The Democratic advocate., 1908-05-15

Ia 90 @oS@9@0 0@s9S'esa9@@
sndden tropic thunderstorm had
oil the women flying into the big
:, like a flock of snowy birds.
pogcr following them slowly. met
.,nstrong Oh the wide porch.
svor'd better hurry in," he said. "It
in come down heavily in minute"
don't care" Peggy informed him
,sekIessly, "if it pours."
eyoun spoil your gown" he admon-
ished
pprcy shrugged her shoulders. "Ac-
.ording to Palm Beach ethics" she in
sormpd him, my gown is already
.noiIad It was spoiled before it was
~ do and the making only made it
.,orsp In fact it's dowdy, Jimmie; a
yerv dowdy gown"
His quick glance questioned her, and
.,nn &c he saw the laughter in her blue
aros his own brown eyes laughed back.
FAT least it doesn't seem to worry
YOU" he said.
m did," she admitted as he drew
40 chairs back under the awning. and
tbev sat looking out upon the rain. ut
dld awfully when I first came. Why,
1,mmie Armstrong, never dreamed of
sucb clothes as the women wear here.
Il isn't lust their dresses; it's their
bats and their shoes and their wells
and the way they fix their hair and
tbeir complexions They are like a lot
Of princesses"-
You needn't talk about complex
iaps." Armstrong said doggedly; you've
cot complexion of your own
Well. at least it is my own" Peggy
greed. "But what's complexion,
minnie, without the clothes to set it
oil? Now. there's that pale blue chif
fon with the rose wreathed border that
just went in there. and the girl wore
hal with roses around it, and her para
sol had pale pink coral handle" She
leaned forward impressively. Jimmie,
how DO You think I would look in that
Gov"
s'Out of sight" said Jimmie prompt
III
Peggy nodded. Il believe l would"
she went on. land at first it worried
me that l couldn't have one, just as
ii worried me that l had to pay Is
ceas %piecc for oranges when at In
H. river they are selling for cents
a dozen, but it doesn't worry me any
more
FWhy not?" he asked.
fBecauSe I am an outsider" she said.
"Aunt Alva and | have just enough
money to pay our board-without any
fills But it is doing her lots of good
I'll" climate and the chance to see
thin@s-and I simply made up my mind
to set al out of it l could. And
can't have pretty things like the other
women, so just keep out and look on
tbem as would on picture.
~ have all sorts of names for them
that dashing. restless widow who af-
fects red is the Crimson Rambler and
the girl with the pink roses is Lady
June,' and that tall girl in mauve is
The Orchid'-and in that way l don't
Zee enviOuS or hateful, and l don't
care if my hair is out Of curl or my
dresses old fashioned, for l am only in
the audience and not part of it,
She stopped, her cheeks glowing.
Jimmie looked at her with admiration.
7 am an outsider, too," was his state
ment. "a government stenographer
out for a weeks vacation with only
one suit of white linen isn't in it."
Peggy laughed. 1--WE are two of a
knd," she said, ''and now that you
nave come We'll forget envy and all
mcharitableness, and tomorrow morn
ng We'll go together to the alligator
farm."
But in the morning Jimmie came to
ner with apologies. "The secretary is
nere," he said, land he has asked me
Y Join his party on trip up Lake
North in his launch. l don't just see
how can refuse. Could we go to the
alligator farm just as we'll tomorrow 2"
we could, but we won't" said Peg
81 promptly. You mustn't neglect
tne secretary, Jimmie. You are inside
noW, and am still outside, and-and
the secretary's daughter is the girl
VINO wore the pale blue and the roses
yesterday"-
What do l care about the secre-
Rrys daughter?" Jimmie demanded
N1Vagely. You know it's only because
can't afford to offend the secretary
tlat am not going with you, Peggy"
Please don't worry about that"
feggys tone was gay, but there was
lurt look in her eyes. aunt Alva is
uyms to see the alligators, and 1 am
soing to get double basket chair and
hke her."
And let me 60 alone?" he reproached
lou can 60 with the secretary's
qaushter," Peggy reminded him as she
Fent away.
\ nalf hour later, immaculate in his
yle linen suit Armstrong went to the
E III. The secretary was there-big,
gl0R and hearty-and the secretary's
s@usater, all in white, her shining hair
uUWlng the touch of an expert maid
- her light blue chiffon veil floating
aoo.!! her like cloud.
AL Gay long she was very nice to
-liinie' and by evening they had
sto"n confidential.
am so glad father discovered you,"
- sad as they came once more in
4 sAt OF the waving royal palms and
T. pig hotels of the beach. "You must
~ "lth US again tonoorroru