The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-01-06
LIE CLAIRE

hat that seemed to be on the point of sliding down across her nose from an elevation about 8 foot above her back hair.
 T believe you are getting thin" she coEmentej.
 The girl in the tilted hat sighed gent ly. Nobody but person with adam- antine feelings and an iron constitu- Ntion ceGid Felp it." she said "Eyen since I told my family I was golng to marry LeClaire-"
 You don't mean to say you're en- gagged to him! broke out the girl in the purple veil, with volumes of hor TOT In her voice. that trailed off into an imitation of polite surprise when the girl in the hat gave her a look. T had no ideal didn't dream-are you sure"
 i Kindred souls," said the girl in the hat, with the patience of a superior intellect, do not waste time wonder ing LeClaire and I-why, we knew we were made for each other. We've often talked of it, He had just that sudden, binding mental illumination when we first met that I did. It was-'
 They had just served the oyster pate at the club dance when you were introduced to him. supplied the girl in the purple veil cruelty. And he had just taken forkful. It was very funny
 Tt was great moment,' corrected her friend coldly. He may have been eating oysters, but his mind was above them. He says that is one hard thing. he has to bear-the obtuseness of the world in general in always taking the materialistic view. He has the ideal point of view, you know-and it seems to infuriate my family. They have done nothing but storm and scold, but 1 bear with them In time they will come to see the beauty and fineness of his nature. It positively makes me shudder to hear papa ask in his most nasal tone if LcClare has got a re- spectacle situation yet. As though he sold collar buttons on the curbing! He is private secretary to a man who writes advertising poetry. Of course, the man can't yap much, but LeClaire says he is willing to sacrifice paltry money to atmosphere, and he couldn't bear commercial surroundings. You know--he is to be-a poet some day"
 "Indeed" said the girl in the purple veil How nice!"
 Isn't it!" breathed her friend, rap turously Think of being a poets wife-his inspiration, his encourager when adverse"
 That's all very well, but what about the grooers boy with the bill at the back door" inquired the girl in the purple veil
 "That sounds like mamma" admitted the girl in the tilted hat. q have a mind above worrying over such sordid things. LeClaire-isn't 1t a beautiful name?-has always been very popular. He has told me all about the girls who have thrown themselves at his head, but, of course, it wasn't the dear boy s fault He never cared for any of them. There was one girl, when he was very young"
 Flow old is he now?' asked the girl in the purple veil, meekly
 "Oh, at least twenty-thrae! Well he was engaged to this girl and might have married her and ruined his whole life, only she was so jealous. She could not comprehend how mind like his found pleasure in multitude of freinds. And, of course, he had to be covil to the many who surrounded his every where. He said he explained it care- fully to her, but she was not able to understand. He realized that sehe was of the earth and that 1t was a happy release He never really cared for any one till he met me, but, you see. l understand him so wonderfully well, I don't think I could be jealous of him-it would be an insult. If he talks to another girl have sense 1 enough to realize it isn't because he has fallen in love with her-she has prob ably displayed some phase of character that interests him, Literary men, you know, must have subjects"
 How noble of you, cooed the girl in the purple veil. "I am so glad you are sensible and braodminded. I sup pose you know he was over at the pie ture exhibit this morning with that pretty little blonde girl, Jessie Prink- ins? He seemed more interested in her 1 than in the pictures and they were go- | ing out to lunch somewhere"
 The girl in the tilted hat was pie ] ture herself-a lively representation of wrath, revenge and excitement. And l he told me he had to work this morn- ing, And couldn't possibly go shopping with me to match those silks. And he always has claimed to dislike blonde hair Of all deceitful creatures-and l | trusted him so---"
 But" said the girl in the purple veil, with a prettily wrinkled forehead 'it wasn't her blonde hair: 1t was probably some phase of character she had displayed that interested him. ] don't see--'
 1 ''That's all very well for you" half wept the girl in the tilted hat, "but if you were engaged to anybody, or ever had show of being, you'd understand! My heart is bro-o-ken! I'll never see him again as long as I l-l-l-live"
 That's better" said the girl with the | purple veil. "I wouldn't, either And in the meantime, come with me to the matinee and forget itp'-Chicago News