, dear, don't attach it there.
as Warren started to unscrew one o.
the bulbs Here's a floor socket bacI
of the table"
The adjusted fan sent its refreshing
waves over the bed
Helen, still drowsy promptly dozec
of. She was again aroused by glar
ing light and Warren's rasping:
Il can't stand for thisl DevilisF
things blowing right on me"
Just turn it little" sleepily. "Bc
Careful-shut it off frst!"
But Warren, disregarding this warn
ing, turned the ian by the protecting
wire frame.
"Oh, dear, don't! Shut it off! Oh
your fngers!'
With an explosive oath he started
back, gripping tight his right fore
finger.
"Oh, what've you done? You've Gu