Middletown transcript., 1903-03-28
.HEN the une <
pected check for
fifty dollars greeted
the official Hooking

!. her eyes on opening
the official-looking
envelope, with the name CT a
well known publishing house IN
thJ eft-hand corner, Floise Page
was seized with many misgivings
as to what was to be done with
it. 1t was a great surprise that
this last story Of hers should
have been accepted, as she re-
allied that she had already made
as much by her, stories and poems
for that year as a beginner could
hope for. And, practically, there
was no immediate use for the
money. She had bought her
winter clothes, the badly-needed
carpet for the dining room, be-
sides various gifts for the men,
bers of the family, so that this
new sum stood for nothing that
was imperative or necessary. 1t
was true that she could now try
the new and inexpensive color
scheme for the parlor, which
temptation she had found so hard
to resist when buying the carpet
her better judgment had decided
on; realize a wild dream OF idle
hours and remodel her own Sc
verely plain bedroom; play fairy
godmother and buy the gramo-
phone Johnny's heart was SO set
upon; or, passing over several
other delightful schemes, put it
in the bank, and. this latter al
tentative nearly decided upon,
in spite of her dislike to the idea,
she was trying to persuade her.
self it was the only thing to do
when Maud's letter arrived on
the scene.
Eloise must come. She WASH t
to take "No" for an answer.
There had been enough disap-
pointments and broken engage
ments, and this just had to go
through. Not such large affair
only an informal dance, for
father had given in, and the epis-
tie ended in q wild outburst OF
canvas, wax, flowers and music
that sent the good resolution spin
ming to the wall without even the
slightest of protests to stay it
for an instant.
The quiet room faded away as
Eloise lived over again that last
time she had been down to Maud's
pretty home in San Francisco,
where she had really had the
time of her life. Everyone had
been so kind to the bashful coun-
try girl that she had forgotten
all about her inappropriate gown,
whose fiimsy shabbiness she had
anticipated was enough to spoil
the entire evening. David and
David's friends had more than
made up to her for the horrid
stares some of the daintily-gown-
ed girls had bestowed upon her
jealousy, David had declared il
to be, when she had confded in
him; jealousy of the little Cinder-
ella who was making ugly sisters
of them all. And he had been SO
kind and thoughtful other, bring
ing up all his college friends to
meet her. that she had forgotten
all about the miserable beginning
of the evening and was the hap
piest person there. And now
David was away! The log of
wood that she stopped to put on
the fire seemed unusually hard
to manage, and two bright spots
appeared on her cheeks that were
not entirely accounted for by the
contact with the flames. She
drew a deep sigh as she leaned
back in her chair. 1t was so
much nicer to be a man than a
girl, especially if one had plenty
of money at ones command. Lon
don, Paris, Rome, Egypt-the
gates of all these were thrown
open to him, while she remained
at home, plodding along stupidity,
with only occasional glimpses
into a future that might be happy
and bright should Fate so will.
David away. How odd it would
seem to be down there in the old
familiar surroundings, where
she was so warmly welcomed for
Maud's sake, and not see the boy
of earlier days, the college youth
of later ones, who had always
seemed to stand for SO much OF
her enjoyment. But his old
friends would all be there, and.
therecollection of that last happy
time strong within her, she sat
down at her desk and wrote a
hasy note Of thanks and accept
ance. and then. returning to the
fre, plunged into blissfui antici,
pations Of the good time to come.
David Is words came rushing back
l A Cinderella he had