The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-07-25
THE EVENING STOR Y
Her First. Party.


1t was Corinnes first party. She was
just 1s, and it was a young peoples
party at her fathers club. She had
white organdie to wear, with pink
silk underslip and pink satin slippers
and a pair of pink silk, hand enbroider-
ed, Iace-inset stockings. These last
adornments her father brought to her,
and her joy lightened his labors down
town all the next day. He was just be-
ginning to realize that he had not mere
~ an eldest child but a daughter. A
daughter! The word had a magical
sound for him.
At five o'clock on the afternoon of the
party Corinne began to dress. She put
up her hair with fear and trembling,
but every shining thread slipped into
place and by 6 O'Clock she was all ready
save for her slippers and her Wonderfuf
frock. She came down to dinner in
Turkish footgear and kimono. to md
beside her plate huge bouquet of pink
| roses-father again.
She ate nothing till dessert-she had
never refused dessert. AS the first spoon
full of cream slipped down she spoke
her secret thought: "All wish Is that
1 was 20 instead of It, I feel so young
and not grown up
She flushed slightly under her fathers
laugh and her mothers counter argu-
mentS, but Just the same she felt young
and ridiculously shy.
When she came down stairs at last in
her cousins opera cloak and her
cousins furred evening shoes, she found
her father and mother waiting and a
carriage at the door. She let her father
put her on the soft cushions in the most
grown up manner, but she felt abonina-
bly, young.
Her father took her through the
grand march and through the first
waltz. Immediately after that the rush
for dances began, and she was glad to
have her father see how many of the
boys of her dancing class hocked
about her and scrubbed her card al
most full. Only two dances were left
When her father brought up man
dreadfully old, as Corinne thought,
signing. At least his hair was frosted
about the temples. But he was very
nice to bow as il Corinne were her
grown up cousin, and he took the two
dances with eagerness, two extras:
The night was delightful. The
eleventh and twelfth dances came.
She was to dance them with Wallace
Kenyon, Margfe Waters New York
cousin, who was perfectly beautiful, :"
Margie said. She wished impatiently
that her father had taken her to New
York. Angle Masters and Margie had
been there and could talk about that
city by the hour. Corinne wondered
what she could talk of to Wallace.
Talking hadn't been hard SO far. But
Waffle was different.
Wallie was different, indeed. Waffle
was IanEuid. Wallie was bored. He
looked his disdain when she mentioned
his cousin Carl, who attended west
ern university. 81 shall be Hahy'd
freshman in the fall" said Wallie.
When the eleventh dance was ended
he asked her if she minded sitting out
the next. "Dancing's such bore, =
said Wallie.
It developed through a hating con-
versation that Wallie was vitality in
| terested in nothing. He was weary of
tennis. He was even weary of bill
| lizards. He was weary of high balls,
and racing was very, very slow. Bet
ting was rawther interesting at first,
but there was SO little chance in it:
you either lost or you won, and after
time you didn't care much which.
Corinne looked timidly about her.
feeling very young and provincial and
ignorant of the great world. For want
of something better to do she watched
tall, ample bosomed, velvet clad
woman come cumbrously across the
| ball room floor, straight up to her and
| Wa1lie. She put large white hand
| on Wallie's shoulder and turned to
Corinne with a pleasant nod
ST know you'll excuse Wallie," she
said calmly. 81 must take him away.
He's not strong and never sits up after
II. It's raining a little, Wallie, SO put
! your rubbers on. Come"
The world-weary one bowed before
| Corinne. Eyes, mamma he said, and
departed.
| Corinne watched them go. Wallie
| was 18-Margie had said so. Sudden
| ly she laughed. Almost did she feel
in her childish shoulders the stirring
of her woman's wings, SO free of soul
was she.
| She looked up suddenly at the sound
of a voice. Her fathers friend was
| beside her, saying something about age
-surrendering her to younger fellows.
! The new wings shook themselves
and Corinne's eyes took suddenly the
trick of the sidelong glance. "Oh,
please not" she said, impulsively.
I'm just sick of boys. And I love
gray hair-when the eyes are young
Whereat the new wings clapped
themselves delicate1y together and pre-
pared for the first flight. as Corinne, at
the opening strain of the waltz. stood
up with her fathers friend.-Chicago
News.