Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 February 1912 — Married Life Second Year [ARTICLE]

Married Life Second Year

“BUT, WARREN, IT will all have to be papered and painted. 1 < don’t eee how we can get in by the first.” “Why not? They can do over that place in three or four days.” “But can we get any one now to move us?” Helen stooped over for the spool of thread that had slipped from her lap. “All the wagons are engaged weeks ahead for the Ist of October.” “Leave that to me. I’ll get the wagons. All you’ve got to do Is to pack.” “But, dear, this apartment isn’t rented yet—wouldn't they let us stay here until the 15th? That would give us so much more time.” ~ “And pay rent in both places? Well, I guess not.” Helen dropped her sewing and came over and rested her cheek against his. “You haven’t signed the lease yet?” “Well, what of it?” “Don’t sign it, dear. Let’s not take that apartment, i don’t think we’ll be happy there?” “Why not?” “Oh, you know I don’t like it —the location —the whole atmosphere of the building”— > “Now look here, we thrashed all that out last week —and we’re not going over it again. By gad, you’re a persistent woman! “Nothing’s ever settled with you. You’re eternally harking back to the same thing. Now, I’m going to sign that lease tomorrow, and we’re going to move in on the first. Is that plain?” ■* Helen flushed. “Warren, do you realize how much this means to me? I’m in the apartment all day—you're there only in the evening. Shouldn’t my wishes have some weight?” “Oh, that’s your tone is it? You’re trying to make out that I’m forcing you Into this? Didn’t I tell you all Summer to look around—to find some apartment where we wouldn’t be shut arc here? And you said you couldn’t find anything—wasn’t that It?” “I said I couldn’t find anything as (good .as this for what we’re paying here.” “Well, I did find something. You were obstinately determined to stay here, and that was your method of working It —only it didn’t happen to work.” “Oh, Warren. I didn’t try to work anything—you know that’s not like me.” “I’m not so darned sure about that.”

“Of course I wanted to stay here. 1 told you that all along. You know how we looked at apartments before we came back, and I couldn’t find anything to compare to this.’’ “Well. I found six good size rooms, with plenty of air and light, in a brand new apartment, and not a cent more than we’re paying now.” “Oh! but the neighborhood! Dear, there's a garage and a Chinese laundry right across the street, and all the rest of the block is” — “But we’re not living across the street nor on the rest _of the block, either. We’ll be comfortable In that apartment —and that’s all I’m aiming at. If you’ve aspirations for a fashionable address —you’ve married the wrong man to gratify them.” “Oh, Warren, how unjust! You know I’m not thinking of a fashionable address. But I didn’t want to be in a street over-run with dirty children. And it’s not only the street—it’s the whole atmosphere of the building Dear, I know we won’t be happy there.” r 6‘Well, we haven’t been so infernally happy here —have we?” “No, perhaps not,’* in a low voice “though ft hasn’t been the fault of the Apartment/*’ - —- 'With an oath Warren rose and flung his paper to the floor. sa\ no<£ pfO} 1 -BJ3U ass mow,, weren’t going to discuss this. Well, I mean just what I said. Now,” emphasizing each word with a vieoro u thump cn the table. “We’re ’■;* that apartment the first cf October. You had your chance to find something and didn’t do it. So now we’re going to take this, and we’re not going to talk any more about it. Do you hear?" He went out slamming the door aftei him. Helen beard him getting his hat and coat in the hall, and then c&me the bang of the outside door. For several moments she' sat motionless where he had left her. Then she went over to the window. Warren was standing on the corner waiting fior a car. The street lamp lit up his face, and even from that distance she could see the lines of his mouth.. The car came clangjng by and he back seat before it stopped. She knew he was going to the club and would probably not be back until late. But somehow tonight she didn’t care. She was filled with a sense of hitter onjustness. It was not often that she felt so strongly about anything as she did about this apartment. For so long she Sad considered his comforts and his inclinations before hers, that it had come to be almost a second nature. But at least in the choosing of a hone, her happiness should be considered. His* words, “We haven’t been so infernally happy here,” kept running in her mind.

She leaned her head wearily against the window pane. A sense of the hopelessness of it alt swept, over her. “We haven’t been so infernally happy here.” Her thoughts went back over the stormy two years of their married life. There had been moments of happiness, of course, and yet, how few in proportion to those of unhappiness. Was it so in every married life? Suppose a great scale should be erected and each married couple ghpuld lay on one side every happy moment they had had together, and an the other side every unhappy one. to- moat cases which aide would ha the heavier? ; • •. . - 7 The skirt mode! attracting the most attention just now is a high walsted, narrow garment, ornamented Vito one or two lines of buttons from the waist •m to ham in Rent