Middletown transcript., 1900-11-10
=. An Awkward BIunder. -.
"Miss Mildred Brewster requests the
BY SOPHIE SWEET.

Miss Mildred Brewster requests the
pleasure Of your presence at a small |
musicale-at her house Wednesday even
ing, June 18TH"
The girl to whom the note was address
sed read it with flushing cheeks and
cry Of delight.
She started to her feet, dropping Miss |
Floy Parmenter's wedding-dress in s'bil- |
lowy heap on the floor, and ran to the |
door of ths fitting room of the dressmak- |
ing establishment.
But her mother was busy trying a |
dress on Mrs. Commodore Skreene and
could not be hurried, and the girl |
turned back, impatient TO announce the |
news.
She whirled about in little dance be-
fore the chevaEglsss in the privacy of
the inner-room. Catching up Miss Par
menters's wedding-dress, she held the
shimmering folds before her.
"How shall I look in an evening |
gownP' she wondered ecstaticaliy.
"Oh, suppose / am too silly, but |
have been SO hungry for good times of |
my own kind! They are my own kind, |
those girls of Mildred Brewster's set,
thgouh didn't suppose they'd ever ac-
knowledge It. They never took the least
notice of me when went-so frightfully
shabby Ito the high school with them. |
Mildred Brewster seemed especially-al-
though she was kind to get us the naval |
people for patrons. A musicale, too! I |
wonder how she knew ! should like |
that. 1t may be that her brother STAN
ley has heard me singing in the garden
when he has been canoeing on the river.
40 mother dearest p and she turned |
to her mother, who had finally got /
through with Mrs. Commodore Skreene
and now stood in the doorway. "An
invitation for nae from Mildred Brews-
ter to a musicale When / opened the
envelope thought, of course, she had
only written about the chiffon for her
pink waist"
81 don't know why she shouldn't invite
you," said the little worn woman, her
seamy cheeks growing red with pleas
ure.
"They are very aristocratic-very
proud of their old family. They live
in colonial house hundred years old,
with family protraits and old silver and
things: and you and I mother, dear, are
nobodies. 1 trim Mildred's pretty gowns
and she sends US her fathers checks.
Those are the only relations that are to be
expected between her and me-"
"She hasn't seemed to think so," said
her mother, quietly, but with a thrill in
her voice. Mentally she vowed that,
whether money were plenty or scarce.
Betty should 60 to the musicale in
lovely gown. For she knew all about
the hunger for good times and girls, al
though never a word had been said.
Mother eyes are sharp.
Meanwhile the postman had left mis-
sive in Miss Mildred Brewster's hand
writing at one of the old colonial houses,
"with family portraits and old silver
things" Itwas addressed to Miss Frances
Penhallow, and that young lady, who
was Mildred's dearest, dearest friend,
said she knew without opening it that it
was an invitation to Mildred's musicale.
She opened it, nevertheless and drew her
brow into frown as the read:
"Dear Miss Martiu Will you be SO
kind as to take the very greatest pains
in matching the pink chiffon to my
waist? am sure can trust your ex-
quisite taste, but I should feel it to be
such calamity if that delicate shade of
pink silk were to be spoiled by deeper
shade Of trimming
Hastily, i
Mildred Brewster"
"Just like Mildred! She has mixed
those children upp" exclaimed Miss
Penhallow. "This note was meant for
Betty Martin, the dressmakers daughter.
And she has probably got my invitation!
I'll driye round there and carry this
note, SO that Mildred's waist may be sure
to be all right.She has more faith in those
people than she has in Madame Fon-
tenelle think I'll get mamma to try
them. remember that the girl looked
poor and forlorn when she went to
school, but she is really effective now,
she wears such gowns. And there is
something quaint about her, with
her high forehead and her little
peaked chin and her con-fower-blue
eyes. If she could manage to make me
look as she does"
Frances critically, surveyed the image
Of the descendant of the Penhallows in
the long mirror, and deliberately "made :
up face" at it. It is true that the
figure was stocky and the nose thick, :
and those discouraging points struck the
owner Of the figure more forcibiy than ,
did the honest clearness of the gray eyes, !
or the sympathetic sweetness ot the '
mouth. II
1t was Betty herself who opened the |
door of the reception room ana her
"quaint " face lighted up at the sight /,
of the visitor. A friend of Mildred !
Brewster's tore with her "charmed at
mosphere."
Frances, smiling little in response to
the shy radiance of the girls face, said
al remembered you at the high school. :
and think you have such lovely taste J" {
She felt that Betty's attitude demanded
something more kindly than an immed-
late plunge into business. have seen
all the pretty things that you have made
for Miss Brewster"
"Miss Brewster has been go very KIND p.
to me-" said Betty, with thrill IN her !
voice. "She has sent me an invitation
to musicale at her house, She dis
played the card with childish simplicity
al think some one must have told her
n