The Democratic advocate., 1909-10-08

her daughter Anne Morton went TO
her room and locked the door Throw.
ing aside her lace cloak. she turned on
all the lights and. tall aud graceful
in her clinging yellow gown. studied
herself In the mirror
Richard Hunter had not asked for !,
single dance. but had devoted himself
to AIollie Pierce. Anne began to real
ize that this had been the order Of
things for some time. Morris Trevor
also had not come near And only a
year ago, before she had broken her
engagement with Richard, there had
not been dances enough to satisfy her
admirers Surely at twenty-seyen .
woman has not lost the power TO at.
tract. Was she becoming wallflow
err
The mirror was reassuring. He
fine brown eyes were large and clear.
her heavy dark hair perfectly arrapg.
ed, her oval face and small head Ger
tainly distinguished. She smiled rue
fully, and a dimple deepened In hrr
check. But when her face fell TO re
pose she noted critically that she look
ed bored, almost unhappy; the corners
of her mouth dropped and two cross
little lines showed between her eyes.
Anne began 10 take stock Of herself
Tonight she had actually sat out three
dances with the chaperons. She faced
the fact that her friends were becom.
ing fewer; that the men called less
often. invited her less often to share
their pleasures. THE girls" no longer
dropped In TO gossip OF clothes and
merrymakings and beaus. Yes, even
in the family things had changed. Hei
mother always loving, was also pa.
tlent. Harry, with the frankness OF
fourteen. remarked, when she was ir.
ritated with him. that she was becom,
ing cross old maid. Jean assumed
coudescending younger sister airs
She was quite sure that II was Rich,
ards place 10 make the first move to-
ward reconciliation. even though she
admitted 10 herself that the fault had
been mostly hers. At last she went 90
bed and cried herself 20 sleep. But
StAE dhOht tulie ~ lhNiu thttl
usual that. as she lay thinking. It came
TO her that not for months had she
really seen her father. not for months
had she breakfasted with the family.
On impulse she rose. took cold
plunge and dressed for the street She
had nearly finished when the rising
bell rang,
She stood nervously adjusting her
collar at the mirror, little sensitive
about going down lest some member
OF the family might comment on her
unwonted presence. when she noted
that she looked positively cross u
made her seem old. She by an effort
made herself smile. and the dlmplc
again showed itself. Then she started
for the door Just in time 20 encounter
Harry. who was coming with an old
gong to awaken her Yesterday she
would have complained to her mother
today she laughed as he scnmpered
back TO his room TO finish dressing.
When she heard the breakfast bell
she started slowly downstairs, and as
she reached the lower hall she caught
her own name spoken by her mother
In an anxious tone. Involuntarily she
paused. Her father replied:
Don't worry, mother, Anne needs n
lesson in loving She will have TO sui
fer till she finds out that no woman
is loved and sought unless she Is lov.
ing-lovable She will not be her old
attractive self till she stops being
bored and sarcastic and is pleased and
interested and shows that she is She
Is getting selfish, and nothing but
thinking OF others will do her any
good"
But. Fred" her mothers voice con.
tinued. Richard never came near her
last night nor Morris nor Henry Par.
ker DO you suppose they resent her
treatment Of Richard? And she Is
never about when our older friend
call and never up in the morning. lla.
II occurred 10 you that Richard NAV
have shown her he wanted TO break
with her and that she is unhappy
about Il? Last night he was so devoi.
cd TO Molly Plercer
sNDhEtAiHN+ AlAIuAh Simply nul "
real mans self respect She dismissed
him for nothing. and | don't blame
lin for not crawling back like a WHIP,
ped puppy. Perhaps he is getting in.
terested in Molly-a live young fellow
is not going to let the caprice OF one
woman spoil life for him. He did care
He told me himself when II first hap.
pened that he was all cut up about II.
but that she would have to call him
back herself. She hasn't done so
Well, there is nobody like him. Yes,
another cup, dear, please" Anne fed
softly back to her room, her cheeks
and eyes ablaze. fury in her heart
How dared they! How dared they dis.
cuss her affairs and side with Rich
ard. Then 1t came upon her that these
two dear persons. the dearest In the
world. loved her and had q right 10
say to each other what they thought
about their own child.
And they were right-that was the
worst of IT. What should she do!
After moments hesitation she weni
quietly down and took her place nj
the table, bidding them good morning
as If nothing had occurred. Harry and
Jean came chasing each other down
the hall to join the family, and then
everybody seemed to begin talking anc
laughing. In spite Of herself Anne
became interested. She laughed, anC
at her new good nature Harry offerec
to play golf with her-supreme conde
scension on his part. She accepted.
Then as her father left bis seat she
followed another impulse; she offered