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Show Ik Married Life of liefen mi Warren r By MABEL HERBERT URNER - Originator of "Their Married Life." Author of "The Journal of a Neglected Wife," "The Woman Alone," etc. l' 'I Helen Pays Dearly for Holding Her Own With an Assertive, Asser-tive, Insolent Woman (Copyright, 1915, by the McClure Newspaper Syndicate.) Helen viewed the coat from every angle in' the triplicated mirror. She liked the cut, the 1 straight lines JI"V gave her an add- ? s"if' ed slimuess. Its T'( 'f"J " very plainness LJ V J was distinctive af- -! ter the fussy r Jjj? ft tons of the other I f suits. I I "I'm sorry to - , junff'j keep you wait- f J ing tlie sales- yr woman came back "01 lnt0 the flttinB ' ' ' 'kK room "but the .-jflK. skirt's been mislaid. mis-laid. Just let me Mabel H. Urner. see that number," gki examining the ticket on the coat. "I like this better than any of the others," admitted Helen. "If the skirt's as good I think I'll take it." "It's a circular skirt I know you'll like it. Just a moment " But it was several moments before she returned, plainly troubled and still -without a skirt "There seems to be some mistake. Another customer has the skirt and she wants to try on the coat." "Oh, but I've already said I'd take It!" Helen's desire for the suit instantly in-stantly intensified. "Why, they can't " "That's what I told Miss Boyd, but she says her customer had the skirt first. I've just Bent for Mr. Carter." This element of uncertainty greatly great-ly enhanced the desirability of the suit, and with feminine obstinacy Helen determined to have it. The door now swung open to admit a stout, blonde, assertive-looking saleswoman. sales-woman. "Will you kindly let me have that coat a moment?" with Icy authority. "Why, I I've bought this suit," flushed Helen. "I beg your pardon, madam, my -customer has the skirt! She had it on before Miss Walker showed you the coat." "They've sent for the floorwalker I'd rather wait till he comes." "But, madam, my customer's waiting wait-ing to try the coat on," arrogantly. Here, to Helen's intense relief, her own saleswoman came back with a tall, fairhaired, youngish man. "Mr. Carter, this is the customer. She likes the coat and has practically practical-ly bought the suit without seeing the skirt, but Miss Boyd insists " Miss Boyd, the stout saleslady, interrupted in-terrupted with an excited, voluble i protest. Her customer had the prior right to the suit. She had seen it on the figure, and the stock girl had just taken it off for her when Miss Walker took away the coat. Realizing that Miss Walker was much less assertive, Helen felt that she must help her out or she would lose the suit. "I've had an account here for several sev-eral years," her voice quivering with excitement, "and If Ardman's won't let me have a suit that I've " "My customer has an account here also, madam. She saw the suit on the Ilgure before " "Miss Thomas, the buyer, will have to decide this," nervously interrupted Mr. Carter. "I'll send for her," hastily hast-ily making his escape. "Oh how unfair!" began Helen tremulously. "Why surely I " "Just wait," cemforted her saleswoman. sales-woman. "Miss Thomas'll be here in a moment, and she's always fair. The stock girl wasn't taking the suit oil the figure at all! 1 took the coat oil myself." Again the door Bwung open and again entered the blonde clerk this time followed by her customer whe had on the the skirt! She was a thin, dark woman with an expensive but unbecoming hat and a fussy lace waist. "I've come in to show you the skirt,' with lofty scorn. "You can see iff a. mile too long for you. Now will yox. let me try on the coat?" The door was slightly ajar, and Just outside Btood Mr. Carte witt amused grin. The situation of twe women fighting for the same suit one wearing the coat and the othei he skirt, was no doubt most amus ing. But at that moment Helen failec to see in it any element of humor. "Now, madam, that I've let you set the skirt, will you kindly let me trj on the coat?" the woman repeatec haughtily. "I shall keep the coat until w( see what the buyer says," flared Hel en. furious at the arrogant, presumptu oils Intrusion. The woman, now livid with rage looked as though she would take th coat by force. But she contented her self with a sneering, insolent re mark about "some people who are s Ill-bred." and flounced haughtily out "I was so afraid you'd give it t( her-," whispered Miss Walker. "Oh, how brazen! The impudenci t her coming in here! Why shouh give her the coat," hotly, "any mori she should" A buzz of voices outside, and the door was pushed open by a tired, frail, but capable-looking woman, whom Helen knew was the buyer. She was followed by the blonde saleslady and Mr. Carter. Everybody began talking talk-ing at once in excited, high-pitched voices everybody but the buyer.