The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-07-10

| the general confusion of kissing and
| congratulations.
Helen who had been separated from
Warren. stood awkwardly by the piano.
| painfully conscious of being an out
slider.
Then the bride seeing her. quickly
came forward and introduced her 20
Der husband. In that momentary
| glimpse of him. Helen's impression was
I that he was much flushed and nervous
Perhaps that awful Yep" had been
only the result of sheer nervousness
AT least she wanted to think that.
Now won't you all come out in tn !.
dining room?" some one asked
The parlor had been close but the
dining room had been suffocatingiy
hot There was a glowing coal stove
and the windows were closed Helen
| could hardly breathe.
Against the wall was a square din
ing table generously spread with chick
en- salad, sandwiches, brides cake and
punch. They all stood around and
Felped themselves. But Mrs. Perry,
wishing to be especially hospitabIe [,
Felen. brought her plate of refresh
ments and insisted on her taking a
| chair by the glowing stove.
Warren, with his easy good-feIlow-
ship that was his when he chose. was
the centre of an interesting group By
. the table. Now he was shaking hands
with the groom and Helen heard him
say earnestly:
You're mighty fortunate man, Mr.
Baker You've got a mighty fine little
woman for your wife
Il know that sir proudly. And
I'm going to do my best TO make her
happy.
The strained awkwardneSs of til"
whole party was being dispelled by
the wine and strong claret punch
/ There were much laughing and many
jokes.
But the bride moved about as though
In a dream. In the white simmer. of
her bridal gown and the shining radi-
ance of her eyes she seemed apart
from that crowded. stuffy little ROOM
It seemed if she was living this
hour in world of her own-that no
one, not even her husband could en-
ter.
Helen looked at her in thrilled Won
! der Was this the plain prosaic little
stenographer that for two years had
teen in Warrens office.
! Now some one announced that a
| taxi was waiting to take the bride and
groom TO a photographers few blocks
away.
| They'll only be gone few minutes
cordially, and they want everybody
| to stay till they come back"
Hope they'll not have 1t taken with
his hand on her shoulder" was War
ren's cynical remark. for Helen had
managed to get away from the stove
and was now by his side.
| Dear, can't we go now" she whis-
pered. I'm almost suffocated,"
Just beginning TO enjoy myself" Is
/ he complacently washed down a huge
piece Of fruit cake with generous gulps
of claret punch.
] Just then Mrs. Perry brought up
| Der brother and wife to be introduced.
| The evening had been a series CT
strained introductions. and Helen had
nurmured the conventional I'm 50
glad to meet you! and Didn't the
bride look lovely?" until she now said
| it mechanically.
In answer to Helen's appealing
| glance, Warren now turned to Mira.
Perry with a tactful.
Since I haven't your daughter t.
depend on l must be at the office
early these mornings. SO we'll have 20
| be getting home!"
| In the little bedroom Warren had
some difficulty in finding his hat. Fl.
scrowled into the labels of a dozen
| of them before he could find his own,
while Mrs. Perry fluttered about in
anxious concern.
| Then came a succession of rather
| awkward "good-bye's", and when at
| length they were out in the hail. Helen
| gave a profound sigh of relief.
We'll. that's over" announced War
rem. with grim satisfaction. as they
| started down the four flights.
"Oh, if he's only worth of her."
murmured Helen, her mind still in
tent on the bride. II only spoke to
him for a moment-but / liked him
better than 1 thought He may make
her very good husband after ALL"
Hope so.
But oh, dear. that awful yep"
Wash I that dreadful? Do you sup
pose It was nervousness ?"
Bad break. whatever it was"
But do you know / don't think she
even heard it." She seemed almost in
dream. Her face was illumined
Could you reconcile her with your lit
tie plain stenographer?"
Yes, she did look pretty fine"
Pretty fine!" that was not at all
what Helen meant. 1t was something
SO much. more than that, but she did
not try to explain.
For. after ALL only a woman could
Lave understood that look OF rapt won
der that had Transferred the bride