The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-04-14
Helen Hunters
Husband
BY JANE PHELPS
AN AWAKENING.

Both Jack and Helen enjoyed this
Revue. Jack laughed heartily severa
times, but Helen only smiled. They
I seemed to have changed places. Be
fore Helen's sense of the ridiculou:
was very keen, Jacks slow, and otter
I he failed entirely to see the humor SC
! patent to Helen But tonight the
positions were reversed; and Jack was
unhappy
Don't you like it. dear?" he wills
pered more than once
Very much, Jack" she quietly ans
wered, no enthusiasm in her voice or
on her face What had come over her
Had he spoiled everything for her. as
Nell had said?
shall we go somewhere and have
a bite of supper" he asked as they
reached the lobby after the show.
IF you would like to- was her list
less answer
Its what you lfke." he replied, and
her surprised expression showed him
more plainly than words that she
thought her wishes no longer counted.
Jacks throat frightened. 1t wasn't at
all funny. It was terribly pathetic.
But Helen, anxious to please never
noticed. and without interest followed
him. He called a taxi and took her
to one OF the gay restaurants. place
she often had asked him to take her.
and which he had always decried as
being too gay for him.
He ordered a good supper, and tried
to break thru the case in which she
had enveloped herself but without
success
shall We go?" he asked after they
had finished.
IF you like" she answered.
MY God, what have I done to her ?"
he asked himself as he looked at her
immobile face-that mignone face
that used to light up at the slightest
thing.
evenings failure.
Didn't care much for the show. did
you, Helen? Didn't enjoy yourself
very much - he ventured as they
reached home.
IF you did-yes," she replied and
quietly without further comment, laid
off her wraps.
He recalled other times when after
seeing a show not nearly as entertain
ing she would enthuse, would com
give her own opinions upon the play
he asked himself:
What have done to herr"
He felt almost like a murderer-and
he had murdered something in her;
her youth; her capacity for enjoyment
But like the murdered she made no
sign. AS the days followed each other
she never ceased in her efforts to make
him comforta bic; to keep her prom
ses; to give him no cause for COM
constantly complained, either in words
DIT manner. 1t was terrible. Jack
almost wished she would defy him;
would tell him, as she used to. that
she was going to do as she liked; have
what she wanted the same as other
women. but MOI She kept on her quiet
calm that was so unlike |
her former manner that now his at |
entfon had been drawn to it. seemed |
o make her an object of pity.
"She misses her friends, her gay
Lfternoon parties, the chats with her
women friends about clothes, and her |
hopping trips with them" he said to
himself as he remembered that not |
NICE since her return from his moth |
RS had she been out when he came /
lome to dinner, but had always been /
Waiting. dinner ready. nothing for him
o do but to eat. And never once had /
he asked him to go out, take her any
: here, but had sat quietly, magazine
n her hand, either pretending to read,
II occasionally pretending to listen
When he read. Somehow he had no
oubt that it had been pretense- He
ecalled she never once had spoken of
she had read, and had an
wered vaguely when he spoke of
that had interested him.
Il went too far" he muttered. "She
J too much OF a child to understand"
md he turned over in his mind what
e should do to give her back her lost
onfidence in HMM his love.
(Tomorrow-Marria a matter OF
give and takel