Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1901-07-04

M me o'clock We win now be.
IN hold the animals parade, +" muir
INJURED Mrs. Stanley Weston, glancing
at the little gold clock that had Just
announced the hour with musical self
satisfaction.
Don't be rude, Betty. They're my
guests-if they are a bore. How do
| / look?"
"a touch Of rouge, my dear, would
assist the ensemble, Pallor is sup
posed to be interesting and sounds
well in books and things. But in
real life IT'S apt 10 be pasty-looks
ike disordered liver or love or some
\ thing"
Betty! You are atrociousl"
Mrs. Stanard picked up a little sill
yer box and delieateIy applied a touch
Of rose-bloom 10 her cheeks. Mrs.
Weston stretched her blue satin Slip
pers toward the bright CRATE fire with
a luxurious little wriggle, but her
eyes blue as the slippers, never left
her hostess face. They narrowed
.hrewdly as Mrs Stanard leaned close
to the tapers.
"A little more! That's better. Not
s.eeping well-hm? Don't care
whether school keeps and all the
rest Of it? Won't do, my dear. Ruin
Gus to the complexion. Cut IL out"
Il wish you would not use that
7bominahle slang You talk like some
factory girl" Mrs. Stanard put the
silver box back on her dressing table
with a weary little gesture and the
blue eyes narrowed again.
My dear Il is absolutely impossible
to express ones self in the queens
English nowadays. 1t is good form.
of course. but inadequate Awfully
Inadequate. The factory girl saws in
a sentence what good form takes a
chapter TO express. And even then
the factory girl has the best of il.
What are YOU fretting about?"
Nothing"
Mrs. Weston elevates her artistical-
Is penciled eyebrows and thoughtful
~ pats the pearl clasps on her long
suede gloves with one finger. The
other folds her arms on the silver
Cupid frame Of her tall cheyal glass
and drops her head on her arms.
After carefully counting the pearl
clasps three times Mrs. Weston mods |
IN satisfied manner, then allows her
eyes TO travel up the long lace train /,
til they reach the bare shoulders and 1
still, bowed head. -sasvsaa
That pose IS very graceful and /
fetching, eherie,' she says cheerfully. |
But it's wasted. There's no one here 1
bot me: And its 9:I5."
She looks sharply az the listless face 4
in the mirror, then rises with a little 1
irou-frou Of silken petticoats and gets l
a glass of wine from a cabinet.
Drink, pretty creature. drink.
don't dare. for il always makes nv /
nose red. That fact alone has saved 1
NE from the gold cure. For if there's
anything I enjoy it's the wine when /
i is red And / could. ike Omar. di- 1
vorce barren reason without a qualm.
Eut my complexion! Especially one
nose. And now. Mrs Stanard. if You
DO not want your guests TO 90 home
IN a dudgeon, minus hostess and tenn
per il behooves You to make your
presence material in the drawing
room. And do not propose TO waste
this new gown on the desert air any
longer. Come on"
4 little later and white lace and I
blue velvet are surrounded by light
and color. the sweeping gowns of
fair women and the black coats Of
the men as contrast. The air is soft
and lauguorous with the odor of hot
house flowers, and through the hum
Of cultured voices creep the faint (
strains Of distant string instruments.
Mrs. Stanard's face Is serene and
slightly smiling and her voice has lust
that touch Of personal interest that 4
snoths and attracts. as she greets each
of her guests with perfect tact. Her
eyes, darl, and tranquil, pass from face
90 face and tell nothing. The hours
pass and find her still smiling. inter
ssted. uuwearied. Only the flowers
droop at her breast and as She unfast.
ems them She presses the thoruv stems
hard against the soft flesh for a mo
ment sharp pain is relief from a
DUN ache. sometimes. And She smiles
oddly as she drops the dead flowers be-
hind her and pulls the frosty lace
little higher where one thorn has
married the skin.
II missed you last night You did
not go 20 hear Calve
4 tan man with dark. strong face
was bending over her. The face was
too grim 70 be handsome II was heav-
Fly lined and the eyes were deep-set.
keen. reticent
Another engagement. And il was
Carmen2 ] was so sorry.
smiling she gives him her hand a
moment and lifts her eyes to his.