The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-04-06


ening toilet, "if had had the faintest
cd like that, Ishould have never wasted
the time on him l have. But then"
she continued, stepping away from the
glass to get fuller view of herself, II
loved Phil-at least, thought did"
Natalie was going to swell re-
ception" given by the Apollo club in
honor Of its new members. After the
last remark her bosom heaved q sigh,
which set fluttering of butterfly
bows, perched airily upon her saucy
puffs and curls. threatening at the least
provocation to take wings and fly
away.
Natalie was charming. No observer
would have had the audacity to doubt
that, as, with the soft clinging folds
of her evening gown outlining her
graceful figure, she viewed herself be-
fore the mirror. But If any one had
ventured to call her beautiful, she
would have resented IT, for, she had
a grievence sadly at variance with her
Idea Of feminine beauty; namely, a
nose strongly inclined to tilt. How
ever, she possessed other charms, not
unknown to herself, which lay in the
glossy waves Of her auburn hair, the
lustre of her nut-brown eyes. and the
baby-tint Of her peach-blossom COM
plexion. Besides these, she was an
acknowledged belle in society, and
capital entertainer as we'll, and when
taking all these things into considera-
ton, it was not surprising that the
Apollo club, the fashionable club of
the city, should select her from bevy
Of young ladies to head the long line
OF its reception committee.
While Natalie was adjusting her but
terfly bow to little securer position,
she said
'I know he'll be there tonight. If
he is, what then? I almost wish
hadn't accepted such prominent posi-
ton. But then, those boys just would
mt take no for an answer. And L
well, just didn't have the heart to
refuse them, especially after l have
been away so long" And then, giving
the defenseless bow another nervous
twitch, she added, 81 guess l don't
have to talk to. him II l don't want
to!
tits Just year ago tonight" she
continued, that Alfred Thornhill, with
other new members, was introduced
to the Apollo club society. Why Phil
should have gotten so furiously jeal-
Gus / can't imagine. The fact of the
business is had never thought of
Phil in that light before. If any one
had told me he was that kind of
man, / think / should have told him
he lied
'But why should he have forced
me into such position if he didn't
expect me to be courteous? Alfred
Thornhill would command courtesy
under all circumstances. But Phil
seemed to object to him particularly
because he was made member while
he was gone. AS if that made any
difference. Suppose he don't live in
the East End and belong to our set
Does that make him any less man?
club and then snub him socially" And
Natalie's tilted nose rose a degree or
30 in indignation.
Thus Natalie rambled on, and in
wardly fretted, while she paced the
floor, waiting for the carriage to come
to take her to the reception.
On the night referred to, Natalie
had defended her position on the sub
1ect of class prejudice which certain
would-be reformers had managed to
stir up in the community.
At that annual function Of the Apol-
10 club, many sympathized with Phil
Marston in his pronounced opinion on
the subject, and Natalie was not slow
In recognizing his influence thus
brought to bear upon the attentions
due to Alfred Thornhill. This aroused
her womanly instinct in his defense,
and she manifested II by taking the
initiative and bestowing upon him all
the attention her position would allow.
In fact, she overdid the matter, and
went so far as to provoke criticism,
when one of the chaperones of the ev-
ening, in all kindness, undertook to
admonish her, when Natalie flew up"
Ind said
81 won't be dictated to by anybody!
I am responsible for my own acts. If,
as you say, our set won't tolerate 1t,
why, so be 1t. l don't care. Under
the circumstances I'm only doing what
I believe to be right. If the club didn't
want me to treat everybody alike why
did they put me on the reception COM
mittee?" ',--
So, Natalie carried the matter
through the evening with a master
hand, and on her return home she
felt herself as highly conqueror as
any monarch who ever sat on throne.
But when it was all over, Phil Mars
ton, q young man of social attain
ments and financial worth, and
Natalie's acknowledged lover, was to
be reckoned with. He was bound to
have his say. OF course, the long and
short of 1t was, Phil was furiously
Jealous. No sooner we're they seated
In the carriage than he began
"Natalie Won acted Outrageously to-