The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-05-22
Married Life

or sullennesS. Usually tney lasted only
a few days. but this one was going
into the second week and Helen's pa
tience was sorely tried.
In spite Of Delias many good quail
ties-her honesty, economy and clean
Illness. there were times when these
sullen spells got on Helen's nerves so
she felt she would have to let her. go.
And this one was not only lasting Ion
ger, but seemed more trying than all
the others.
Helen was far too reasonable to ex-
pect an unchangins evenness Of anna
bflity in any one. An occasional irri-
liability she could have easily forgiven.
Almost any other form OF disagreeable-
ness would have seemed preferably to-
the sulky. logged silence which Della,
displayed at these times.
She would go for days without
speaking unless forced to by direct
question. and then her answer would
be as sullenly brief as she could make
it.
What's the matter with Delia' Got
one OF her grouches?" Warren had
asked that morning when he wanted
more cream, and Della had brought in
the bottle, slammed it down on the
table and nounced out, pretending not
to hear Helen when she asked II that
was all there was.
Yes, she's been like that all week.
don't think she said two words yes
terday. You don't know how trying
it Is to be with her all day when she
acts that way"
why do you put up with it?'
What can 1 DOR 4
Fire her"
Might Be Worse
"Oh, but Warren, l could never get
anybody like Della. She's so honest
and dependable. You can't have EVIL
erything, you know. l might get some
one a great deal worse.
That's up to you" indiffcrently. "IfI
you want to put up with her-you
can. But 1 wouldn't stand for it, can
tell you that"
And that day Helen almost came to
the conclusion that she would not |
stand for it either.
1t was ironing day. In the same
stolid sullenness Della washed UP the
dishes, put on the irons and got out !
the ironing board.
Della, l wish you would iron that
white skirt first. | want to mend the |
lace-I didn't have time before I put
1t in the wash. Then you can press
out that shower sheet next | want
to hang that up.
Della was rearranging the irons on
the stove and did not deign to reply. |
and Helen went out to straighten up !
the bedroom, which she always did on
ironing day.
Half an hour later she came back
into the kitchen to get the skirt and |
shower sheet. But Della was calmly |
forming a tablecloth.
+ toll m eli irf
first"
No answer.
Didn't you understand me, Della. !
when / said iron my skirt"
Had to iron this fore 1t got dried,
sulkily.
You could have sprinkled 1t again.
Now finish that as quickly as you can
and iron my skirt" Helen's voice was
unusually sharp.
A little later she came back to find
Della ironing another table cloth. Still
the skirt had not been touched. For
a moment Helen was too astonished AMI
angry to say anything at all. And De- ,
liza. pretending not to see her as she
stood in the door, ironed on without
looking up.
Della, you can put that tablecloth
aside now and iron my skirt"
A stubborn Girl.
Have to iron this while it's wet,
still without looking UP.
Only once before had Helen come TO |
any real issue with Della and then De-
liza had won. 1t had been shortly after
her marriage and Helen, terrified by
the thought OF the unknown inefficien.
cies OF a new girl, had yielded. Now
she was determined she would not /
yield Without further comment she
unrolled the skirt from the towel in
which it had been sprinkled, laid it on
the ironing board before Della. and
then deliberately drew the tablecloth
from under her iron.
She was not at all sure what Della
would do. She might put the iron
back on. the stove and flounce out OF
the place. Helen knew that she was
taking chances, but she had been so Il
irritated by this week u
Delias surliness that just then she felt
she did not care. II
For a moment Della stood perfectly
still. Helen turned away and calmly
started to resprinkle the tablecloth and
roll it up again. When she turned
around again Della was ironing the
skirt. But her face was q dull brick
red.
Now. Della, when you've ironed that
bring it in to me. l want to mend the
lace. Then you can press out that
shower sheet"
About twenty minuptes later. while
Helen was Strengthening her top bu-
reau drawer, Della, with a heavy, de-
fiant step. came in. threw the skirt or
a chair and marched out without q
word It was wretchedly ironed. The
lace was torn more than 1t had been
before. and in one place there was a
distinct yellow scorch. And Della was
an eyrolleut ironpr