Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-12-20
THE BLUE
SKIRT.
I; & 3; 3; 8 4; & 83
r EssIE GALE was ambitious
Fly Ida Patterson.


grees of their ambition that this story
came about.
Jessie could sing. Jack could not
He could only listen with a rare appre.
cation and adore this particular singer
beyond all bounds of her deserts. For
Jack was as gifted in the rare art OF
loving truly as Jessie was in the art
of singing. Rather more. | should say
All this had much to d with the
blue skirt. for il was these physchO.
.ogic conditions that brought abou,
the incident of the blue skirt.
Jack had always extravagantly adj
mlred the gown of which the blue skirt
was component part. He had told
her so often. but Jessie had answered
rather fretfully that il was such Il
simple little affair." Pale blue cham.
bray. made with a blouse effect and
trimmed with ruflles edged with mar
row torchon. So 4 woman would have
described IL. hut 10 sturdy. honest low
ing Jack il was Il blue cloud fecked
with white. from which the black eyes
and curling black hair. the red liDs
and creamy skin of his wife cleaned
forth brilliantly.
Jack never forgot the day she tossed
Ii aside
III never wear that old thing
again." she said Il do hate to wear
things when they've grown shabby
There was Il little tremor of sensi-
tiveness in Jacks face as the words
struck cruelty upon his ear. but he
made manful effort TO conquer it.
His income was small. but he was
doing his best 10 increase it. and The
income was sure To come If ii was a bit
slow. He had told Jessie so often and
had explained that there was some dis.
position TO keep the young engineers
down
The other fellows naturally want TO
Keep the best POSITIONS he said. Try
10 be patient. Jessie. | am doing my
best. dear"
And Jessie was silent She had the
retrospective nature that matches
Aeavy-lidded eyes. habitrally east
down. And the habits Of silence and
ntrosDection Were growing
1t was On the evening OF the day that
Jessie said she had thrown away The
Did blue dress" that the great change
came.
Jessie heard that theatrical man
iger was reorSanizing company for a
season OF comic oper \ neighhor had
told her he needed girls for the COM
pany-"sirls with looks. and with
voices. If possible. but looks anyway"
And Jessie had been to town and been
engaged ana had come back and ted
Jack.
She was little frightened by his
strange silence.
Il did it to help you along-because
tbe money will help us both" she said
n defense. Then she burst out into n
storm against the manner of their liv-
ing.
Il hate the solitude here she said.
Sometimes. l feel afraid OF the hills.
1t seems rs though they will fail over
and crush me. And tine silence here is
awful. | want to hear human voices
want to hear people laugh and sing.
| want color and movement and sound
instead OF these walls OF green making
u living tomb for us
.Iacl; had talked with her very gently.
and she had answered every argument
with 4 bitter protest He answered
her sadly then:
You are young. dear. ] might have
known that love would not ill your
life now. When you are as old as | am
you will know that il is all that really
matters. besides working and doing
ones duty. l will give my consent To
your going. for all live for is TO make
you happy
Jessie joined the opera company, sing
ing small part in n pretty. unculti-
waited yGfce. She dressed with half a
dozen other girls who smoked and used
slang. and in the guise of friendliness
made her up TO disiort the beauty of
her dark. brooding face. She learned
the disciplinary value of the stage and
she learned the real hideousness of
selfishneSS. But she told Jack none of
this.
one season passed-two-she was
soon 10 begin her third. She was get
> ting on. but slowly. One evening she
that seem to come from without rather
than within. TO run home and pay Jack
visit. The reheGrsals were over
There was no reason why she should
not go home for week. She would
surprise him.
She drove ont from town in the early
morning. The mist wells were rising
from the hill tops melted by the burn
ing kisses of the sun. The evergreen
forests on the hill sides were so cool
he great walls of earth so restful. She
ordered why she was not afraid they
nd topple upon her now. Was il
she was beginning to yearn fol
they typiiied. strength and fidel
greatest and best things in
,e house had been done up
as she drove up and Jacl
the rose vines quite to til,
open. There was M
n that region, and sh,
to the house. She
Vi softly. Some on,