The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-03-18

fully and then gave me an injured
look through stray lock of hair that
hung over one eye.
"You were sitting on them" she
said reproachfully, Just as man al
ways sits on anything pertaining to
beauty or style when there are more
fascinating things about"
There isn't anything" L remarked,
Notwithstanding than style when it
is represented by smartly groomed,
well-set-up woman. And such wom-
an is always at her best"
'.In a kimono, with her hair falling
down her back" interrupted Polly. 81
ne-ec yet saw man who could dis
tinguish between an imported gown
worth fifteen hundred dollars and a
little homemade cotton frock worth
fifteen cents a yard And I've seen
many man gaze straight through a
girl in a Worth creation at little
thing in muslin with rose in her
hair. It's the picture girl, and not
the fashion plate, who catches the
masculine eye; and it isn't when she
is youngest or Oldest or cleverest or
pref .jrst or best dressed that girl
- at : n best. It's just at unexpected
moments, when she's not posed or
primped, when she has forgotten that
such thing as man exists and is
wrapped up in something else, when
she is most Indifferent, and, conse-
quently, most natural, when she is
making no effort to be fascinating or
anything else and"
Il know" agreed, enthusiastically
II once saw a girl tumbling about on
the grass with her dog, when she
thought nobody was looking"
Polly blushed.
"And once" I went on, II danced
with a girl until her cheeks were on
fire and her hair tumbled down her
back in heap of funny little curls."
Polly looked straight in the glass
as she drew fine, black line through
an eyebrow.
"And another time" continued,
catching the eye of the reflection in
the mirror, 81 went into my sisters
room to look for something and found
another girl in kimono-"
"Mr. Heavyfeather!" said Polly,
dropping the hairpins she had just
started to put into her curls and let
ting the whole mass slip over her
shoulders.
"And once,," l went on brazenly, ~
caught the same girl in the midst of
lot of other girls, doing skirt
dance"
Polly gasped and rose from her
chair.
"And once" I declared, 81 saw her
when-somebody- teaching her
how to smoke cigarette, and she
was making funny little faces and
trying not to cough"
Polly stood up suddenly very
straight. With fiutter, the makeup
towel she had pinned about her slip
ped from her throat and fell to the
floor A vision of white shoulders
above mass of tulle and tirsel, with
hooiihs5 Suiio anu uidHiuS EYES. luduS
me drop my cigarette and catch my
breath.
POLLY" exclaimed. Polly! You
are beautiful"
"Mr. Heavyfeather." said Polly, be-
tween clanched teeth. did you ever
see girl when she was-furious?"
Polly" l pleaded, please stay
furious! 1t makes your eyes SO bright
and your cheeks so red, and your lips
curve So"
Polly's rage fell from her like man.
tie, and slow smile began to creep
about her lips.
| flung down my rescued cigarette
and caught the bundle of tulle and
tinsel and curls in my arms.
Sweetheart" began softly.
why, Jack Heavyfeather!" cried
the lady manageress, suddenly open
ing the door. What on earth-Oh, I
see," she laughed softly, as Polly
screamed and struggled to get out of
my arms, "you are rehearsing the
third act" And the door closed be-
hind her gently.
I glanced at Polly's downcast lashes
and flushed cheeks.
That" said. was one of those
unexpected s"-Helen Row
land, in Washington Post.