The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-09-12
CHATTER V. A Little Bird Tells Tales.


 As Hester Forde hurried along the wide corridor. humbly conscious of her battered appearance, she encouutered a number of people wham the weather had compelled to remain .n doors pretty girls walking arIn-in-arfn dis- cusslng dance, chattering children. disappointed golfers (talking goif or rolitics) friendly matrons exchanging onfidenees; but one of these cast her a nod. and but few c glance. Miss Forde had no acquaintances---no, not
 sven an hotel aequaintanes-fot she was painfully shy. and unluckiiy her shyness was interpreted for stiffness (so few people are shy nowadays(, and as she was silent and apparently fond Of her own company. the little world of the Bellevue abandoned her to It's undiluted enjoyment. Besides. she was not a girl who "did' anything; she could not make up a foursorie at golf. or take 4 hand at bridge. and seemed to possess but one accomplish ment--the faculty of being able to hold her tongue!
 Society Is ever ready to smile on those who endeavor to win It's good graces: but If folk withdraw within themselves, who can blame Society 1T 1t streams gaily by without glance or salutatlon?
 Hester was relieved to gain the ref- uge of the lift (for everyone in the hotel seemed to be about today, and was soon waited up to the first floor, where she and Mrs. Britten occupied adjoining apartments. Undoubtedly. Mrs. Britten looked like first-fioor lady; but, judging by her appearance and air of shrinking humanity, judg- ing by her hat, her gloves and her Ill., fitting black taiIor-made costume, Miss Forde's proper place was small north room on the fifth etage. She opened the door of her chaperon's apartment, put down her load, and gased about her. The occupant had evidently left 1t in haste. A blouse lay on a chair, two hats were on the bed a feather boa and e pair of slippers--these ap- parently kicked off--were in the mid- dle of the room. The dressing table was a tangIa Of brushes. powdef-puffs scent-bottles. wells. and hairpins,
 Hester stopped to pick up the boa, she put the shoes away, and was fold ing up the blouse. when, struck by a sudden thought, she threw It down, and said aloud. as If addressing some one--ana her tone was distinctly def- ant--"After all. why should IT? No answer, mental or verbal, was forth coming. Two months at Biarritz were beginning to tell; ozone was producing Its vitaliztnE effect. Mrs. Britten's
 
 ed (to herself only) the first blast on the trumphst of revolt! It was per- fectly true that she found her present surroundings a delightful change from her former narrow existence. The sea itself was q novelty, an ewer-delisht- ful. endless Interest. She liked the black-eyed Basque people and their cheery ways; and the fact Of residing in foreign country. of witnessing the to her, amazing life In a great cosmo- politan hotel--ai this had more than dlIed her shallow cup of enjoyment Up to the present, Hester had been a silent spectator of other peoples livea, of seascapes and landscapes, and scenes; she had amassed store of mental photographs. sufhcient to brighten and speed many dull and solitary hour. Now, Miss Forde was beginning to wish to be something more than a useful companion. c mere Iooker-On, and was consumed with c burning desire to take a hand in the great game! Yet she was so pitiabiy sny. so hum e-minded, that she strove hard to crush and stifie this audacious craving: assuring herself that she, Hester Forde. who had lived nearly all her days in Shalesmoor village, had already seen and done ten times more than many of her contemporaries Why was she not eontented? She could not answer this question. A new life q penetrating sense of daring and iib- erty. had crept into her heart. and refused to be either smothered or si- l fenced. This bold Inmate said, "Hes' | ter you are your own mistress. an- swerable 10 no one. Snatch some pleas ure out of your youth before 1t passes away: dare to enjoy yourself. as you
 see others do. Open the door of your personality. and allow the unhappy craven creature to be seen and known"
 Continued Tomorrow.