The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-11-30
Chapters From a
Woman S Life
HELEN is ENTIRELY RE-
BY JANE PHELPS
Chapter %

Chapter %
1t was Walter himself after all who
'let the cat out of the bag" He was
late to dinner and his mother said
something about cultivating a habit of
promptneSS. He answered a bit inn
patiently, saying the traffic held him
up. that he had not allowed himself
quite time enough to get down from
1S3rd street.
Mrs. Page. of course, knew where
Helen lived as she had gone there the
day she had her taken home. She
made no remark but her thin lips
frightened. Later she said to me:
Il shall be relieved when Walter
finishes that picture. I do not ap-
prove of that girl
''Why not tell Walter instead OF
me-" asked quickly. then bit my lip
with chagrin- In all that had con-
had, without saying 1t, worked for me.
1 was thoroly ashamed of myself and
Immediately begged her pardon
1 had worried over those long drives
twice day. tried not to feel Jealous.
assuring myself Walter thought of
Helen as a model; that she meant
nothing to him as a woman. But it
isn't easy for one to ignore, or give
an innocent meaning to a mans atten-
lions to another woman-especially il
the man happens to be your own hus-
band.
The thought of them in the roadster.
along. CnaLllnG ana 1auEn-
ing while l remained at home with his
mother drove me wild, and 1 had all
l could do TO keep still. without
knowing it. Mrs. Page had touched
me on the raw. Yet, not for worlds.
would 1 have said one word of COM
plant to her. / was too proud in the
first place, and she wauld have at once
flared in his Defense Then l shrank
from the notion that she might per-
haps pity me, even while defending
him. 1 wished no discussion of our
marriage, a marriage of which she had
been SO chary of admitting approval.
But in spite of heart-aches I attend
ed more scrupulously to my domestic
affairs; Mrs. Page should have no.
fault to find with my housekeeping il
1 could avoid it, which I sometimes
could not. and because there was an
apartment of which 1 was the mis-
tress, with a servant, and because the
telephone would ring with people try
ing to make engagements. 1 gave
little external evidence that was dis
turbed. The homely tasks of every
day life helped me to keep my bal
ance.
I have always been a partisan for a
home, especially for young married
people. A woman with nothing to do.
no routine work, in my position makes
mistakes simply because she has too
much time to think, to pity herself
and to imagine things are worse than
they are.
'dThe Mater won't be able to find
fault again because am late to meals.
Helen is all right again. and can come
to the studio in the subway" Walter
said to me a day or two after his
mother had spoken to me of how re-
1ieved she would be when his picture
night. old girl, go out to Hummel's
and have a lobster"
''That would be lovely" I returned.
knowing it was his way to make up
L i L.. =
taken Helen. but ought We to leave
your mother?"
''TlI tell the world we had! Don't
be silly, Doreen. You've been brick
with the Mater. It's up to me to take
Happily 1 got ready as soon as din
ner was finished. And what glorious
rio we had. His mother had not look
ed too well pleased when he told her
we would be late, not to sit up, but
had said nothing.
AS we drove along the smooth coun-
try roads. the moon was full, and IL
was almost as light as day. Walter was
in gay spirits. and we laughed and
joked like sweethearts, instead of man
and wife
We found HummeTs filled with a
gay crowd. Grace and George Harter
among them. They Joined us and althO
[ would have preferred the evening to
belong just to Walter and me, nothing
could spoil my pleasure.
We had our lobster, danced an hour.
then drove home in the wee sma'
hours, going in very quietly so as not
10 waken Mrs. Page.
''Had n good time, old girl" Walter
asked, drawing me to him and kissing
ne
THE best eVerl" returned. And
vent happily to sleep. forgetting that
here was such a person as Helen Raj
itrom in the world; or that Walters
mother often trampled on my nerves.
A little tenderness and appreciation
20 far with our sex.
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