The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-05-04
Feathers for
Gertrude.
Sse~eeeeeeeges eeeeeeee

entered the room and saw the cloth
ing her hostess maid had laid out A
handsome evening gown lay on the
bed, and heap of fluffy, flouncy
things beside it-but it was not one
Of her dresses. Instead of the simple
little null gown she had planned
with such care, and the sewing of
which had cost her so many hours of
painstaking labor was creation of
fashionable Partisan designer.
ASK Mrs. Borden to come here,
please she said to the maid, who
stood lost in admiration before the
finery.
"Mademoiselle will be the belle,
breathed the little French woman as
she hurried off, but Gertrude shook
her head and sank Imply into
chair, regarding the dress with tear
filmed eyes. Not until Mrs. Borden
entered did she rouse herself, and
then with a little cry she started to-
ward her friend.
Emily, she cried, sobbingly, sits
perfectly dreadful Somehow / have
gotten the wrong trunk, and good
ness only knows where mine is.
Mrs. Borden's brisk glance took in
the ghstening satin robe and the
fluffy things.
will they ft?" she asked, practi-
cally.
Gertrude gasped.
What difference does it make?
They are not my things"
"Very true" assented Mrs. Bor-
den, but, my dear, you must wear
something, and you can't wear one of
my dresses.
She glanced smilingly over her own
plump and diminutive person and
then at her friends slender, stately
form. Clearly, that solution was out
of the question, and Mrs. Borden. ran
briskly on.
-, The fault is not yours" she ar
gued. II suppose the baggageman
got the checks mixed, and you can
get it Strengthened out in the morn
ing, but in the meantime you have
come out to the party, and you can't
feel comfortable in a travelling dress.
Felice, try it on Mademoiselle.
the sofa and watched approvingly
while the trim maid assisted her
guest into the strange gown. Mrs.
Borden was very fond of Gertrude
Dyckman, and the girl was welcomed
even in the simple, homemade gar
ments that were the best her compar-
alive poverty afforded. But Mrs. Bor-
den appreciated the fact that Ger
trude was more than usually good
looking, and she had an especial rea-
son for wanting her to look her best
tonight. The fairy suit costume was
admirably designed in it's color
scheme to bring out Gertrude's best
points, and her hostess breathed a
sigh of satisfaction when it was found
that the dress was an almost perfect
at.
Take the gifts the gods provide, :"
she commanded, as she rose to hurry
to her own dressing.
Emily breathed a happy little sign.
She had made rich marriage, and
the visits to her husbands country
place were Gertrude's only glimpses
of fairyland. For month the latter
had been planning for the party. de-
nying herself the occasional candy
and luncheon treats that her slippers
and gloves might be good, though her
dress had been made over twice.
Now she had not only saved the
evening, but she was to wear what
would doubtless be the handsomest
gown at the dance. With delight
full thrill of anticipation she at last
descended the stairs with other mem
bers of the house party. Men who
had met her before gasped at the
sudden realization Of her beauty, and
women exchanged wondering glances,
deciding in their own minds that
Emily Borden had paid for the dress.
Gertrude gave no heed to the
glances She was conscious only of a
new sense of power. The timid wall
flower became, as Felice had predict
ed. the belle of the ball. Men
focked about here chair as she rested
and pleaded for the next dance, but
Dick Borden, the brother of her host,
fought all the others off and cleverly
Unanswered to keep her to himself
I'm not going to have you carried
on under my very eyes," he ex-
planned in one of the intervals when
they had sought the conservatory. Il
wish you would give me the right to
keep you always to myself, Gertrude. :"
Gertrude had always felt bit con-
scious with Dick Borden, but to-
night she was a different being. In
stead Of fearing the responsibilities
that would be hers as the wife of a
rich man, it seemed perfectly natural
that she should accept without doubt
the proposal she had dreaded, even
while she longed to hear the ayowal
of love.
The last guest had departed and
Gertrude was already dreaming hap
PLY of the future when Borden en-
tered his wife's room and sank into a
chair beside the open fire.
Dicks gone and done it, he an