The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1909-10-14
HER BURIED
VANITY

why have / left off wearing rings
and curling my hair?' repeated Mar
garet Well. III tell you why. My
vanity has received such heavy blows
that it is completely crushed.
The first blow was about a year
| ago when Mrs. Black and | were stand
| ing at the window watching Alice and
my mother coming up the street. Mrs.
Black said: What handsome wo-
man your mother isl | was glowing
| with pleasure but before | had
chance to say word she added: You
must look like your father.
Well for Alces mother that wasn't
so bad" remarked one of the others.
You ought to hear what she said to
me-"
ooh, never mind now what she said
to you" exclaimed Jane. I'VE want to
| hear about Margarets rings and hair.
For while | hardly dared look into
the glass;" went on Margaret How
ever, when my bruised vanity was get
ting strong enough to be about | in
vited some of the girls to dinner. They
had never seen my mother, and when
she appeared at the table you never
saw such a surprised lot. Why, you
don't look at all as | thought you
would, Mrs. Carter
Just as if anybody ever did" said
Elizabet "Why. do you know
Let Margaret go on said Jane,
impatiently.
Wishing to say something they
could dispute, | remarked jocosely,
You thought she was thin and homely
like me- But they didn't dispute it;
they agreed UNANIMOUSLY, so ! knew
that | had expressed their inmost
thoughts"
Your mother ought to be sup
pressed" said Elizabeth. She's alto
gether too good looking for everyday
| use"
Well" began one of the listeners,
some girls are simply awful anyway
Why, do you know, one of them told
| Dora
"Oh, let Margaret tell why she
doesn't curl her hair" said Jane.
LAS you may suppose, my vanity
was ground into the earth again; but
| not until | met John Stewart was 1t
| buried, never to be resurrected. John
used to admire me very much and |
| might have been-but let that pass!
l hadn't seen him for ten years, and
when | did see him, | had on that
! dress | got for Helen's wedding. |
| hope none of the rest of you contem-
! plate marrying a rich man; at any
rate, not until my pocket book is bet
ter filled. Well, every one said ! looked
stunning in the dress, and I'll frankly
admit that | expected to make John
regret losing such a clever, well
dressed and generally desirable wo-
man. After shaking hands joyously a
reminiscent look came into his eyes
and he said, What pretty girl you
were ten years ago, Margaret"
John Stewart ought to be drummed
out of decent society" began one OF
the listeners. He told Edith Stills
that her"
ooh, bother Edith Sils," exclaimed
Jane. GO ahead Margaret. You
| haven't got to the hair and rings yet
"Mr. Scoville happened to be stand
ing by"
He usually is" interrupted Eliza
beth.
Margaret went on as if she hadn't
heard. He said if Helen of Troy had
been alive ten years ago, and if | was
prettier then than | am now, she
would have had to look to her laurels. "
Complicated. but undoubtedly in.
tended to be complimentary. Surely
that didn't drive you to a ringless and
STRAIGHTFORWARD condition." said Eliza
| beth.
You're not including that in your
blows, are YOU" began one of the lis
teners. That Mr.. Scoville is the mic
est man, He told Maud Gregory once
that he"
"Oh, never mind Maud Gregory" ex.
claimed Jane. do go on, Margaret.
There is no more at present. said
Margaret Il know Mr. Scovlle imper-
lied his immortal soul, but it was in a
| UODIt cause. u tDlCluut, al tHtSt
straws, taken together, convinced me
that the vanities of the world are not
for me- What's the use of trying to be
beautiful against such fearful Odds
Whats this | hear about odds?'
asked Margaret's sister, coming in
Surely you're not betting on horses
NO, we weren't betting" explained
one of the listeners. Margaret was
Just telling us why she had stopped
curling her hair and wearing rings"
We'll Margaret, ! might have
known" said her sister, turning to hel
reproachfully You bound me to Sc
crecy Just because you wanted the
pleasure of telling it first yourself. But
he knows a thing or two doesn't he
girls? It's so distinguished to wear
straight hair when it's becoming and
Margaret's never looked so well any
other way And her new diamond rims
makes her other rings look cheap, sc
OF course she won't wear them"
What are you talking about? ?
.l.t /.