The Lambertville record., 1908-01-08
The Country
Mouse.
By TEMPLE BAILEY.
Copyright, 1907. by N. Z. Daley.

Feilcla packed INTO little Trunk ner
one white party dress. pretty gray
dinner gown, half dozen shirt waists
and an extra hat, and away she went
to town to visit her cousin, Mary
Barnes.
Mary's brother Roger met her at the
station.
MARY is planning no end of things
for you," he told Felicia when he had
settled her In the carriage. "She Is 60
ing to give a luncheon and tea and Il
theater party and a dance, and half
Of her friends are enlisted to make you
have good time. 1t will bs lively
existence for you. little girl"
"Oh," Felicia leaned forward Il shall
love 1t! My greatest excitement for
a year has been church social or a
sleigh ride. and l am longing for So
ciety"
"Mary spells society with big s."
Roger told her. "She Is a slave to 1t,
and she needs a rest She Is as thin as
wafer and as pale as paper"
"But think what lovely time she
has! Felicia said. all pink and white
with enthusiasm.
'Humph!" Roger said You don't
licia."
But Felicia fell on Mary's neck when
she reached the great stone mansion
Il can stay two weeks" she said.
"The school board gave me vacation,
and l am going to have the time OF my
life"
Indeed you are" Mary said and car
ried her away to a delectable bedroom,
where rose leaves drifted across the
wall paper.
"I'll get into my kimono, and then
We can talk" Felicia said joyously as
she opened her little black bag But
Mary shook her head dubiously. .The
girls are coming for luncheon In just
half hour There are ten of them,
and the table decorations are to be
In pale pink, because that Is your fa-
vorite color"
what shall | wear" Felicia asked.
Il have a gray gown and white one,
and the white one Is for evening"
THE gray Will be all right with a
ducky little knot of pink carnations
and lilies of the valley. The florists
are doing them that way now, and
Roger can get you some''
Roger got the flowers, but the gray
gown was not gorgeous, and beside
Mary's shimmering chiffon creation
Felicia felt depressingly shabby.
But the luncheon was exquisite, and
| the girls were friendly, and Felicia did
not have much time to think of herself
| for there was a tea ON Immediately
| after, and she was carried off by Mary
| and Roger, wearing long and splen
did wrap of Mary's, for her own sim
pie tailor made jacket was out Of the
| question.
mo one will notice that 1t is mine, >
Mary assured her. "in the crush," sc
Felicia, feeling very elegant, swept
through the crowded rooms and talked
as fast as she could to dozens of peo.
pie and came out breathless.
wasn't 1t awful?" Roger asked her.
Il shouldn't have gone a step If 1t
hadn't been for you"
ut was delightful, Felicia gurgled-
'the pretty women, the lights, the mu-
sic, the ices and everything"
"Humph!" Roger grumbled, and Fe-
licia made little face at him and
said, You're an unsociable bear, Rog-
err" and Roger said, "Oh, it's such a
waste of good material for you to
spend your time with such people
when you might be talking to me, Fe-
licia"
Felicia opened her eyes wide at that
do you like to talk to me, Roger"
she questioned, and Roger laughed and
said, "Yes. but you don't deserve it."
And Felicia, feeling very much fiat
tered leaned back In the carriage and
peeped at Roger now and then. while
Mary mapped out the programme for
the next day
I'VE will go TO the hairdresser's ear
ly. Roger, don't you think Felicia
will look dear with her hair marceled?"
II think Felicia looks dear with her
hair any way"
"O-o-o-h," murmured Felicia from
her corner.
Mary laughed and went on.
There are the Deering luncheon and
three teas and the art exhibit and the
Colburns' dinner and n box party aft
er. and then the cotilon."
"Oh. stop" Felicia pleaded, looking
at her cousin with startled eyes. do
you expect me to do all that In one
day, Nary
'She does" Roger asserted, survey
ing his country cousin with melancholy
eyes. "and where oh, where In all
that programme will you have a min
ute TO spend with mey'
II am not worrying about that" Fe-
licia told him. dimpllng, but what
am l going TO wear. Mary? What am
going to wear?"
''There's your white Dress" Mary
said slowly
But can't wear that one dress to
luncheon and three teas and thea
ter party and a dance. What are you
going TO wear. Mary"
"My pale blue broadcloth will do for
TIE luutueOu anu tHe tei anu Inc view.
Then | shall wear white lace to the
dinner and the rest of the evening""
when In all that rush will you find
time to changer" was Rogers ques-
tion
Mary leaned back In the corner of
the carriage. She was very pale, and
there were dark circles around her
eyes.
"Oh. don't know; l don't know
she said. Sometimes feel as II !
were on a treadnili and no one wouIG
let me stop"
Felicia looked at her with startled
eyes.
'Why, thought yon liked It," she
gasped.
Mary Strengthened up at that.
"Oh, when l get into it," she said,
trying to speak lightly, "it's not SO bad,
but l have felt the strain this winter
awfully."
Between rushes that night Roger
r~yxk v<it MI lvn