The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-02-11
Helen Hunters
Husband
HELEN ENTERTAINs
BY JANE PHELPS

HELEN ENTERTAINS
Chapter IS.
The dull gray haze of domestic an
| noyances interfered with Jack Hun
ter's work. Try as he would he could
not put them entirely from his mind.
1t is an extraordinary fact that one
can weather all sorts of emotional do
nestle storms if one is ballasted by a
| little cash-a nest egg, a preparation
| for a rainy day. Denied that, the pin
pricks of home expenses hold the mind
| engrosse6. preventing further earning.
No new prospects appeared, and ow-
| in6 to the evening spent at the Lay
| tons his work as accountant was not
ready for delivery. He was in any
thing but happy frame of mind as
the day o. the party Helen was to give
drew near.
He had begged her to "go slow
with the refreshments, but by the set
, of her lips. her determined eyes, he
| knew his warning futile. She would
be sure to want to Outshine the Lay
| toms, and he groaned audibly as he
| thought OF the cost.
"Oh, everything has gone off just
! lovelyI" she told him on the night of
| the party. He had come home early
as he had promised. Now you get
your old accounts put out of sight,
| then get ready. Well just have a
snack on the kitchen table, Supper
will be served at IL, so we won't need
much.
You must tell me what to do to
help you, I'm not much of a waiter,
Jack returned. He was in for it, and
might as well make up his mind to
make the best of it.
'"Oh, L have two girls coming to
serve. Girls from a tea room. Ma
| talie always has them when she has
the club. They serve very nicely"
How much?" Jack asked laconi-
cally.
"Only 50 apiece and, of course, their
supper. Dirt cheap I call it, and they
give tone to an affair. What are you
| looking so serious about? Surely you
| don't think they charge too much?"
mo, not from their point of view,
| but I wish you had let me help you,
and not hired them. Everyone knows
we do not keep servant, and friends
would have enjoyed it just as much
| informal. Then, too, we would have
saved 81 and two suppers."
"How dreadfully stingy you are!
| Poor mother never begrudged a din
| ner or supper to anyone, and she al
ways hired extra help when she gave
me birthday party. Pity you can't
! do as much for me as she did, and you
mani" That had been her constant
cry-because he was a man he should
do much more for her.
| 'I'm not sting, Helen, but only care
full. I often wonder what would be-
come of you if 1 should pass out; or
worse still be i'll for a long time!
What would you do?"
You only say such things to hurt
me. You know how 1 love you, and
that I couldn't live if anything hap
pened to you'll" AS was her way Helen
punctuated her remarks with kisses.
"Pm ready! You are sure there is
nothing 1 can do?" Jack had returned
her kisses, but without fervor.
| mo, unless you want to raise the
| windows a little and air the rooms;
they seem close and hot"
You're excited! The rooms aren't
hot" Jack remarked as he did as he
was asked.
why shouldn't be excited? We've
| been married over a year and have
done hardly a bit of entertaining. If
| things don't go right tonight I shall be
| look so serious, Jack! Even If you
| are selfish, and begrudge me my party,
you might be game enough to keep it
to yourself. You look as if you were
at a funeral"
"All right. dear, I'll perk up and
! all thought of expense, of debt, of
worry. Tomorrow would come soon
| enough, and Helen's party must not be
spoiled for her even if he did disap-
prove, and could not understand her
| extravaganza.
The guests came on time, and the
evening began auspiciousIy. They
played cards, they danced, then sup
per was served. They would dance
again afterward as they had at Mrs.
Layton's.
Prepared as he had been in a way,
Jack Hunter was absolutely nonpluss-
ed by the supper Helen served. 1t was
! far more elaborate than Mrs LAYTON s
| had been, and more expensive. Aside
from the salads, colds meats and other
tempting dishes that form the sub
stantia1 part of such repasts, Helen
had provided all sorts of side dishes
| olives. celery, sailed nuts, rich
chocolates, and for desert fancy ices
and cakes, then coffee.
Jack could not eat for computing
the cost; altho he heard fulsome COM
pliments from all sides, backed up by
undoubted appreciation of the food, If
| its disappearance was a criterion.
(TO be cOntiQued.)