Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1903-02-20
The Blue Skirt

81 EssIE GALE was ambitious, i'm
nj moderately so.
Jack Gale was ambitious, too,
but temperately SO.
1t was because of the varying de-
grees of their ambition that this story
came about.
Jessie could sing. Jack could not. He
could only listen with a rare apprecia-
ton 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, I should say.
All this had much to do with the blue
skirt, for 1t was these psychologist
conditions that brought about the incl
dent of the blue skirt.
Jack had always extravagantly ad-
mired the gown of which the blue skirt
was component part. He had told
her so often, but Jessie had answered
rather fretfully that it was "such q
simple little affair."" Pale blue cham
bray, made with a blouse effect and
trimmed with rufles edged with mar
row torchon. So a woman would have
described it, but to sturdy, honest, low
ing Jack it was blue cloud flecked
with white, from which the black eyes
and curling black hair, the red lips and
creamy skin of his wife cleaned forth
brilliantly.
Jack never forgot the day she tossed
1t aside.
''I'H never wear that old thing
again." she said. ST do hate to wear
things when they've grown shabby"
There was a little tremor of sensi-
tiveness in Jacks face as the words
struck cruelty upon his ear, but he
made a manful effort to suppress it.
His income was small, but he was do
ing his best to Increase it, and the In
come was sure to come If 1t 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 older fellows naturally want to
keep the best positions" he said "Try
to be patient, Jessie. am doing my
best, dear"
And Jessie was silent. She had the
heavy-lidded eyes, ~habitually cast
down. And the habits of silence and
introspection were growing.
1t was on the evening of the day that
Jessie said she had thrown away "the
old blue dress" that the great change
came.
Jessie heard that a theatrical mana
ger was reorganizing company for
season of comic opera. A neighbor has
told her he needed girls for the COM
pany-"girls with leAks, and with
voices, if possible, but looks always"
And Jessie had been to towa and been
engaged and had come back md told
Jack.
She was little frightened by his
strange silence.
81 did it to help you along-because
the money will help us both," she said
in defense. Then she burst out into a
storm against the manner of their life.
ST hate the solitude here" she said.
Sometimes I feel afraid of the hills.
1t seems as though they will fall over
me and crush me. And the 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 greer making
living tomb for u.s."
Jack had talked with her very gem
tly, and she had answered every argu-
ment with bitter protest. He answer
ed her sadly then:
''You are young, dear. 1 might have
known that love would not fill your life
now. When you are as old as am
you will know that 1t is all that really
matters, besides working and doing
ones duty. I will give my consent to
your going, for all live for is to make
you happy"
Jessie joined the company and was
acting a small part in a pretty, uncul-
tivated voice. She dressed with half a
dozen other girls who smoked and
used slang, and in the guise of friendli-
ness "made her up" to distort the
beauty Of her dark, brooding face. She
learned the disciplinary value of the
stage, and she learned the real hideous-
ness of selfishness. But she told Jack
none of this.
One season passed-two-she was
soon to begin her third. She was get
ting ON, but slowly. One evening she
was moved by one of those impulses
that seem to come from without rather
than Within. to run home and pay Jack
visit. The rehearsals were over. There
was no reason why she should not go
home for a week. She would surprise
him.
She drove out from town in the early