Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1899-09-30
MR.. CHAS. WEBSTER

11CdQo-- lEAL AOA LHO weeks
Tails-Staten Island for fouri" said
Charlie Webster as he dipped up sill
yer quarter.
"Headsl Then Ssabright it isl"
There was jubiIant ring in his tone
that told which way his heart was
inclined, and ten chances TO one he
would have tried it over IL it had come
up tails.
Why? Because the bright particular
light of his life was summering at the
above mentioned resort, and the mag
netic current which radiated from the
person of Miss Edith Vandyke was
very strong
Yes, Charlie was very much in love.
He must have been or he would have
seen that his charmer was bored with
his attentions and would have retired
after her frequent snubs. But love is
proverbially blind or does not wish to
see, and when it came time for his va
cation the young mans heart yearned
for the society of Edith.
Unfortunately he was not blessed
with superabundance of money and
life at fashionable summer resort il
not to be thought of without it. As
he packed his trunk visions of dainty
slippers keeping time with his patent
feathers floated before his minds eye.
Moonlight walks on the beach, loung-
ing on the yellow sand under the shade
of a large umbrella, always with Edith,
were pictures very alluring.
Meanwhile Miss Vandyke was Ian
gushing at the seashore, working hard
changing her toilet six times a day.
ooh. dear" she sighed, "life here is
q burden, | am dressing all day long
for a lot of women who look me over
and criticise or envy as the case may
be-
You should be like me" gayly re-
piled her younger sister, as she twisted
her dark hair in becoming coil.
Don't care how you look. put on a
shirtwaist and dark skirt and have a
good time. It's bother for me to
change after the bath, and then dress
in the evening for dinner, and how you
can stand it so many times day is
beyond me-"
When the o'clock train arrived on
warm day in July, very dapper
young man alighted.
why, Mr.. Webster, how delighted /
am to see you! You are more than well
come, for the genus homo is very
scarce in this vicinity" So said Miss
Edith Vandyke, vita animated face and
an unmistakable cordial tone.
They walked up to the hotel, chat
ting gayly and Edith's heart thrilled
with triumph as she towed her prize
into port in the presence of the galaxy
of beauless girls gathered on the piaz-
"a. Charlie was really good-looking
and well-dressed. AS a summer satel-
lite he was all that could be desired.
but for the winterweI she would
see; his lack of worldly possessions
was a drawback, but-she was getting
older every day.
Miss Vandyke was always stylishly
gowned-indeed, her costumes were
the most tasteful there but Charlie
had never seen her in the full glare
of the MONDAY sun. Unfortunately
her complexion was of the variety that
freckled when exposed to the sea-
breeze in spite of the buttermilk lotion
faithfully applied every night. The tip
of her nose burned and stayed car
nation pink, and notwithstanding the
use of curling fluid her hair wiIted and
became decidedly sIringy.
There were other girls who had not
these misfortunes and consequently
were fairer in the eyes of the hero
of the hour. There was her sister
Helen, whose hair was naturally curly
and she emerged from the surf looking
as pretty and wholesome as at any
time during the day She was burned
as brown as a berry, but it accorded
we'll with her dark hair and bright
eyes. She dashed fearlessly into the
water and dived, swan and floated like
a sea-nymph Early in the morning
she was off on her wheel or playing
tennis with all the enthusiasm of youth
without so much as thought of her
looks. If Charlie Webster inquired
about her sister the reply was almost
invariably: She's dressing"
Edith took more pains with her toilet
now, for there was man to see and
admire. In proportion as his interest
in her waned, hers for him increased.
He could see her talking to the one
other eligible young man there, even
see them start for sail without
pang of jealousy.
Helen was such a jolly little COM
panion that he was lying at her feet
on the sand more often than at her
sisters. One day they were watching
the bathers on the beach and saw a
doleful figure emerge from the water.
Look at that girl! She's lost her
cap and her hair has tumbled down."
laughed the young man. There she
stood, her hair in straight and drip
ping locks. which she vainly endeav-
ored to confine beneath the recovered
cap. Her bathing suit closely clinging
to her angular form, and altogether a
sorry sight. Just then she turned and
ran across the sand to the bath-house.
"Why--it's Edith" exclaimed Helen.
If the young man was not already dis
enchanted, the sight of her in this pre-
dicament was sufficient.
When the two weeks were up Mr..
Charles Webster received a letter that
made him very jubilant and he stayed
four, but all the arts and wiles that
Miss Edith practiced could not win
him back. One night as he was with
Helen in a remote corner OF the piaz-
"a, which was furnished with rugs and
a settee, an ideal spot for lovers he de-
clared himself.
Il 4.