The Topeka state journal., 1911-09-23
TEE EVENING Story
Ponpadoar sisters.

(By Martha MeCulloch-William
'sFhe Pompadour sisters. Horrors!
Elsie you know 1 can't wear pink!
With my red cheeks and red hair it
makes me a blowsy peony! And you
are angelic in pale blue" Peggy SAID
discontentedly, finging herself back on
the sofa.
but you will! Just this once!"
Elsie entreated, her eyes sparkling.
For my sakeI You know my one tai
ent-my gifted feet. 1 can't sing-I m
not a bit clever-I have never been
But 1 can dance. Do help me to show
lit! For a special reason, I-I-want
to show I'm worth WHILE"
80 you'll be asked again?" Peggy
queried. Poor chick -a-biddy! Is this
house party really so much to you?"
What would it be to you, If 1t was
your first-and you had never had
chance to be young, or have fun p
Elsie asked almost fiercely- II you
had to dance by stealth-up in the
garret, with nobody to see-and all the
music what you could make on
comb ?''
"Tell mellow did you ever hit on
this frilly cakewalk2 To think of the
Pompadour as godmother to cake
walk!" Peggy commented, smiling.
Elsie looked puzzled. Was there
ever a Pompadour?'' she asked. 81
thought it was just name-for the
way you wore your hair-and pink and
blue together. That's why said we'd
do the Pompadour Sisters"
Peggy explained, betwixt laughing
and signing She had a pink frock,
fine and straight from Paris, but she
did not want to wear it. Aunt Mar
garet had sent it-Aunt Margaret had
not seen her since she was nine, SO
knew nothing of the high colors which,
properly subdued, made her niece SO
pretty. Pink unquestionably exagger-
ated them to the degree of disfgure-
ment. But Peggy. the soul of good
nature, agreed at last to put her vanity !
in her pocket, and serve as a foil for
her luckless stepcousin, Elsie.
She was sorry for Elsie, whose life |
ran sluggishly between drab walls. It |
had taken all her own mothers tact |
and diplomacy to compass Elsie's be- |
ing where she was. Peggy had been a
little worried at first-Elsie had so few /
social accomplishments, and though |
Peggy was kind she hated carrying |
dead weight. But by and by, when |
there were evening exhibitions of /
accomplishments. Elsie /
had shown such grace, such lightness, |
such rhythmic harmony of motion as
to redeem herself.
But she had never yet done the
save in the privacy of their
own chamber, big, airy and secluded
one high up in the tower Peggy had /
practiced it with her, enough to make
sure they would not fail. She had /
thought rather proudly of the sensa-
ton they would make. quite eclipsing
Marie Dene, straight from Paris, and
still affecting the airs of her Partisan
It took her all aback, though,
% think Of dancing in such guise as
would make her fright. Notwith-
standing, she agreed generously to put
herself out of the question, partly
through indolent good nature, partly
lan i'm Of /
hing under the surface which she felt
n Elsie.
She did not sense the hidden thing
Until they came out for their turn. The
zig house party had turned itself into
vaudeville company, by way of pass
ng the two days of a drenching Au-
rust storm. The house, old and ramb-
ing, but luxuriously remodeled. lent
tself admirably to such uses. The Ii
,rary, four steps higher than the big
upon which it gave widely,
made a fine stage. It was only a little
rouble to supply electric footlights, ,
Greens for wings and backgrounds,
nd gorgeous drop of cretonne bed
urtains- A photograph orchestra was
by Miss Ball, the gov
rness. at a well-ambushed piano. But I
he glory of it all was the stage direc- !
private life, George Augustus {
3elden, Esq, but in the mouths of !
verybcdy about him, Georgy. /
- 4A4dA1, anu manly IIlOu6SI despite
iches. and much pampered. Peggy {
ad played with him in short frocks
earned to dance in the same class, (
nd grown up to regard him as at once Z
he model and measure of manhood. I
he had never thought Of him as a 9
weetheart-for one reason other s
oung fellows had not given her time I
seing an heiress with a wide and wise
amily connection. if she married the /
rrong man it would certainly be in the
ace of light and leading. I
She had liked several suftors well I
nough to consider them, but it had ;
ever gone further. At twenty-five
er heart was still virgin, more truly
irgin indeed than that of poor skimp-
and thwarted Elsie, who had be- e
lowed her affections silently upon this I
!. that mankind of whom she knew .
o more than the outside, but whom =
ne had turned into hero, knight or 9
emi-god with the drapery of a girls :
srvid fancy.
She forgot them-forgot they had :
yer been, the minute she had looked :
p and found George regarding her y
ith whimsical irtentness- e
do you know you have run away?" 4
e asked. Those elders? If they =
1nae to take you back home, you shall a
imb into my pocket and stay snug till o
ley 60 We can't spare you" Il
She was indeed, wfstfully childish, X
ithaI full of mountaineering for life 81
nd love. Her mouth set hard when b
yer she thought of going back to the 81
rab home life at the end of this mar d