The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-01-02
The Ways
Of Alice

glanced out of the window at her
daughter, who was seated on the front
porch deeply engrossed in a book Il
never was interested in books to the
exclusion OF everything else, and
can't see why my daughter should be.
And for girl not to care anything
about her trousseau is positively alb
normal"
Mrs. Clintons pretty face quivered
with mental agony Alice doesn't
care bit whether she has any clothes
or not she declared, bitterly. When
told her that she simply must decide
on her wedding gown she just looked
up at me with dreamy, far-away ex-
preston and said: Why must / have
a wedding gown? Why can't Frederick
and just go down to the chapel some
day when We get ready and be mar
ried without any fuss?
Did you ever hear OF anything so
preposterous? Why, was simply out
OF my mind for weeks before l was
married. | thought OF nothing but my
clothes. struggled with them all day
and dreamed of them all night, and
that's the normal, natural way for
girl to feel"
Mrs. Henderson, aunt OF the repre-
hensible Alice, laughed. why don't
you let Alice do as she pleases?" she
inquired.
Mrs. Clinton frowned. Now, sup
pose you're going to take her part
she said. But 1t isn't particle of
use. She's the only daughter l have,
so this is the only wedding shall
ever have in my own family, and
am determined to get some fun out OF
1t. You won't believe me-" barking
back to her grievance, but the other
day when asked her II she'd like to
have you go with us to select her we'd
ding gown she looked more interested
than Id seen her for weeks. That
would be lovely she said. But do
you think there's any necessity for my
going? Why don't you and Aunt
Florence go by yourselves?' could
have spanked her
A few days later, as they left the
stationer's shop, after ordering the in
vitations and announcements, with
Alice presumably somewhere in their
rear, Mrs. Clinton said In tone of
satisfaction to Mrs. Henderson: Now
we can devote the rest of the morning
to the wedding gown
Show US some of your bridal satin,
please she said to the clerk few
minutes later. That's an exquisite
piece she continued. as he held up
the soft, shimmering fabric which fell
in graceful folds over his arm.
1T is beautiful, Isn't it, said Mrs.
Henderson. And 1t certainly is rea-
sonable l doubt If you could do any
better
1T is pretty said Mrs. Clinton re-
fectively, but, of course, I'm not
going to take the first thing see"
The clerk displayed bolt after bot
Of material and was rewarded at the
end of his labors by hearing Mrs.
Clinton say: Thank you very much.
lighter materials
II haven't quite decided what the
bridesmaids ought to wear" she re-
marked a short time after, as she and
her sister examined piles of soft, deli
cate chiffons and fairylike silk mus
Inns. III they wear chiffon, don't
want Alice to, of course, and think
messaline would be lovely for the
maids, but intend to decide positively
before anything is said to them
Now. Well go to Blanks and look
she said complacently, when they had
examined every possible material in
the first shop. I'm going to see
everything before decide
Some time later, after they had Wis
tied every possible depository of wed.
ding gown material and had examined
so many things that they could hardly
have distinguished brocade from
cheesecloth, with tired faces and dis.
heyeled locks, they returned to the
first shop and bought the piece of satin
which they had first looked at. When
it had been cut off Mrs. Clinton heaved
a sigh of relief
Now she said, Alice, you must
go right up to madame's and let her
take your measurements. There's no
time to be wasted, for dressmakers
are so provokingly slow"
She paused moment, but, receiv-
ing no response, she inquired: Don't
you think It's lovely, child?"
There was still no answer Turn
ing, she found that she had been ad-
dressing the empty air. There was
no Alice anywhere near. She looked
at Mrs. Henderson and Mrs. Hender-
son looked at her. Then the two
gasped in unison. Alice was distinctly
not present.
Feverishly they retraced their steps
as nearly as possible to every shop
and every counter in every shop which
they had visited. Neither of them
could remember when they had last
seen the prospective bride.
Finally, as last resort. they re-
turned to the booksellers shop where
I, l. ~