The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-19
The Bright Bathing SUIT.

like it?''
YES said Aunt Helena. its very
pretty. White, STRIPED with scarlet, aud
scarlet bias bands around the skirt. /
wish I had seen it before | made mine
up.''
Now. Aunt Helena was five-and-thirty,
and carry was I7-but Aunt Helena, in
her secret heart. thought herself far
more attractive than her niece. 1t was
true that Carry had full, cherry lips.
and balsam fair complexion, and big
blue eyes; but then she-Aunt Helena
had a Greek profile and something ike
intellect in her face and didn't depend
altogether on the vapid bloom and fresh
ness of mere youth.
Aunt Helena was tired OF single life.
and she had come to Long Branch with
her sisters eldest child TO see what she
could do.
Mr.. Vail was at Long Branch, also.
Mr. Vail was a handsome widower, and
Aunt Helena made IN her mature mind
that he suited her style exactly.
Garry. in the solitude of her own room
while she was crimping her fornt hair
and doing up" her back braids, came
to tthe same conclusion.
Il do believe Aunt Helena actually
thinks Mr. Vail fancies her." thought
Garry, the dimples rallying around her
pretty mouth at the ridiculous idea.
II shouldn't wonder meditated Aunt
Helena, ''if that conceited mink, Garry,
imagined that she was the attraction
which brings Mr.. Vail so frequently to
our end of the lvera-Ga."
Mr.. Vail was fond of surf bathing.
So was Carry Emerson. Aunt Helena,
on the contrary, didn't like it, but daily
made herself miserable for hlaf an hour
with 2 merry crowd of other Neptune
worShippers.
Just at present Aunt Helena's star was
in the acknowledgements at least
for Mr.. Vail had sat on the sofa with
her all the evening, discussing Kant, the
Darwinian theory and the last exhibition
of paintings at the Academy of Design
things about which Garry Emerson was
in Egyptian ignorance, and Carry, at the
end of the parlor, carried on an ostenta-
tious Irritation with young Columbia
collegian and pretended not 10 notice
Aunt Helena and Mr.. Vail OF course
they had right to fiirt if they pleased.
To be sure. Why not?
And the young Columbia colegian
thought he never had encountered so i've
ly and charming a young lady, and Carry
went to her room and cried half the
night. Nothing was the matter. Ger
tainly not. Only she was a little low
spirited-people couldn't always be even.
She couldn't, at all events.
Aren't you going out bathing, my
dear?" asked Aunt Helena, at her door.
THE flag is up and the water ST delight
fully warm"
Not today"
Aren't you well, dear?"
I'm well enough shortly retorted
Carry, "only l don't care to go out"
Then, perhaps" insinuated Aunt Hell
ena, you'd not mind lending me your
new suit? That neglectful bathing man
has sent mine up quite damp and"
And, at your age maliciously retort-
ed Miss Carry, you, of course, wish to
avoid anything in the nature of rheuma-
tjsm. Oh, of course, you're quite well
come to the suit, Aunt Helena
Aunt Helena thanked her niece with
smiling poIiteness and Withdrew. 1t was
not on the cards that she should have
any open difficulty with dear Carry"
just at present. But when once she was
well married to Edgar Vail, the little
mink should learn to know her place.
On, the rush and foam and green trans
lucent CLEAN of the great waves break
ing in snowy lines over the shingly beach!
Oh, the glitter of the sunshine and the
salt breath of the sea wind, and the
ropes. bobbling UP and down, and the
merry laughter of the crowd of bathers
as they splashed to and fro!
Aunt Helena was leaning against the
rope GREATNESS from one great emerald
crested billow, and apprehensively await
ing a second, with pretty white and
scarlet bathing suit enveloping her slen-
der figure, with the cone-shaped straw
hat tied over her ears, hiding all but
the peak of her chin, when a voice sound
ed at her ear.
How have you Unanswered to evade
me all the morning, dearest? Is 1t TO
punish ne for last night?"
And just as Helena recognized Edgar
Wallis voice, bang! splash came gi-
gantic wave over them. But Edgar's
strong hand upheld her, even in the rush
of the tides-and when the momentary
interruption was over he spoke again.
Garry, you are not really vexed? You
don't really suppose 1 cared a copper for
the old maid aunt? Only-only 1 was
little put out to see you so interested
in that young WestmOreland and his
nonsense. And you know you wouldn't
give me an answer, Carry, darling. But
you shall now. There are no meddling
old maids here-no insolent, half-fedged
collegians. Speak, Carry. Is it yes or
mop
NO. no! no." sputtered Aunt Helena,
her mouth full of sea-water, her heart
full of rage. Let me go!'
Carry
Let me go. I say!" And she twitched
the white and scarlet draped arm out of
his grasp and spla5hed vindictively away
toward the row of bathing houses on the
beach, an Infatuated Naiad.
Egar Vail stood looking after her, be-
wildered and perplexed. and half resolved
to fling himself headIong into the sea
and thereby put an end TO his troubles
at once and forever.
But he didn't People seldom do pro-
coed TO such extremities, except in novels
and In Paris He only went moodilS up
to the hotel and smoked a cigar over it.
He was standing. staring out upon the
sea, just at twilight, when Carry Emer-
son CHANGED to walk that way. (Chance,
of course the merest chanceD
Dear me Mr. Vail, is it you?" said
Garry How cross you look?"
He turned his Indignantly reproachful
eyes upon her.
8 Have rot the best of reasons for
looking crosse
How should I know? You haven't
confided your troubles in me"'
"Have I not? You seem TO have for
gotten what I said 10 YOU and what you
said TO me this morning"
This morning? Why. I haven't seen
you before all day"
Garry"
Mr. Vaii,''
AZ asked you this morning II you Ioved
ne. and you said no.
4 never said any such thing. Nj Vail