The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-04-25
Mystery of the
Orchid Gown

II am head over heels in work." an
nounced Dorothy. bursting in on Mar
jory. but | just had to run over tt
hear all about last nights dance. Who
went with whom and what did every
body wear?"
Il don't know anything about last
nights dance for the simple reason
that l wasn't there" answered Mar
jory.
You weren't there?" gasped Dor
othy. why. | left you at six O'Clock
raving about the wonderful time you
expected to have. With my very own
eyes saw you shampOoed, manicured
massaged and made ready for the big
event. For half hour stood admir-.
ing your new orchid gown. Now you
sit there and calmly say, I wasn't
there!' Explain! Say something, or
Ill shake you"
las you say" began Marjory, when
you left me l was all booted and
spurred for the dance. except my
dress. About an hour before expect
ing Jack l went to my clothes closet
and to my amazement my orchid gown
was nowhere to be seen.
II took all my clothes out OF the
closet, returned them to their places.
removed everything again and put
them back. No results!
Il knew positively that when you
were here my dress was peacefully
hanging in the left hand corner OF my
closet. What or who could have spir.
tied it away? No other article OF my
wardrobe was missing.
"Frantically l called mother. father.
sister, brother. Together We searched
every nook and corner of the house.
During the frenzy of the hunt | even
found myself looking in my thimbe
case. No use! That dress was gone. :
Il can we'll imagine your agony"
sighed Dorothy.
There was nothing for me to do"
said Marjorie. but call up Jack, ex.
plain matters and tell him it was i'm.
possible for me to CO.
MY heart bleeds for you,' mOaned
Dorothy. why didn't you wear your
pink"
ITS at the cleaners"
Your Yellow"
ITS at the dressmakers being re-
modelled"
You could have borrowed one OF
NINE"
THE waist would have been too
long and the skirt too short"
What did Jack say"
'ie felt dreadfully. We were to
have led the cotillon. Being chair
man of the entertainment committee.
he had to 60 to the dance anyway As
for me. | threw my miserable self on
the bed and cried myself to sleep.
dreamed all night of Jack dancing
around my closet in my orchid gown"
But what could have become OF
that dress?" demanded Dorothy.
We'll. when I arose this morning
angry at every one and everything, /
stepped to my closet to get my kimo.
no. Believe me or not, in the left
hand corner hung my new orchid
gown"
AT first thought was still dream.
ing. Next | decided that worry had
unbalanced my mind. Then | knew II
was neither dream nor insanity, but
a cold fact that my dress hung before
me!
II gave scream which called the
entire family to my side. including
Nora. our maid. They gazed at that
truant gown.
MORA. what do you know about
this dress?' demanded, seeing an ex.
preston of alarm on her face.
"'Oh. Miss Marjory.' she said, !
don't know what made me do 1t.
You'll never forgive mel know you
won't. can't be SO bold as to ask
you to. It's just terrible!'
Well, 60 on commanded.
81 answered a matrimonial adver.
tisement last month"; walled Nora.
The gentleman wanted my picture,
bad. had not decent stitch to wear
for stylish fashlight photograph. /
knew you weren't going to wear that
there dress last night. SO made SO
bold as to borrow 1t for two hours to
have my picture took. didn't do It
no harm. Please forgive me, Miss
Marjory. Ill never do 1t again
There" finished Marjory, you
have the explanation of the mysteri
S,,,c Aica