Omaha daily bee., 1922-04-09
The Monotony Of Domestic Duties
Stlfs Hslsn's Restless Rebellion.

. button flew oil his dress shoes,
I'm sew Il Ont won't take . mo-
ment," Helen Mas brushing a spot
from his dinnsf-seat.
Haven, time. I'm late row." his
impatient jerk Of the bg,Ionhook
sent the next button rafting under
the bed,
"oh, you can't wear ,ha. with two
buttons off," daFiing in iof her work
basket
But, - always when hurried. there
we're maddening delays, There
needles refused 10 take the heavy
linen thread. The fourth was point
less,
Warren, now dressed. stood glow.
sfing over her while she still stfus-
gled with the last button.
The needle slipped aud iabbed hei
finger, Again forced through, II
broke.
Here, how mrh longer you goin'
TO bel That'll dole, il SO a, that.
BE careful when you button them
they're not on very strong" suck
ing her stabbed finger I'll go over
them all tomorrow"
Now. don't 81, up Tor me-" when
he shrugged into his lightweight
oyereoa,.
Have you a clean handkerchief
oh. dear. those old gloves! Just q
seeond-l'll get you another pair"
IL WAS the annual dinner OF the
Lawyers club, OF which he was one
OF the governors, and Helen wa,
iuttefinely anxious that he should
look well.
At last he was off. Fofiornly. she
turned back 10 straighten his room,
in cyelonic disorder after his hurried
dressing.
The suit he had taken off needed
pressing. She must send II TO the
tailor tomorrow. The trousers yield
ed two dimes and a penny-he was
always careless about emptying his
pockets.
Putting away his tan shoes. a
broken knotted lace demanded attcn-
ton. She was running in a fresh
pair when Anna appeared.
Can serve dinner now, ma'am?
eager to get off to the movies.
"Yes, any time, ] don't wan,
much" never hungry when forced to
eat alone.
At the table she took Warrcn's
seat so as not to face its emptiness.
1t was dismal meal. Having nc
appetite. she fed most OF the
warmed-over fricasseed chicken to
Pussy Purr-Mew, stationed on the
arm Of her chair.
There were never any real din
ners, only warmed-overs, when War
ren was away.
mo, won't dress that salad" as
Anna brought in the bowl OF crisp
Romaine. Keep it for tomorrow
night. And you needn't have cut al
that bread"
What time d'you want break.
fast?" sulkily, always resentful oi
Helen's economies.
"Oh, yes, | intended to speak oi
that. Not before $50. Mr.. Curtis'l
be tired-I want him to sleep late.
After dinner in the library, Helen
faced the long evening alone. Brood
ingly, she darned a torn neckband in
one of Warren's shirts and three
pairs of socks. Then she tried tc
read, but the soft sensuous night and
a distant hand organ had aroused a
restless disquietude.
All day, perhaps because of the in.
sidious spring in the air, she hat
been vaguely depressed. And now
curled up by the open window, sh'
eazed wistfully out.
The myriad lights and pulsins
rumble of the great city brought {
poignant realization of her own IN
significance. Her life seemed sud
denly trivial and purposeless.
How little she was accomplishing
Wasting the best of her youth in ;
dull routine of household duties!
Surely, there was more in life thai
that. This monotonous domestic
round day after day-it seemed tt
lead nowhere.
Warren was forging ahead making
name and a career for himself
while she was standing still.
What did the future hold for her
She would grow older, less animated
less attractive. With each year sh
would lose-not gain.
She shivered at the appalling
thought that the years would brin,
only gradual deterioration witt
nothing to compensate-no persona
achievement, no recompensing ca
reer-only more helpless depend
ency upon Warren.
She had always pitied those color
less midd1e-aged wives to whom thei
husbands were attached only througl
sense of duty. Now she had mucl
to give Warren-all the allurement
of youth. What would she have a
1870?
! He would still be young. A sue
cessful man was young even at ct
But most women were hopelessl
middle-aged at IS. Merely stoli,
housekeepers for their husbands, VIII
would probably much prefer to Iiv
at club and be free to court som
younger woman.
The cruelty of nature that make
woman dependent upon her hus
band through all her married life, ye
gives to her, for only few years, al
fractions with which to hold him!
Morbidly she dwelt on the genera
upheaval that would follow if it wer
suddenly decreed that all men, with
out injustice or disgrace, might leav
their middle aged wives. If all duty
bound husbands were legally an
morally free to marry some younge
woman-would there not be a un
versal stampede?
II only she could do somethin
worth while with the youth that wa
still hers' A few fortunate wome
achieved successful careers. indeper
dent OF their husbands. Why coul
not she?
The narrowing thought of waste