Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-27
THE EVENING STORY.
MISS MATHIS VISIT.
Copyright. 1913. by w. Werner,

Copyright, 1913. by w. Werner)
Mrs. Brisbens invitation to visit her
for two weeks during the month of Sep
TENDER was as unexpected as it was de-
lightful. 1t threw Miss Matty into a
great futter. She thought of it, dreamed
of it, talked OF it to her cronies, Mrs.
Dillworth and Miss Morton, who lived in
the fiat below.
Its the loveliest time of the year to
visit" said Mrs. Dillworth. you'll enjoy
yourself hugely, I'm sure. Only I'm
afraid you'll get led away by your
friends magnificence."
Long years before Miss Matty and Cor
nelia Brisben. who was Cornelia Walker
then. had attended the same girls school,
sat together in the same classes and suf-
fered from that amazing mutual disturb
ance of the affections which, commonly
speaking, constitutes a crush" Miss
Matty had loved Cornelia because she
was brilliant and beautiful, but why Cor
neiia had loved her she never knew. Per-
hapS the theory that 'opposites always
attract hadn't been formulated then.
At any rate, their crush lasted remark
ably all through their school days and
after-for while. They wrote and wrote
impassioned epistles Then suddenly Cor
nella cooled. She had fallen in love again
this time with a man-and she married
him. Miss Matty could not 60 to the
wedding because her mother was just
then i'll, and anyway 1t was too far and
she had no suitable clothes to wear. She
learned that Cornelia had gone abroad on
her wedding trip and that when she came
DacK she was to enter into an entirely
new sphere, for her husband was rich
ana came from an influential family.
Ihat was the last Miss Matty heard from
Corneha In years. except by way of the
newspapers, until suddenly had come this
invitation. Cornela was recovering from
an illness and had taken fancy to have
some one she used to know near her.
She had thought of Miss Matty and SO
had asked her
Miss Matty had four days in which to
get ready. 1t was years since she had
traVeIed anywhere, and no one could have
Deen more high strung and paipitating
than she on that eventful morning when
she at last set forth. Miss Morton went
TO the station with her to help her with
ner Valise and see her safely on the train.
Miss Morton felt more experienced than
Miss Matty because she had once actu-
ally been as far as Florida and back
again, though this constituted the sum
total Of her life's journeying.
You'll be sure to writer said Miss
Morton as they stood waiting for the
train. Il shall be real uneasy until |
hear you've got there safe and sound "
Tears stood in her kind, faded eyes,
but Miss MATHIS eyes were re, bright with
excitement. -'Oh, yes, I'll write, of
course she promised. hastily. Are you
sure my wells on just as 1t should be,
Harriet? And isn't there hair pin loose
somewhere? My hair feels sort of tum-
bly,. 1 declare
While Miss Morton was fussng with
the veil and hair pin the train rushed in
and the two friends were caught in an
eddy of bustling arrivals. There was no
more than time now to kiss goodbye and
get aboard. Miss Mattys last glimpse of
her friend showed Miss Morton wiping
her eyes with one hand and waving fare
we'll with the other.
Miss Matty sat upright. her cheeks hot
| ly flushed, her chest fiuttering. her nerv-
Gus hands clasped in her lap. She was
conscious that she looked very well, but
! whether she would look well enough to