Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1920-11-11
,axed lilies and cast it bodily into

waxed lilies and cast it bodily into
the fireplace.
beginning now" she cried, 1.-THE rest
of this room haJ got to live up to that
Chinese jarp
From now on Helena's days took on
new interest. SO absorbed did she
become in her pursuit of the art of
interior decoration that she quite for
got to feel any pangs of envy when
one of Winifred's bridesmaids stopped
her as she was coming home from the
library, her arms laden with books on
furnishings and rugs and curtains and
antiques, to show her letter received
from the blssful bride.
Little by little the formal, square
rOomed house blossomed into adorn-
ment Frightening yet not lessening its
dignity. Gay, flowery chintzes bal
anced soberer hangings, graceful con-
soles replaced top-heavy secretaries,
cool settees took the place Of over
stuffed, ornately decorated sofas.
And gradually Helena herself, al
most unawares, responded to the
changed surroundings. Instead of the
fashionable gowns which accentuated
her tallness she affected occasionally
smOcks over simple skirts, vivid
strands of embroidery bringing out
stray glints of gold in her hair. A
string of old blue beads, picked up by
Ph0nnh in a chnn XUhncn hn 2
ing down an Adam mirror, deepened
the blue in her eyes.
And it was in such a garb that fore
stalling her aunt's old hOusekeeper,
she answered the ring Of the doorbell
one blowy autumn night.
"Curtis!" she exclaimed, completely
taken aback.
And Helena! !" cried Curtis, no less
astonished-nOt at seeing Helena but
at seeing a brand new Helena, years
younger than the one he had known.
Seated before the fire, Helena
learned how Curtis had been CO ed
west, not by business but by family
affairs; how his return had been de-
idS GU , Nv" SOllS nc lltiu DtCu hOI W
say gOOdby.
Explanations over, he let his eyes
stray appreCiatively about the room.
Then, bringing his gaze contentedly
back to Helena, he let it rest. "Hel-
ena," he exclaimed, "this is great!
After the dusty ride across the cOnti-
nent and memories of stuffy hotels,
and the last few days at my old board
ing house, tell you, to be in place
like this for a few minutes does a man
good, But haven't you fixed it up, or
something's" he asked, puzzled.
Helena smiled yes" she said 81
have-and my latest purchase is that
BOkhara rug" With an animation
that had not belonged to the old Helena
the girl was off in an amusing account
of her pursuit and purchase of the rug
in the back attic of ain oriental rug
dealer. Curtis, listening, wondered
why he had ever thought she was not
beautiful - had hesitated, in fact,
about asking ~her to- marry him and
had decided quite definitely not to.
Why, she was beautiful and clever
and adorable! In fact before he went
home he would J..
And before he went home he did.
Helena" he. said hoarsely, imprison-
ing her hands, what a wonderful
home maker you are Would you
do you think you could ever care
enough to make a home for me-for
us?"
And Helena, her heart amazingly
happy, thought she could.
And later, much later, when the fire
had burned very low, and he had re-
luctantly said good night and taken
last kiss or twO-Or three-and finally
gone, Helena, her eyes soft, love-kin-
died, looked straight at the Chinese
jar. "Thank you, you dear old, queer
old thing I owe it all to you!"