San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-12-13
The Married Life of
Helen and Warren
Warren Is P7ickley Guest
.By MABEL HERBERT URNER

OnvEh->>>>>>>s
open house." shrugged Warren. @How
bout servants? Need an army to
run this joint"
1--WE hope to do it with seven.
Three maids, cook, two men, ana 4
gardener"
"You'Il never do it with seveni Got
a big shack here"
'Well. if we find it's too much
we'll put it on the market. With baths.
steam heat. and furnished--it won't be
hard to SELL"
SECRET STAIRS.
"Don't be too sure of that. Not
many suckers for plant this size"
This lovely old damask," again
Helen checked Warren's disparazing
comments. "And the old wood under
neath!" lifting a strip of the torn,
stained wall-covering. Have you ever
thought of secret panels?'
I'VE found a secret stairway,
exultantly. I'm this next room"
Moving radiator, waiting to be in
stalled, Mr.. Dawson pressed an in
visible spring. Slowly panel slid
wall.
"Wherc does it lead tor thrilled
Helen, peering down the musty black
ness.
I'VE don't know yet" he held
match in the ghostly chasm. 'Tt's
sealed up just below, but we're going
to have it opened"
"Spooky enough" Warren shifted az
the moldy antiquity. "Wouldn't want
one of those man-traps BY my bed"
"Oh, love the old-world romance
OF it ALL" glowed Helen, to cover his
depreciatory bluntness. "a secret pas-
sage! ] wonder what they used it
TO drag out the bodies,' he chuck
led. And an easy getaway for their
rlsque rendezvous. Rotten old FOUNDERS
in those days."
WARREN PERvERSE.
Come out here--I want you to see
the view. from this balcony" Mrs.
Dawson ignored Warren's flippancy.
Out through one of the Renaissance
windows. overlooking the tangled gar
den. A moss-grown fountain, a sun
dial. some broken statuary, old stone
benches.
Again Helen marshalled her lauda
Jury auJectlNeS.
eyes. it's going to be very attrac.
tive when we get it all in shape"
Expect one gardener to keep thst
weeded!" Warren was persistently
peryerse.
'The chauffeur can help him once
it's in order. oh, there's our camphor
tree-just back of that statue. No,
from the roots-but you can use the
Il
oh, you must come down into the gar
den."
Almost dusk now. but it was anoth.
er half hour before they could break
away.
Out to their waiting taxi. The driv.
er fast asleep.
Now, don't forget. il you come over
next year-you're to stay with u.s."
invited Mr.. Dawson when they finally
started off. "We'll be all set for en-
tertaining then"
Don't worry, you'll get plenty Of
spoDge-eaters," grinned Warren.
"More'n you bargain for"
HELEN CRITICIZES.
Down the driveway, Helen waving
back until they were out of sight.
At the lodge, an oil lamp shons
through a vine-hung window.
Again the old man hobblcd out.
Got any lire?" Warren fumbled in
his pocket. want to give this old
boy something.
Giraffe! Giraffe. signorc." he bowed,
as they chugged through the gate.
Once more on the now dark road,
and they were speeding back to Flor
ence.
"Well, that was some afternoon
drawing out his eyer-relaxing cigar.
Warren, you were horrid You
kept saying the rudcst, most discour-
aging things"
Wanted to discourage them. Hate
to see 'em got in so deep. Great Scott,
Dawson must've slipped cog when he
bought that"
"But you needn't have been so rude.
Look. a lamp before that road shrine.
They weren't asking advice-they've
already bought it. And it is q won
derful place J"
PUTS ON DAMPER.
How'd you like to heat it? Goals
high here in Italy. Dawson's got some
money but it'll take a mint to run
that. A pretty expensive show-off,
They'll put up everybody that comes
TO Florence Just to strut their pal
ace !"
Il wonder what he paid?" shifting a
leaf, from the camphor tree, tucked i'll
her glove.
"He told me-sixty thousands. Dirt
cheap-but it'll stand 'em q hundred
fore it's fit to live in. And who'd
want it,"
"Oh, I'd love it, Dear, some day
if you make lots of money!" wistfully,
"we might want to buy place over
here"
mot IL I had il in bales Think I'd
load myself with a white elephant like
that? And you'd be a flop runnin' it.
Your limits two-by-four flat. Whatd
you do with a troop of servants? Can't
manage one. Always firm EN-
Warren, that's not truei I've had
Anna over a year-and it's much easier
getting servants in Italy" leaning for
ward 10 read the taximeter. Dear,
next summer, IL we come ovcr-they
want us TO stay there"
Nothing doingl" grimly. ave doBp
park ON our friends--wc go to no.
tell"
N"I knew you'd say that-but at least
we'll dine there. I'm crazy to see how
they'll furnish it. oh, envy hor buy.
ing all that old furniture. Dear, l
lnITI N 10 that I could f,ruicn fnaS