The Topeka state journal., 1922-02-01
Helen. Hunters
Husband
BY JANE PHELPS
HELEN CANDLES AT BRIDGE.
CHAPTER 9.


Jack Hunter had been inexpressibly
shocked that Helen wanted no chill
dren.
"a woman who has children has to
give up all her good times to take
care. of them," she said once about six
months after they were married. Jack
thought all women wanted children.
He remembered how his mother used
to say she couldn't live without them
how happy she was when they
came.
You see." Helen went on. "a
woman who has money can have all
the nurses and maids she wants to
take care of them, but it ties a poor
woman down, and leaves her no time
worth a hundred thousand you can
talk of Children
She had spoken lightly, with q smile
on her lips. Yet Jack knew she
meant every word she said. Jacks
ideas were turning topsy-turvy; rather,
Helen was trying to turn them. Yet
he was old-fashioned in many ways.
like his mother, and clung ftenaciously
to some of them, altho gradually he
had learned not to air them to Helen.
Soon after Helen had told him she
had Joined the bridge club, she told
him:
81 shall have to take some bridge
lessons, Jack. If I don't shall lose
my shoes. The women of the club
play wonderful game"
You don't mean, Helen, that you
play for money!" Jack was shocked.
Better pull right out if it is that kind
of a club" What Would his mother
think If she knew his wife gamhled
for money? Not that Jack thought
gambling for small amounts wrong
for man, but a woman! He was not
vet educated up to the idea of equality
of sex in some things.
'If I choose to go without clothes
and use my money to win enough to
buy what I like, better clothes, be-
cause 1 waited to make more, can't
see that it makes any difference to
you. 1 suppose you think because
your mother doesn't play bridge 1
shouldn't. But I'm not your mother,
remember. l am young, and want to
have a good time. And I intend to
have it"
Jack had learned to keep control of
| his tongue whenever Helen told him
what she would or would not do. He
| sighed. It did no good to argue with
Helen. If he tried she made him SO
uncomfortable that he soon desisted.
| So now he said nothing more about
| that should she lose he would not, be-
cause he could not. pay her debts.
Jack noticed the meals were be-
coming very skimpy but, guessing the
cause, said nothing. She was using
| the house money for bridge lessons.
She already played a fair game. SO he
would say nothing for she would need
| but few lessons to become as ex-
pert as the others
"Just watch me show that club how
| to play bridge this afternooni" she
| said, about a month after she started
| taking lessons. MY teacher says
can play well enough>now. / finished
my course of lessons yesterday"
ST am glad!" Jack did not explain
whether he was glad the lessons were
| finished, or that she would show the
| others how to play bridge.
! ST probably shall be late getting
| home, SO if you get in first, start the
dinner going" Helen said when Jack
| kissed her goodbye.
1t was long after when Helen
| came in, her face flushed, her eyes
| shining. Jack greeted her pleasantly,
| altho he had been home since $3.50,
and dinner had been ready to serve
since z o'clock.
well, did you show them how to
play bridge ?" Jack asked.
"You bet I didi 1 knew / was going
| to win before we commenced to play.
| Just count that" gleefully she took a
| roll of bills from her purse and threw
| them at him.
~Twenty-eight dollars!" Jack an
| nounced in a voice of wonderment.
| more than you can earn in half a
| week! I'll soon make enough to pay
the house back for my lessons, then
I shall be on velvet"
Bug Helen! Suppose you had lost
| $2S instead of winning it. How could
you have paid it ?"
"For throwing cold water you beat
| anyone ever knew. Most men would
be proud and praise a wife who won
from women who have been playing
together for ages. I believe all you
think woman is good for is to keep
house for a man.
Helen ate scarcely anything. Jack
didn't wonder. The skinny dinner was
cold, and she entertained him with an
account of the wonderful refresh
ments the hostess of the day had given
them. No wonder she wasn't hungry
he would have enjoyed some of
those goodies himself.
| (Tomorrow-Jack resents the loss OF
his study time