The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-08-22
THE NEWS SHORT STORY

tNhN AtNAANf w ~ 'AAie 49, -
Did she ever say so*
"NO. hut she dresses that way, and
It's as good as saying So
Then you must bee eighty Louisa.
You certainly dress like Grandmother
Null" said Frank cruelty. And after
that she let him alone
The next time the Ladies' Aid met
at Louisa Mull's house the members
of that charitable organization twitter-
ed with suppressed excitement, for
Louisa had promised them something
In the way Of a startling surprise
Whats 1t going 10 be- whispered
Mrs Banks as she sat down near
Louisa.
Never mind Wait until Frank
comes in 10 play the phonograph pieces
for us; then you'll see. Louisa could
not help "A sly glance ut Emma Binns'
face. bent above her sewing. and Mrs.
Banks knew that the surprise had
something 10 do with Emma Binns Of
whom 1t was known that Louisa Null
was hercely jealous on her brothers
account.
Emma Binus wore the same gown
In which she had appeared at the min
listers house. and the brown hair still
boosted the blue ribbon, ana somehow
1t was vastly becoming TO the little
widow. II nobody else approved Of
these frpperies il Is certain that the
starved vanity Of Emma Buns rejoic-
ed in wearing them They made her
happy, and happiness took years from
her age.
when refreshments We're served
Frank Null came in and wound up the
talking machine, and there were much
music and singing and pleasant con
yersaton. and Frank Null looked con
tcntcdly az Emma Binns and voted the
affair a great success.
II was when they arose to go that
Louisa Nun led them into the parlor
and pointed 10 large crayon portrait
on an easel In one corner
This Is a guessing contest" laughed
Louisa uervously. I'm give each OF
you one guess as to who sat for that
picture. You begin Fanny"
Fanny Banks pursed her red lips and
looked at the badly executed portrait
Of woman dressed i'm the period Of
twenty years ago. The bodice of the
black gown was tight across the chest.
and the sleeves were great bags Of
fullness stflened with crinoline. The
hair was strained back from the face.
and across the forehead was a small.
fluffy bang. Even the prettiest woman
would have taken on uginess under
the painfully unskilled pencil OF the
crayon artist And although the wo-
man In the picture showed signs of
prettness II was oyershadowed by
drawn lines ofSge.
well" said Fanny Banks smartly,
"lf the picture wasn't taken twenty
years ago and the woman looked so
old then I'd say it was the living im-
age of Emma Binns."
There was silence, while each one
carefully traced likeness to Mrs.
Binns in the horrible portrait. All
came to the same conclusion at the
same moment. II Emma Binns look
ed forty years old twenty years ago
the style of the dress was that OF IA
score of summers past-now she must
be sixty. Was il possible?
With one accord they all turned and
looked at Emma Biuus. Her face was
white as marble save where n little red
spot glowed on her cheek bone She
looked handsome her blue eyes flash
ing, her lips trembling.
n..ig % b.r .t,,I INpoyIy NTpI
ing with wrath Louisa. his sister.
covered against the wall She had
never seen her brother 50 angry I'm all
her life, and she was afraid Of him.
well. Emma giggled Fanny Banks
indilIerently.
1T is my picture" said Emma Binns
proudly. "Simeon had II done the first
year | was married. | expect looked
just like that. tired and old and worn
out for he was Il hard man, as you all
know. those of you who can forget
that he was rich.
Il was only twenty years old then,
but admit the picture makes me look
forty! What Of it? Don't YOU care
for me for myself-for what l am?
Must you bicker with me over my
age? Don't you want 10 see me hap
by? ! am happy now. happier than
I ever have been In my life I wonder
If YOU are glad you members OF the
Ladies' Aid society. II you only knew
the bitterness, the long years. the UNI
happiness Her voice broke. and
she hid her face i'm her hands II sup
pose seem foolish, but my heart is
young yet
one 10y one the members Of the Aid
society glanced nc the blue bow on the
/ bright brown hair, the head that had
held itself so bravely and so jauntily
the past two years Of freedom. and
then with averted eyes they stole
quietly out of the house TO hold meet
Ing of self condemnation. whereat they
| agreed that hereafter Emma Binns
| could dress herself like "a circus wo-
man." as Nancy Ballard expressed IL.
and they wouldn't wink an eye Wen
see that she has a happy time OF IT,"
| nodded Mrs. Banks over her shoulder
as she left them, and even shallow
/ Fanny forgot 10 Ciggle and followed
her mother Soberly into the house
Back there I'm Louisa Mulrs parlor