Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1902-01-16
A Literary
Woman's Trousseau
~ MARGARET q. FAwcETT.
Copyrighted By Daily Story Pub. Co,
AKARCH 23-Well, I've landed my
V fish. I know, dear D., that's

AKARCH 23-Well, I've landed my
wi fish. know, dear D. that's
a hopelessly vulgar figure, but it's the
truth, and this is one of my honest
half hours. Yes, I deliberately set
my cap for him, so you may congratu-
late me on my conquest. The bride
elect of q senator and next winter
Observation-Disclosures, the Mecca
of my fondest dreams! He proposed
to-night-the senator, you know.
Other women may feel differently
presume, though, in such matters
we're all very much alike-but pro-
posal has tremendously exhilarat-
ing effect on me. I've received four
in the course of my career and I
never had to acquire the taste. -Four
proposals.! Not a bad record for "a
young person rather clever with the
pen," as I once heard that odious
Mrs. De Bruyn Hops describe me.
Ugh, how hate her!
Comfortably, D., I thought he'd
never come to the point. Not that
he was the least bit nervous. 0, no,
he's too phlegmatic for that. But he
was raspingly deliberate, take-your-
time-and-do-it-well, quite-conscious-
of : the-honor 'm-conferring - that
sort of manner, you know. Plenty of
regard and respect, nothing at all of
sweetheart and love. Then he kissed
me on the forehead. 1t made me
think Of corpse. Well, it's what my
middle-aged heroes have always done,
so ought to be thankful that one
middle-aged illustration has verified
my theory. D., I have ceased to
be I, first person singular, nominative
case, but henceforth and forever
must be corrugated as his, third per-
son singular, possessive case, to agree
with No, refuse to agree perpetu-
ally with anybody.
Well, we're to be married in June,
dear D., which implies some tall
hustling on my part as regards
clothes. Thank goodness, there are
no rejected manuscripts these days,
and can afford a trousseau that will
satisfy even my fastidious future lord
and master. But it means work. I'm
afraid, dear D, if it were not for
those honest half hours I spend with
you before take up my pen serious
~, I'd write the --LATEST, stupidest
stuff. o, yes, I've tried it and know.
I suppose the machinery of my brain
needs exercising before it is suffi-
GENTLY timber to pen "those exquis-
itely spirituelle things:
March 30-Saw the senator off to-
day and bought my best hat. D.,
that hat is troubling me. It's not at
all what the best hat of the senator's
bride should be. Alas, no! Picture,
dear D., an extremely modest lit
tie affair, the strawlike green rushes.
with punches of violet tucked unob-
trusively away here and there. o, its
becoming enough, but realize that
the best hat of the senator's wife
should be a gorgeous affair of lace
and flowers. And it wasn't question
of money, either, D.. I could have
afforded La Ferte's most sumptuous
creation. But, I'll tell you how it
happened, and why there'n repose
this summer atop this golden brown
head-sounds like one of my own
heroines, doesn't tia poem in VIC.
lets, poem of the pastoral or.
der, instead of a gorgeous sym.
phony in up-to-dates coloring. I've
mentioned Freddie to you before
have I not, dear D.? Night ed.
itor on that hateful News. You re.
member it rejected my first manu-.
script. The day I submitted it I met
Freddie for the first time and fell in
love on the spot. It was his eyes,
think. They're the blacklist gray you
ever saw with the kindliest fashion
of smiling at you even when the face
is grave. No, he's never told me that
he loved me, but, between you and
me, D., he never needed to, with
those eyes. But, little heather that
am, I've preached my hatred of pow
erty to him all the time we have been
friends. And it's true, hate it, D.
I don't believe that even with Freddie
I'd find genteel poverty-odious
phrase-endurable. All, you and
know some secrets, don't we? There
must be pages in the beginning tina,
are unreadable, SO blurred with tears
are they-pages that tell of a timid
girls struggles in a greedy, elbowing
selfish, heartless, wicked city. And
the poverty then! It was dreadful
We have succeeded, dear D., you
and I, but, alas! we remember the
cost. Quite the best people have
taken us up, but, somehow, deer
down in our hearts, we don't value
those best people so much, do we
D.? But about the hat. I started
down town this morning, you know
with the first intention of purchasing
the most stupendous affair. Well
just at the corner of Browning's
there, this side of Nine. LaFerte's, ]
saw Freddie. He didn't see me al
first; he was talking to man, and
you may be sure I Toasted my eyes on
him. And, D., his overcoat looked
so shabby and somehow he looked Sc
discouraged I wanted to throw my
arms around his neck and give him a
good hug. He finally saw me, D.
and the look he gave was SO re.
vealing. knew at once he had heard
of my engagement. Well, went into
that millinery store-I beg La Ferte's
pardon, emporium-my head full OF
Freddie, my thoughts with him
How, then, D., could I remember
what the senator would like? Well
I didn't. And now imagine wearing