The Washington times., 1922-08-21
Afraid She Wouldn' GET Auto
On Birthday, So She Ran AWdy
Helen BigIin's Gorgeous Red
Hair, Spotted by a Family
Friend as She Sat on Hotel
Porch, Led to Her Capture.
By JULIA MCCARTHY.

What's the good of being
born unless you're going to
get presents on each ami
versary?
Imagining that maybe the
family were only fooling
when they said they'd give
her a five-passenger car on
her twenty-first birthday,
Miss Helen Biglin, 10 East
Ninetieth street, disappeared
a week ago today.
Twenty-one marks the peak Of
the birthday gift epidemic that
seizes a woman in her cradle,
even on the day she is born, and
holds her. in its relentless grip
long after pride has forced her
to find some other excuse for OBJ
tanning the. tokens. Now If you
can't get a grand t.ibute when
twenty-one, when, for goodness
sake, can you expect it?
But Helen is home again and
they're so glad to have her back
that not one of the Biglins will
say a cross word about the affair.
After she ran off they really got
scared and set detectives to find
her.
TelItale Red Hair.
Helen's gorgeous red hair had
something to do with the capture.
An old family friend saw her sitting
on the porch Of tho Ocean Crest Hotel
and phoned Mrs. Biglin.
Hold her there" commanded
Helen's mother. Meantime the sleuths
got word of the discovery and apprc'
hended the future owner OF fiVe'
passenger auto right where she sat.
Red hair gets its own way, though,
and since all the Biglins have beauu.
full roseate locks, they decided to call
an armistice and be pleasant about
the whole matter. Up at their cozy
little one.story brick home on Nine
tieth street, as trim and tiny as
ships cabin, we talked to Ma Bigiin
and the girls. Jennie l.. and May j.
This Is her only boy friend" she
continued, indicating Pinchu, Helen
Pekingese, ono of the noblest dogs
that ever lent distinction 10 the Up
per East Side.
Pinchu promptly became so in
fatuated with our new patent leather
slippers that he tried to chew his
initials into them.
In the quiet room at the rear OF
the little home Helen was asleep try.
ing TO forget her wilful excursion OF
the past week. Everybody was tip
toeing about.
Mother Forgives Her.
my girls are not the silly type
who paint up and stroll on the side
walks. When they get angry or do
something rash, can forgive them
because there are worse faults than
running away all alone.
Mary and Jennie go to business
and Helen stays In her fathers ex-
press office next door answering the
phone. She had nothing else. She
wasn't pampered too much as the
papers said, although she is the
baby OF the family and we all love
her dearly.
I'VE have a cozy home here and
are happy. was born in this house
in the very room where Helen Is
asleep now forty-four years ago.
Those were the days when we
had fine times. Then there were a
lot OF nice middle-class people in this
neighborhood before Carnegie and
the others came along and built man.
sions.
I'VE have. good time together
and a comfortable home and we
hope to make Helen's birthday a
happy one for her.
"She went to the hotel her great
uncle used to own, and It never
occurred to us she might be thore.
She had plenty Of money with her
and behaved herself well and Just
went off because her feelings were
hurt. When our friends saw her
there she said she wondered where
the rest OF the redheads were!'
Indications are strong for Helen
getting her auto. This il surely a
fine trinket for a birthday and we
can understand anyone being upset
over II. Once, on an early birth
day OF our own. we learned that
our contemporaries were told by
our cruel family not to bring us
any presents Accompanied by our
fiercest personal representative, an
easily irritated spaniel, we called
upon and intimidated those who
were to be our guests that after.
noon. The presents that poured
in later were wonderful and fear
full.
Buying a car won't break Blglins
pocketbooks, but Helen's disap.
pearance broke their hearts and 80
she's promised not to be so dis
trustful Of birthdays ever again.
Noxu chat CarpeCia haa fnro1or
departed TO other neighborhoods
after spelling Nineteenth street, we
sincerely hope that o democratic
spirit attends the celebration OF
Miss Helen Biglin's twenty-first