The citizen., 1912-02-16
A Girl of Yesterday
By MARTHA McCULLOCH WILLIAMS
(coDyrirht. 1917. By Associated Literary Pross)

! "Yet-you won't help me-" Dora
snuffed. hiding her eyes. You know
how particular he is-that's why ]
must have something new
You can't! That's the word with
the bark on it," Prudence retorted.
But if you'll be sensible, I'll drape
my lace shawl over this green satin
and then nobody will know it isn't
new-right straight from the city"
It was an enormous sacrifice
made in the interest OF peace and
matrimony. Dora knew 1.-THE lace
| shawl was, next to her conscience,
! Prudence's most cherished possession.
an heirloom, fine and costly, descend
! ed from a great grandmother, TO
! whom fine and costly things were not
rare. 1t would give distinction to any
frock. Instantly. Dora was smiling
! She even patted her sisters hand
/ saying, "Oh, but you are clever, Prue.
l won't be naughty again for Whole
month"
Then the two fell to work, with the
result that Prudence had time next
] day to fit the rosebud silk TO slight,
! pretty Elinor Lee-and feel more
/ than rewarded by the girls shy yet
! genuine gratitude.
! "You-you are-better than fairy
godmother, Miss Prue," she said.
Because this beautiful frock won't
! turn 10 rags even If l do dance on
! past 12 o'clock"
( The Marston dance reached almost
the dignity of a ball. Dora was easily
| the belle Of it-tall and dashing. vivid
| in color. mobile uf face, she caught
every eye. The transfigured green
satin became her as no other gown
had ever done 1t swathed her slen-
der, curving shape modestly. yet al.
! luringly. Because she knew she was
; looking her best, she was at her bes!
until the unexpected happened.
Elinor was unaccountably late N
| coming. Truth to tell she had corae
long before the rest. and spent the
interval in helping kind Mrs. Marston
| with the fine. last details of supper.
She had been wise enough TO rest aft
/ erward-even to sleep little while.
I AS a result she came among the dan
GERS dewy-eyed, and as rcsiy fresh as
! the flowers upon her frock. They had
held color. and showed finely against
a ground once white but now the soft
| est cream. The low bodice had lace
| bertha at top-the frostwork OF 1t
was caught up in front with knot
| of real pink roses Tiny. rutf!es
| f1uffed over the foot of the full skirt.
/ Truly. Elinor's feet. beneath, like
little mice played in and out" Her
mass of fair wavy hair, simply part
ed, and coi,ed low. went beautifully
with the gowns lines. Altogether,
she was a picture, the sweetest pic
ture in all the world to one pair Of
eyes-Tazewell Gray's eyes.
He had hung about Dora half a
year, all the while conscious Of Eli
nor's attraction Commonly he had
seen her in the world of workaday-
a fragment OF the huge machine
known as public education. Rosy and
rose -beset. he knew her for what she
was-the woman OF all the world TO
fill and crown his life
lie strobe toward her, forgetting
all else. But before he came to her.
Allan Muir had whisked her of in a
waltz. Indeed. for a full hour he
could not get near her. Outblooming
the roses of yesterday. she put even
Dora in the shade Partners. the most
finicky, the most eligible, swarmed
about her-her card was full in a
twinkling. By way of keeping the
peace she even parted dances be-
tween the young fellows she knew
best
Tazewell would have no such part
nership. Audaciously, in tie face of
an eager partner, he drew Elinor out
on the piazza to say;
Girls OF yesterday didn't flirt rt-you
look the part-sre ycu going TO live
up to it,"
'Nc-because | dent know how. "
Elinor nurmured. dropping lightly
toward him.
Then and there he kissed her---
quite forgetting Dora.