The Washington herald., 1917-05-14


ren,s appearing exclusively in this pa
per, II the only series now being writ
ten by Mable Herbert Urner.
''JoYe, it's coming down." Warren
stood at the library window staring out
at the wind-driven rain.
Except for a drenched horse and wagon
and scurrying low-held umbrella the
streets were deserted. .-
Dear. we can't go out" Helen had
come 10 the window beside him. "Itl
be a good day to pack away the winter
clothes. I've been putting it off all
week"
Mice job for Sunday" shrugged War
ren.
But you're here-you can look over
your things. There's an old suit and a
pair OF trousers you ought to give away.
And those old shoes on that bottom shelf
Il do wish you'd clear those out"
Huh. you're always so keen about
clearing out my thlngs-how about your
own? That hall closet-you can hardly
shut the door"
Yes, I'm going to get at that. I've
been wanting to make up a bundle fer
the Salvation Army"
Leaving Warren scowling down at the
wet street, Helen slipped a long, coat
over her morning negligee, got the store
room key and started down to the oase-
ment
To avoid a possible meeting with any
Of the tenants, whose Church-going zeal
might brave the rain, she rang for the
freight elevator.
In the steamy dampness of the base
ment she made her way past the laun-
dry. the furnace and coal bins to the row
of tiny storerooms-each apartment hav-
Ing its own dark musty-smelling cell
"Curtis-Eighth Floor North.'' was on
the door which Helen unlocked.
Those two trunks" to the elevator
man who had come with her. THAT
round-top one and the one underneath.
I'll take these bandboxes myself"
Ten minutes later the two trunks
were in their bedroom, unstrapped and
! unlocked by the solicitous attendant
in anticipation OF the quarter tip.
Every spring and fall Helen had the
same glow of expectancy when she un-
packed her last seasons clothes. Their
six months hibernation gave them an
added glamour. There was always the
allurement of plans for making over
finding new possibilities Of remodel
ing last years styles.
The hat-top trunk she opened first.
Her best gowns were in the tray.
These she spread out on the bed, not
ing with swift scrutiny that the Geor-
gette must go to the cleaners, the
white linen must be laundered. and
the pongee needed only to be pressed.
II she could match the plain part of
that embroidered net, that blue dress
could be easily fxed-the skirt was
perfectly good. That old foulard she
had had three years: the narrow skirt
was hopeless With hesitating reluc-
tance she laid it aside for the Salvation
Army.
That striped voile bought at a sale.
she had never liked and never worn.
With brooding regret, she thought of
the S149s she had paid for 1t. The
square neck and plain, long-waisted
erect were severely unbecoming, and
could not be altered.
She had not the courage to give 1t
away. Her feminine economy baked
at discarding a perfectly new gown.
Instead II would hang unworn In her
wardrobe through another summer, a
constant and depressing reminder of
an unfortunate purchase.
The trunk cleared, she lined 1t with
tar paper and proceeded to pack away
her winter things. It had become a
mechanical process, this by-yearly
clearing out of the closets of one sea-
sons clothing to make room for the
next.
AS Helen worked with painstaking
slowness It was almost IL before she
opened warren's round-top trunk. In
the tray were negligee shirts. summer
underwear and a couple Of Panama hats.
Underneath, packed close, were his
summer sults-redolent with moth balls.
The pungent marbles rolled over the
floor as she shook out one suit after an
other. dreading the two or three days
they would have to air before they could
be hung away in the closet,
Dear, this old blue serge" taking II
into the library. you've two good ones
just like it. Look at these spots-ano
it's all shiny in the seat!'
''Eh?" scowling over his paper. Whats
the matter with that? Just the thing "a
wear in the country"
That's what you said last year-but
you didn't have It on once. And you've
got that old gray check"
ooh, all right" impatiently chuck u
out Why the duece did you start that
fob? Shut that door and leave me alone
But In a very few moments Helen was
again at his elbow, this time with light
weight overcoat.
Dear, you'll never wear this! Why
keep 1t hanging around? We've so little
closet ROOM
THAR belligerently. "why 1 got that
in London. Best cloth ever" feeling the
sleeve. mo wear out to it."
But you haven't worn IL tor TWO years.
It's too small-you could hardly get into
It now"
'I couldn't, eh7 Like to know why.
Here" throwing down his paper.
He writhed into it, but 1t was con-
spicuously narrow across the shoulders
and chest.
There, knew you couldn't wear II.
Dear. you MUST learn to clear out" car
rytng on the coat In triumph.
Then came the brushing and packing
away of his winter suits Among these
she found an old brown tweed and an odd
pair of trousers that she insisted he
would never wear. and finally won his
growing consent to their discard.
Now dear. IL you'll come look through
these shoes" when she had dragged out
his footgear from the bottom Of the
closet.
What's the matter with those?'' with