Los Angeles herald., 1905-02-12

MY plum. Mrs. Baum held the
pink corsage out at arms length, flip
ing the lace critically.
Then she sighed with satisfaction
and stuck a pin the high bosom. The
kid rolls edged her forehead too.
IT'S near eight, Leo We better
dress. Rosie, you just call when you
need me-"
She took the lamp and went into
the next room. her dirty gray dress
trailing behind her.
Rosalie took her gown. Il hope
they'll have chawc'late like the
Hirsches did. And L hope that Beano
Stern'll be there"
Baum frowned. you got to hurry
now, Rosie. You don't want to keep
us waiting"
Mrs. Baum had taken off her jacket
when he entered and was sitting before
the glass in dirty pink corset and
short flannel skirt. The room was
small. on the bed lay a heap of pur-
pie silk; on a chair. Baums clothes
The basin was full of dirty water,
the fragment of soap lying in a little
blush pool beside it. A towel lay
crumpled up on the other side of the
stand
Mrs. Baum had just taken down her
hair, which fell stiffly in greasy an
giles. She was heavy-jawed woman,
with a pouting under lip and fat, fall
ing cheeks. Her upper lip was heavily
Shadowed and on her left nostril was
a large, velvety, brown wart.
She had been very pretty, Baum re-
membered as he glanced at her in the
glass.
Suddenly she turned half of her
fringe combed out into a kinky fuzz,
the other half still clinging serpen-
timely to her forehead.
"Oh, Leo" she exclaimed reproach-
fully. 1T is our wedding day."
Baum, who was bending over, put
ting on his Shoes Strengthened up
"I know, Clara. Did you think I'd
forget?" He rushed out into the other
room and came back with small
package in his hand. There, dear.
Something for you to wear tonight"
She put down the grimy, yellow
comb and united the string. 1t was a
jewelers. box. Inside lay a thick gold
chain with large rhinestone pendant
"Oh, Leo!" Tears rushed to her eyes.
She rose and, throwing her arms about
his neck, kissed him heartily. How
good you arel Ach, Gott!" She had
never been out of England in her life,
but her father had always spoken Ger
man in moments of emotion. It's a
nice little thing" he said. Il think
it will be very becoming. l didn't like
to give it to you until-until we We're
alone" She nodded, turning the chain
over under the lamp. Il know. Rosa
lie. Oh, Leo! That star is just ideal!
It's a lot bigger than Rachel Lens"
She finished her hair, washed and put
on her dress with great deal of
rustling. IT'S getting tight, Leo" she
gasped, struggling with the hooks. II
amt such a figure as 1 was, either,
years ago. Do you remember"
She paused and buttoned the brilliant
facade of her imposing costume. Were
getting old, Leo, both of us. You're
four and forty, and I'm eight and
thirty. It's beautiful, though, to get
old and fat together, amt it, Leo?"
She sat down and, dipping a powder
puff into paper of powder, proceeded
to spread it lavishly over her face and
neck.
Don't put on so much. 1t makes
you look horrible he exclaimed with
sudden irritability. She turned around
and said humbly: I'm going to rub it
in, Leo. There, is that better?"
YES" he answered "Now-the
chain. That's real rhinestones, Clara"
She fastened the necklace and rose.
"Now do I look nice? Am L pretty
enough to be the wife of such a hand
some gentleman as you?" Just then
the door opened and Rosalie came in,
crimson and dimpled, holding her bod
ice over the shoulder with both hands.
"Oh, Aunt Clara, will you hook me?"
She whirled around. Baum's eyes
Travelled over her in admiration. Her
round, young throat, her plump tawny
shoulders, her slim waist-she was
transformed by the medium of a finn
sy pink silk dress from a pretty child
to beautiful woman.
Mrs. Baum crossed the thick folds
of coarse lace over the full bust and
hooped them cunningly. Then she fas-
tened the strip of swansdown across
the edge of lace accenting the warm,
brown skin. Then she drew back.
you're as pretty as a picture, Rosie"
she said. Rosie looked in the glass
II didn't know looked like that" she
said. Catching a glimpse of Baum's
eyes, she asked him: Don't you think
I'm pretty, Uncle Leo?" Mrs Baum,
who was burrowing in the confusion
o. a bureau drawer for her gloves, OBJ
served, without turning: Better give
him a kiss, Rosie. He gave it to you"
Baum bent and took the offered ca
ress rather ungraciously. Then he
sprinkled something sweet-smelling