Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1895-03-20
BENEATH THE ROUGE

A woman sat at her dressing table, in
front Of the mirror, and dabbed cheeks
that were livid with patches to pink
color. Her maid folded and put away
some drapery that had been flung down
on the bed and watched her mistress
furtively. Down stairs there were prep
arations for big party, and the daylight
shone on the silver and orchids on the
dinner table much as it shone ON the
face of the master of the house. with
the odd punker of discomfort between
his brows, ready and waiting in the
pretty drawing room. 1t shone on those
obstinate blotches of color. which had
to be renewed so often, in order to hide
the wife's nshen skin.
Mrs. Marston had run away from her
first husband and been the subject for
famous divorce case. The companion of
her fight, Lewis Marston, had married
her directly the divorce was made, and
a certain less particular section of soci-
ETY. consented to overlook her lack Of
morals so long as she had good chef
and gave amusing parties.
There was one child of her first mar
rage left in its fathers care, and this
little girl of ten summers was lying
dangerously i'll. The glass reflected eyes
that were stained and wild She PEN
ciled black line under the lower lid.
and she thought as she did so:
"They ought at least to let mo see
her. To be turned away from the house
was cruel, but Charles was always hard.
He will never forgive, and then that
other woman will be bending over her
bed. will listen to her poor little weak
voice, will nurse her and will make
much of her, will take my place.
She blackened one eyebrow, and a
tear fell splash on to one of the silver
brushes.
''Only Just to have seen her for one
minute-crept in like stranger and
looked at her face. Three years agoi
Only three years since she saw me, and
yet they will have taught her to forget.
My darling little girl, my own little
grill o God. help MEL
She began on the other eyebrow, but
her hand shook.
''What a fright shall look tonight
Marie, bring me all my diamonds. ]
can't do without them, my eyes look So
dull. Bother this rouge; it won't stick
on There. I'll make it somehow. "
She thought as the maid fastened q
glittering tiara in her hair that if the
child died that night she could have no
means of hearing, and she suddenly
started up and sat down at writing Ia
BILE. She wrote to an old friend, man
who had stuck to her first husband and
cut her dead when she passed him in
the street. and the letter ran thus:
DEAR SIR JoHN-For PHYS sake. let me
know how Daisy Is. ] am half mad with anx-
iety. Please let the pain am suffering ex-
cuse the liberty take in troubling you
DOROTHY MARsToS.
She sent the maid with the letter at
once, with command to find Sir John
Deane and get an answer If possible.
Then, with walk like a queen, in a
dress from Worth, with her bediamond-
cd head and the roses ON her cheeks, she
descended to the drawing room to re-
ceive her guests.
MY dear. you re late, said her hus-
band.
She had long ceased to expect any
companiopship or sympathy from him.
so she answered carelessly:
Am /? 1t doesn't matter as no one
has arrived.
But it does matter - he began, when
the door opened to admit a guest.
There was a young guardsman with
fair face who thought Mrs. Marston
. good Sort and fiirted with her des-
perately In an elementary fashion.
There was society doctor. with a
plausible manner, gray hairs and keen
enjoyment Ut the sympathy and inter-
est of pretty women. He sat next stout
lady with a contented smile and placid
blue eyes. She was Mrs. Marston's best
friend and little deaf. Most Of the
women were fast and most Of the men
were horsy, and they all agreed at dim
ner that they had never seen their host
ess looking SO well.
I'VE shall meet at Nottingham to-
morrow. " whispered the guardsman.
He was O nice boy. and he defended
Dorothy Marston when her own sex re-
viled her.
She thought. TO Nottingham and
Daisy perhaps dying Aloud she said;
"I'll come can drive you down. If you
like. Yon bad better lunch here first =
Charmed. Of course. " be murmured-
The man on her right asked her II she
had won money ON the Derby. She
fancied she heard her maids voice -
the hall. and she wondered il she had re-
turned viii. Rlv news e he answered:
II z.adc litilr. Lewis war horribly
unln - Hs als! GA u lcisins eon,x
benstly outsider =
Then size laughed. slipped her cham.
7agne and glanced a al old admirer.