San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-06
THE MARRIED LIFE
of
HELEN AND WARREN
EIENs UNAVOIDABLE BIUNDER OFFENDs THE AUTHOR OF
"JAZZING SOULS"
R Mabel Herbert Urner

hours she had worked under one "driv-
ing, impelling inspiration" No food
nor rest, only a little orange juice that
her secretary" brought to her desk.
She wrote best under the stimulus
of music. Often when in the throes
of an emotional scene, she had her
reproducing piano, in the next room,
play an Hungarian Rhapsody.
+ Again that ominous ir0nic quirk OF
Warren's lower lip.
Desperately Helen broke in with a
nervous,
"How long did it take you, Miss
Wingott, to write the Passionate
PurpleT"
Il beg your pardon?"
Quailing under the glacial glance
now turned upon her. Helen had no
choice but to repeat her question.
did it take you very long to write
the Passionate Purple?
ais that meant for a joker" her
voice dripped icicles. II don't know
how long it took Carol Dobbs Blake
to write the Passionate Purple but
it reads like she wrote it with her toes
in two hours"
wrong Names" stammered Helen.
Fortunately, the arrival of other
guests alleyiated this excruciating sit
uation. In the general shifting to
make room for the newcomers, Helen's
crimsoned confusion sought the farth-
est corner of a secluded window-seat.
A high-backed, near-antique Italian
chair now blocked her view of War
rem. But she did not care. No break
he might make, could be worse than
hers.
? A little later she saw him retreat
to the next room with Mr.. Merwin,
where they were soon comfortably
settled with cigars.
The atmosphere relieved Of their
restraining presence. Mary Blair
Wingott lit another cigarette and
launched into further minute analysis
of her temperaments, her moods, and
her reactions.
Even the serving Of refreshments
did not interrupt this fluent personal
stream. Since the publication of her
"Jazzing Souls" letters had poured
in from women all over the world"
Her message" had "probed Deep"
"Jazzing Souls J" Helen, in her
corner window seat, but her lips,
"Jazzing Souls." She remembered
now the flambuoyant ads in all the
papers.
And Mrs. Dalton had made that
hideous mistake! oh, why had she
asked her! She could have called up
a library or book shop.
1t seemed an eternity before some
one made the first departing move.
Eager to escape, Helen rose to signal
Warren, still in the next room with
Mr.. Merwin.
But there was another awkward ten
minutes of leave-taking before they
were out in the Swallowed, deserted
street.
"Well, who made the break this
time?" snorted Warren. $50 ALFRED
afraid I'd say something to crab the
party. Seems to me you put crimp
in i'll"
"Oh, that was CHASTITY! I'll never
forgive Mrs. Dalton! How could she
have mixed those names?"
"Talk about bone plays-you GER
tainly pulled whopper! That slinky
dame oozing tid-bits about her temp
>erament-and you Ginning in with
your Passionate Purple' Bet she
loves the jane who wrote that spasm
like a dog does tin can"
"Oh, the way she glared at me! l
thought I'd go through the floor"
"Glad you handed it to her. Had
us all sittin' around on our hind legs
listening to her lime mine stuff. All
that lippy rot about tuning up fer an
inspiration. Does her mushy scenes
to canned music! 'Jazzing Souls
with a chuckle. "Jazzing Piffle !"
sand everybody read II oh, 1
should've known" anguished Helen.
How could l have made such an aw-
full"
"Well. you gave her ego jolt, all
right. And I'm darn glad of it. The
crack I took at her went clear over
her hcad-but your blunder got her
peevcd. Ha, ha, Kitten, the frost she
threw when you pulled that"
Then, as he flourished his cane at
a taxi.
"But the next time you coach up to
meet a celebrity get your dope
straight. Before you speak your little
piece-you'd better be sure of your
lines!"