The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-01-26
Helen Hunters
Husband
JACK MAKES HASTE SLOWLY.
BY JANE PHELPS

CHAPTER 4.
Helen always, looked stylishly
dressed, and Jack admired and COM
| plimented her without having the
slightest idea Of the cost. Her bobbed
brown hair hung in a wavy mop about
her face and neck, her dainty. girIish
dresses that her mother shaved to buy
her her delicate hands thoroughbred
| by homework her mother would not
them, her pink and white skin. all
| intrigued the boy whose one short
year at Cornell had been all he had
spent away from the farm
Often Mrs. Ardmore questioned him.
Jack suffered an agony of EN-
answered in monosyllables. Helen s
mother was not as optimistic as her
daughter. Enthusiasm, belief in what
he was going to accomplish, meant
nothing to her. 1t was What have
you done today?'' that intrigued her.
She was needless of his distress. or
his emba rrassment. She had to be
told in dollars and cents how he was
getting on. That was the only proof
of success in her mind.
Jack sensed all that passed in her
mind, and it made him acutely miser-
able. He even brought Howard Dunn
home to dinner one night as an ex-
ample of what could be done in the
business, what he, Jack Hunter, would
soon be able to do. But he never re-
peated the experiment Helen was too
much taken with the successful How
ard, and Howard talked too much Of
the lovely Helen.
For the first time in his life Jack
Hunter knew jealousy.
But whatever the reason, hard plug
ging work for any cause usually brings
results. Slowly Jacks commissions
o-I-0 TI11r h
right away the day they reached $75.
Her mother refused her consent.
when you can show that you earn
S100 l won't say no." she said as
Helen weepingly espoused his cause.
'sThat VIII keep you while you live
with me, and [ couldn't let Helen leave
me-"
With this Jack had to be content
But it spurredsshinf on to- greater
effort. Often he was, so weary he
could scarcely keep awake thru the
Hong boarding house dinner, where the
Vegetables were grouped about his
Iplate in what he dubbed birds bath
tubs" and would nod over the dessert.
But just as soon as he was free to
spend the evening with Helen, his
tiredness- would leave him like magic
and he would walk for hours, of if
necessary sit in the stuffy parlor just
to be with her.
When he finally told Mrs Ardmore
that his commissions had reached
| $500, the last vestige of doubt was
swept from Helen's mind. That she
knew nothing of the value of money,
he could not know. She was poor.
always had been poor, just as he had.
So he crushed her to him.. and made
| her promise to marry him at once.
They were married in the boarding
house parlor, with all the boarders for
company. 1t was an evening wedding
e1.,41 II IL
would have preferred them away. But
he was too happy to bubble, SO every
thing went Just as his prospective
mother-in-Iaw wished. To his sur
prise, she gave him $50.
Take Helen to Atlantic City. Stay
las long as it lasts" she told him.
| 'tShe's always wanted to go there, and
couldn't afford to leave"
| She also had provided Helen with a
| very pretty wardrobe, including a
white wedding dress in which Jack
declared she looked just like an angel.
! known" Helen had asked him naive
| ly. pleased by the compliment.
None but you"
They left the house amid a shower
of rice, old shoes. and cries of con-
graduation. Outside the street was
almost impossible with urchins, wait
ing to see the fun. They mingled
their cries with those of the boarders
to Jacks disgust and He1en's en-
barrassment.
Jack recalled what his mother had
said when he looked at his lovely
blushing bride-"Marriag is the
gravest thing in life!" Dear mother.
she would love Helen when. she knew
her, he thought-sEle would be happy
| in their happiness.
Atlantic City soon exhausted their
modest $50, and altho Helen almost
cried because they had to leave, Jack
felt that all the happiness in the world
had been packed into the three days
tthey had spent there.
They had found modest hotel back
from the walk, but their time was all
spent there, close to the sea. He too
hated to return to the boarding house,
/ to that stuffy par1or in the evenings
that here they had spent with only the
moon to look down at them, free to
talk and do as they pleased. But hc
wanted a. home, so he told Helen, u
home with just the two of them in it.
He must get back and hustle.
| Tomorrow-Helen's mother passes
away.)
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