The San Francisco call., 1906-11-11
phe Dirn.ter.
CHAPTER ~.

neon over her mother Wedding
eown. an1 two hours were re-
quirnd by her toilet for the
dance sac rurlod her haig frizziIy.
burning II here and there. with
slate pencil heated over 2 lamp china
ney. and she placed above one ear
three or four large artificial roses,
taken from an old hat OF hes mothers,
which she had found in a trunk IN the
storeroon. Possessing 80 slippers. she
carefully liaeked and polished her
shoes. which had been clumsily reseled.
and fastened into the strings Of each
small rosettes OF rcd ribbon; after
which she practiced swinging the train
OF her skirt until she was proud OF her
manipulation OF il. She had no pow
der. but found in her grandfathers 5
room a lump OF masnesia that he was
in the habit Of taking for heartburn.
and passed II over her brown face and
hands. Then 2 lingering gaze into her
small mirror gave her 10Y at last; she
yearnel 90 hard To see herself charm-
ing that she did see herself SO. Ad-
mirstion came and she told herself
that sh was more attractive to look
at than she had ever been in her life.
and that perhaps at last she might be-
gin TO be sought for Ike other girls.
The little glass showes 4 sort % pretti-
ness fn he- thia. unmatured young
face: tripping dance -unes ran through
her head. her feet keeping the time
ALL she did SO nope to dance often that
night, Perheps-perhaps she might
be asked for every number. And so.
wrapping an cid waterproof cloak
about her. size took aer Grsndfathers
arm and sailed forth. high hopes in
her beating heart.
1T was in the dressing that the
change began TO come. Alone. al home
in her own ugly little room. she had
thought herself almost beautiful but
here in the brieatiy lighted chamber
crowded with the other girls it was
different; There was a big cheval
glass at one end OF t.se room. and she
faced fl. when her tu-n came-for the
mirror was popuieE-with a sinking
spirit. There was the contrast, like
II
other girls all wore their hair after
the fashion introduces TO Canaan by
Mamie Pike the week before, on her
return from visit to Chicago. None
Of them had --crimped," and none
had bedecked their tresses with
artificial flowers Her alterations
Of tho wedding dress had not been sue
cesgful: the skirt was too short in
front and higher on one side than on
the other. showing too plainly the
heavy-solod shoes. which had lost most
OF their polish in the walk through the
snow. The ribbon rosettes were fully
revealed. and as size glanced at their
reflections she heard the words, Look
st that train and those rosettes." whis-
pered behind her, and saw In the mir
Tor two pretty young women turn
away with their handkerchiefs over
their mouths and retreat hurriedly to
an alcove. All the feet in the room
except Ariers were IN dainty kid or
satin slippers OF the color Of the
dresses from which they glimmered
out, and only Ariel wore train.
She went away from the mirror and
pretended to be busy with hanging
thread in her sleeve
She was singularly an alien IN the
chattering room. although she had been
born and lived all her life IN the town.
Perhaps her position among the young
ladies may be best defined by the re-
mark, generally current among them
that evening, to the effect that IL was
very sweet OF Mamie to invite her."
Ariel was not like the others; she was
not OF them. and never had been. In
deed. she did not know them very well.
Some OF them nodded 70 her and gave
her a word OF greeting pleasantly; all
OF them whispered about her with won
der and suppressed amusement; but
none talked to her. They were not un-
kindly, but they were young and eager
and excited over their own interests
which were then in the "gentlemen's
c>essing-rcom."
Each Of the other girls had been es-
corted bv a youth OF the place. and,
one by one. joining these escorts in
scended the stairs until only Ariel was
left She came down alone after the
first dance had begun and greeted her
Young hostess mother timidly. Mrs.
Pike-a small. frightened-looking
woman with a prominent ruby neck
Iace-answered her absently, and hur-
ried away TO see that the imported
walters did not steal anything.
Ariel sat IN one Of the chairs against
the wan and watched the dancers with
a smile Of eager and benevolent inter-
est. IN Canaan no parents. no guard
ians nor aunts were haled forth o
nights TO duenna the junketings of
youth; Mrs. Pike did not reappear, and
Ariel sat conspicuously alone; there
was nothing else for her to do. 1t was
not an easy matter.
when the first dance reached an end
Mamie Pike came TO her for moment
with a CHEEKY welcome. and was i'm
raediateiy surrounded by a circle of
Young men and women. flushed with
dancing, shouting as was their wont.
laughing inexpiicably over words
and phrases and unintelligible mono
syllablos. as IL they all belonged to a
secret society and these cries were
e,rr,l,oTc of things oxUs1fsffa1v humor-