- and she only listened. Then she turned to Helen with a brief "I'm very sorry that such a mistake has happened. A suit is usually sold by the coat, but I'll have to see the other customer." "Right in the next room," and Miss Boyd led the way triumphantly. Again Helen was left alone, a choking chok-ing sense of thwarted indignation in her throat. She would not get the suit. Everybody always took advantage advan-tage of her. She could never hold hei own. An endless wait; then Miss W'alker rushed in with a triumphant: "It's yours! You see, all the marks stock number and cost are on the coat ticket. That's what decided it! Oh, she's making an awful row she's boiling!" "What did she say?" eagerly, then quickly ashamed of he: question. "When she couldn't get the sun she even tried to buy ihe skirt!" "The skirt?" repeated Helen. "Why, she wouldn't want just the skirt?" "Of course not, but she's determined deter-mined you shouldn't have it! She's still arguing hasn't taken it off yet, but she doesn't want that. Says she'll withdraw her account, and never Oh," joyfully, "here's the skirt now," as Mr. Carter handed it in. It was with a sense of elation, of thrilled exultancy, that later Helen left the shop. For once she had triumphed. tri-umphed. Then she realized that in her excitement ex-citement she had not even tried on the skirt, but since it was just a plain model it could not be far wrong. They were almost through dinner when Emma brought in the large box marked "special." Dropping her napkin, nap-kin, Helen started up with an ex-, ex-, cited, "Oh, it's my suit! I'm wild to see it!" "See here, the suit can wait you finish your dinner." iiut already Helen had it out of the box and was trying on the coat. "Wait, dear, I'll put on the whole thing you can tell so much better," , and gathering up the package she ran into her room. But her heart sank as she slipped on the the skirt. It was made with a yoke, a style she never liked, for th8 line across the hips took from her height. And the coat somehow it did not look quite the same! But then she had had on her hat perhaps per-haps that made some difference. Anxious for Warren's opinion, she ran back to the dining room. As she turned slowly around before him, he viewed the suit in stolid silence. "Not crazy about it. Big enough for two of you." "Oh no, it's just the skirt that's . too long and the sleeves." "All right, if you're satisfied. You're . the one that's got to wear it." But .Helen was not satisfied. She , had Emma, leave her dishes to pin i up the skirt. Then she spent the next hour viewing it in the various mir-, mir-, rors her discontent growing as she found new faults. "Take it back if you don't like it," growled Warren, exasperated by her t constant appeals as to what he thought of this or that alteration. "Oh, I can't ask them to take this i back," flushing. . "Why not? You're not so blamed ; scrupulous about firing things back." "Oh, but this is different another woman wanted the suit! Oh, they I had a time! They had to send for the i floorwalker and the buyer " And i then came the story with all its de-. de-. tails. "That's rich!" Warren threw back his head and roared. "Ha ha, I'd have given a farm to see you two women scrapping. Butted right in i with the skirt on, did she? Regular ! hair-pulling scene, eh?" "Oh, she was so insolent about it!" indignantly. i "Well, I can't see that you were such a 'perfect lady.' " "Why. I simply held on to the - coat! You certainly don't think I - should have given it up to her?" 1 "Huh, seems now you're deuced sorry sor-ry you didn't! I should say she ; got the best of that deal. Looks like i you're the one that's stung." 1 Almost in tears Helen went in to take off the suit. As she hung it on 3 a form in her closet, she thought of . the months it must hang there, of . the countless times she must wear it and always with distaste. For she never wore with comfort a thing that 2 she disliked. It was a bitter price for a few mo-. mo-. ments of triumph. Other people were 3 always triumphing over her yet neither regret nor retribution seemed 3 ever to come to them. With an almost vicious bang she ; shut the closet door. It was always j so! Others got off she never did. s Whatever happened she was always j the one to pay. |