Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-08-12
LEAF FOURTH.

LEAF FOURTH.
| Monument or Trousseauf
|("1 HAT night l. did so many e1er'
cises that at last / sank ex-
l%WSl hausted In a chair In front
tSEse Of my mirror and put my
head down on my arms and cried the
real tears you cry when nobody Is look
ing. felt terribly old and ugly and
dowdy widowed. 1t couldn't have
been jealousy. for just love that girl.
want most awfully to hug her very
slimness, and it was more what she
might think Of poor dumpy me than
what any man in Hillsboro, Tenn, or
Paris, France, could possibly feel on
the subject that hurt 80 hard. But
then, looking back on 1t, am afraid
that jealousy sheds feathers every
night so you won't know him In the
morning, for something made me sit up
suddenly with spark in my eyes and
reach out to the desk for my pencil and
check book 1t took me more than an
hour to figure it all up, but / went to
bed a happier. though in prospects a
poorer woman.
1t is strange how spending mans
money makes you feel more congenial
with him. and as 1 sat in the cars on
my way to the city early the next
morning felt nearer to Mr.. Carter
than l almost ever did, alive or dead.
After this I shall always appreciate
and admire him for the way he made
money, since, for the first time in my
life, fully realized what 1t could buy.
And / bought things!
First I went to see Nine. Courtier
for corsets. I had heard about her,
and knew it meant fortune. But
that didn't matter. She came In and
| looked at me for about five minutes
without saying word, and then she
ran her hands down and down over me
until could feel the flesh just crawl
ing Off me. 1t was delicious!
Then she and two girls In puffs and
rats came In and did things to a cor
set they laced on me that can't even
write down, for / didn't understand
the process, but when looked in that
long glass almost dropped on the
floor. l wasn't tight and wasn't stiff
and looked--I'm too modest to write
how lovely really looked to myself.
| was spellbound with delight.
Next l signed the check for three OF
those wonders with my head so In the
clouds / didn't know what ! was do
ing, but | came to with a jolt when
the prettiest girl began to get me into
that black taffeta bag had worn
down to the city. l must have shrunk
the whole remaining pounds had felt
obliged to lose for Alfred and Ruth
Chester from the horror / felt when
I looked at myself. The girl was real
ly sympathetic and said with smile
that was true kindness: "Shall / call
taxi for madame and have 1t take
her to Klein's? They have wonderful
gowns by Rene all ready to be fitted
at short notice Really, madame's fig
ure is such that 1t commands per-
feet costume now" Men do business
we'll. but when women enter the field
they are geniuses Mt money extracting.
felt myself already clothed perfectly
when that girl said my figure com
manded" proper dress. or course
Klein pays Nine. Courtier a commits
sion for the customers she passes right
on to him. The one for me must have
looked to her like a real estate trans
action.
spent three days at the great Klein
store, only going to the hotel to sleep
and most of the time I forgot to eat.
Nine. Rene must have been Nine
Courtier's twin sister in youth, and
Nine. Telllers in the hat department
was the triplet to them both. When
women have genius 1t breaks out all
over them like measles and they never
recover from it, those women had the
continent kind. But l know that old
Rene really liked Inc, for when l blush
cd and asked her II they had good
Aeauty doctor In the store she held up
her hands and shuddered.
"Never, madame. never pour vous
Ravissante. charmante-lt Is to TOOL
Neyair! Jamais. jamais de la vie"
had to calm her down, and she kissed
my hand when We parted.
I thought Klein was going to do the
same thing or worse when signed
the check which would be good for
house and lot and motorcar for him
but he didn't. Only he got even witn
me by saying. "And am delighted
that the trousseau Is perfectly salts
factory to you. Mrs. Carter"
Tint was an awful shock and hope
I didn't show 1t as murmured. Per
fectly. thank you"
The word "trousseau" can be spoken
In a woman's presence for many years
with no effect, but it is an awful shocH
when she first really hears 1t. fel'
funny all afternoon as packed those
trunks for the 5 o'clock train.
Yes, the word "trousseau" ought tf
have a definite surname after It al
ways and. that's why my loyalty drag
ged poor Mr.. Carter out into the ligh
| of my conscience. The thinking o
him had strange effect on me. l hat
laid out the dream in dark gray blu'
rajah, tailored almost beyond endur
ance, to wear home on the train ant
had thrown the old black taffeta bal
across the chair to give to the note
maid, but the decision OF the session
between conscience and loyalty mao
me pack the precious blue wonder ant
put on once more the black rags OF re
membrance in q kind Of panic OF re
spect.
would lots rather haveAbought poo
Mr.. Carter the monument have Dee
planning for months to keep up CONVEX
sation with Aunt Adeline than wea
that dress again.. I felt conscience re
prove me once more with loyalty LOOK
| ing on In lisapproval as I buttoned tn
old thing up for the last time, becaus
II really ought to have stayed over
day to buy that monument, but, to te
the truth, I wanted to see Billy so des
perately that his sleep place" abov
my heart hurt as II 1t might hav
prickly heat break iout at any minut'