, 1891-09-24

stand 1t, but it sounded as though II
meant something nice, and why that
tall, slim waiter with the spectacle.
should have choked and giggled and
spilled lemon ice all over himself Just al
that moment was a mystery.
White muslin and lace, India silk, soft
wool-the maiden's gowns this year have
all been simple. No jewels, no heavy
satins or brocades. 1.-THE girl" is no less
the important part of American social
life, but every season she dresses more
like the maidens Of other countries, who
are merely in society On probation, 50 to
speak, never being really admitted until
some one marries them.
Say what you will about our American
social system, the folly of allowing I'M
sophisticated young things to arrange
their own destinies-some Of our girls
are butterflies, but not many of them are
featherbrains. They like their freedom,
they don't marryin a hurry, even though
some Of their little affairs are rather
quickly arranged in summer.
That is also what the summer girl is
thinking. She knows she is called a
fisher Of men by the newspaper para
bAoRitAof bAAf . "a 10 bdppooCd
to lie awake nights scheming in her be-
half, that the million-heir is warned that
he takes his life in his hands every time
he enters her presence, but it doesn't
trouble her. OF course she wants to
marry a million-heir, but she doesn't
want to marry them all and. she can
easily get along without even one, u N
less that one wants her. The summer
girls object in life is less matrimony
than flirting, to tell the truth, and less
flirting than dancing in what sunbeams
that shine, and enjoying life while it
lasts.
The philosophers who preach the the
DRY of change, Of the evanescence of all
things, are less impressed with their
own doctrine than is the summer girl.
Regret has little place in her heart, re-
morse no place at all. She wishes vague
ly, as she watches Marie fold that black
lace, that she hadn't allowed herself to
go to the races with the man who after
ward turned out to be a celebrated book
maker; she bites her lips and frowns
when she remembers another little es-
capade or two. But then the season is
over; there are no shopworn goods in
the summer girls stock.
She has an idea that If she were a
newspaper funny man she would like TO
poke a little fun at the summer young
man. He is an uncertain quantity. He
turns out to be all sorts of things-bar-
bers, dry goods clerks, tailors.
But then the season is over. She picks
up o certain Nile green silk with a great
stain of ice cream over the front breadth
and strokes it softly with her pink fin
ger tips, while the thoughtful look deep
ems in her eyes Marie, where are the
gloves for this gown They came to the
shoulder and it was strangely amusing
was that just the word?-to have some
body draw them off for her at supper.
That corner Of the piazza-the soft light
tho music. 1t always took at least
half an hour to get those gloves off.
Marie could remove them in three sec
onds, but men are clumsier. That one
was particularly 30; he used to kiss her
fan and her bouquet and the gloves
after he got them off; and once, the
night before he left on his yacht, his
lips just brushed her hair as they waltzed
around behind the clump of palms in
the corner.
Bat then the season is overi
RHETA LOUISE CHLDE.