The Forrest City times., 1908-11-13

ing or her at fancy dress ball as tbt Queen of Sheba.
 "Oh. what pretty thing this is' she said, lifting pale gray gown from the filmy heap.
 Yes, 1 s'pose the toot onsembel of | that's good But them pale colors don't fit me; an the work on that won't stand the eyes of a con | nishoner"
 q suppose MT. Bernard has lot of things, too," Esther said as soon as 1 she could control her face You bet, Only mems things ain't interestin' like women's. I wish men wore lace an things, like they did l when that picture was took" She 1 glanced up at an exquisite engraving 1 of a scene at the court of Louis XIV. T presume MT. Bernard would | rather wear the dress of 1862" Yes. An I'd rather he would His manners don't somehow fit what he's l got now. l never noticed that Bill was short on manners when he was wearin' a blue shirt, an punchin' mules. or huntin' a lead But in this l fine house. him pushin' victuals with | q silver knife, an eatin soup audible. 1 while people sets round an tries not l to laugh; an the flowers and the pie 1 lures someway shamin' him-why l good feller as he is, I wish he'd go l back to his blue shirt an mules, or 1 else buy some manners. An the worst of it is, know I got just as bad case 1 of not fittin here myself; only I'm 1 that stuck on myself, l cant see it. Fve-been going back right now on all my polish for coon's age" Esther ventured no reply, and the | other woman began to put away her wardrobe. "Ain't it too bad maw had to die fore got chance to wear half these here new things? Blacks so un 1 becoming. An I can't even wear white ruches; thems for widders." Ether was startled. No wonder con ventional people could not understand Sally B. Esther knew that no more 1 devoted daughter had ever lived than Sally B. had been; yet who, that knew nothing of this would believe it in the face of her last remark?
 Bet she had a good time," the other went on. We took her all over Yer rup; an she lived two months after We come home. I bought her more cloes than she'd had in all her life before; she could put on different dress every day in the month, We took her riding in the victoria, took her to the theater. the Cliff, an every where! She didn't suffer none; thank God for that" She went in and out of the closet once or twice with out speaking, and Esther waited
 Her sentences had been tossed by gusts of emotion; now speech was entirely wrecked. While she strug. | gled for calmness Viola entered.
 "Oh. Stella, Esther." Viola's arma went round the other girl impulsiveiy and she burst into tears.
 What under the canopy are ve cry ing for?" her mother asked; yet she | knew; and her own tears were hardly restrained.
 'Oh, ma. it's so good to see her. She belongs to the old, honest time when we said what we thought, or kept still"
 The mother winced. Niola's unus- ual emotion disclosed unwelcome facts.
 She was taller. and had blossomed into soft, wood-violet sort of beauty that yet had something mystic about it: as rare as felicitous.
 They spoke of many things, Violas womanhood enfolding her in mantle of sedateness. Esther knew she had been defrauded of her girlh tod and longed to set her free from her un. youthful self-control; wondered if she would, at the last test. sacrifice herself to her mothers ambition
 They went the round of the bed rooms, the kitchen, where Vic Wah greeted Esther with voluble cordiality, the stables, conservatories, and breeze swept gardens; and Esther was pre- pairing for the street when the maid brought card.
 MT. Bryan. ma" Viola said. Her face grew gray and dull; while her mothers was swept by a quick pano rama of doubt, question, mother love l ambition.
 1 She put her arm about Viola's slen. der waist Honey, nanny expects heap of you. Will you do it?"
 Viola turned suddenly, spoke with strange impetuosity. Don't, ma! I can't do it! Freddy Bryan's honest He'd ask me just the same if was poor. l thought I would say yes, when told him I'd give him my answer to day. But l won't cheat him. I'll tell ] him l can't care for him as he de l 'erves. It's no use, ma" She put uu protesting hand, and even Sally R was held to silence by the new stern. ness in her daughter
 And Esther, distressed at the trag- edy in the girls face, made her adieus quickly, that Sally B. might not see the angry resentment in her heart.
 tTo BE CONTINUED)
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