Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1913-03-27
THAT CURSED OPlL
It Made Donor Of Gift Uneasy
When Her Friend Disappeared.
sx GENE WILSON.

II
nursed her wrath accordingly.
The floor walker. at other times
her beau ideal OF manly perfection,
after casting her q smile Of conde-
| scending affability which passed I'M
| noticed. walked on down the aisle IN
resentful astonishment Who. pray,
was Name. TO ignore one of his stand.
Ing. -er-good looks?
A customer, whose station in life
and whose question afforded excellent
opportunity for repartee. received
merely an absent-minded Two aisles
down." as Name stared resentfully
at Bessie's massive golden pompadour'
which rivaled in luster the silver she
was selling at the wall counter.
And had she not every reason to be
incensed2 II was the same old story
For two years she had gone with jim
During that time she had made her
self over into the kind Of girl he pro
fessedly admired
Had she not left OF at least half
her puffs at his request? Had she
not lowered her cherished pompadour
to quite common and unnoticeable di.
mensions? Her earrings had been
sacrificed at the altar of love. one by
one her near-diamond rings had fol
lowed suit. and. last. oh, crowning
grief. her purple hat.
She no longer firted with the other
fellows; no more did she feel It a
necessity to go out every night Of her
life In short. her every habit had
been changed to please this exacting
man
What had happened2 Two weeks
ago she had introduced him to her
very best lady friend. the girl to
whom she daily laid bare her heart
to the great discontinue of custom.
ers the one, in short whom. next to
Jim, she most loved and trusted
What was the result2 Bessie. who
was and who gloried in being all the
things she had ceased to be at Jims
request and then some, instantly at
tracted that individuals tickle atten-
ton to the exclusion of all else.
Would BESSIE give up her jewels
and pompadour? Not she! She
shone more resplendent each day in
the things-bitter thought-with
which Jim presented her. Would she
stay at home evenings? Jim took her
to a new and more attractive place
every day as soon as work was over,
while the deserted Name was hourly
forced to watch the glow of triumph
in the eve of the now despised Bes-
sfe.
At this point in her reflections she
was interrupted by a customer who,
she was dimly aware. had spoken sew
eral times She forced herself to pay
attention
Il would like something to give a
little girl of ten on her birthday. Can
you suggest something?" asked the
young woman
Name tore her glance from the wall
counter and turned it on her wares.
Those hatpins are awfuly swell
9S centsl" she remarked
she doesn't wear hatpins yet.
meekly suggested the would-be pur.
chaser
NO of course not" agreed Name.
There's those pocketbooks. genuine
german silver. marked from 81 We're
selling lot of these; and there's
these little opal rings. real opals
s4.9s"
Z think I'll take one of the little
purses Opals are so dreadfully un-
lucky. you know"
Names interest was at last awak-
ened In daze she made ont the
check and handed over the change.
Unlucky were they? She cast
baleful glare at the unconscious Bes-
sic. which changed to a smile of pure
hypocrisy as she happened to turn
around
Say. Bessie" she called to her
when do you go to lunch? Let's 60
together"
Bessie. rather overwhelmed at this
peaceful overture after a week of
conspicuous snuhs, assented with alac
rity The die was cast
AT lunch they chatted over every
known subject except Jim.
What are you going to do for
hat this winter. Bessie? I'm afraid
I've got to wear my last winters
black one"
4 thought I'd get a lavender one
II goes so well with my hair. don't
you think so?" Bessie replied in
what seemed to Name snug satisfac
ton
YES" said Name, gritting her
teeth. you go out so much you really
ought to get a new one. It's your
birthday next week. isn't it. I'm 20
ing to send you just a little something
to show you I'm sorry I've been so
cross
On the morning of her birthday
Bessie was surprised and much af-
fected at receiving a little box con
tanning dainty opal ring from her
loving friend. Mary.
Name was on hand very early Mon
day morning, though she was so nerv-
Gus that she arranged her curls, made
of real hair, in five different ways be-
fore Bessie arrived, to all appearances
as healthy and happy as ever. and
overfiowing with gratitude and pleas
ure in her new ring.
All the morning she struck atti-
tudes which best displayed it until
Name was aghast Had she only add
ed to her rivals charms7 Would
nothing happen TO avenge her?
She thought with dismay of the