Warren sheaf., 1913-09-18
||SHE LIKED GAY UM|||AGE|


s By . Y u la MAXWELL
&ssssssssSssss$sssssssssssss
Essie Adams liked gay plumage. Her
| New. York aunt. whom she was visit.
lng, did not approve Of anything that
would attract attention. That was
why she objected to Essie's wearing q
brand-new bonnet with the dazzling
yellow feather. i1s NJ i'll H5 VI
I'D rather you wouldn't wear that
hat, Essie," /" said Aunt Linda Mallow.
ut looks 'fast.' % III Il u
Essie bit her lip Ia disapp pointment,
put away the gorgeous thing Of SHIN
mering yellow and donned . plain
blackan-b1us straw which her aunt
had selected for her on her last visit
to the city year before. 4 #@ss
That loshs more like you, my dear.
Young girss - apt to be misunder.
stood whsa ~ wear conspicuous
hats" .aGas t} 5s3s@ I. 54 g5 !
But, Aan&3s. 1 DO love bright things.
Other girls wear them. and nice girls,
too, I'm sure 4. .%5@5 45s Ga s3st.
Aunt LINDA was not disposed, to
argue the question. Besides, the cleo
trio was waiting tor them at the curb.
The last few days Of her New York
visit Essis spent with girl friend
And when she passed through the gate
at the Grand Central station bound for
the train that was to take her to her
home In an upstate town, she was
wearing tho hat with the inviting yel-
low feather. For Aunt Linda was not
along, and her chum. who came to the
station with her. adored the hat.
Essie was gregarious young wom-
an. In the small town where she lived
it was habit for people to be neigh
borly. So when the middle-aged man
In the parlor car seat across the aisle
offered her 4 magazine, she accepted it
with q smile and a nod Of the yellow
feather. When she entered the dining
car for luncheon and the dining car
conductor placed her opposite the
same man. she was not displeased. He
was wellsroomed. interesting look
ing man. And Essie liked men. When
the stranger suggested that she order
lunch for both OF them, Essie didn't
mind. Luncheon for one was always
deadly stupid. OF course, she realized
that Aunt Linda would be Mortified at
such proceeding. but Aunt Linda was
old-fashioned. It was common talk in
The family that Linda was entirely too
diffldent, too reserved. She was not
nearly 80 popular as her sisters, who
we're Of more sociable mien. However,
aever breath OF scandal had attached
to Linda's name, and there were some
Of the family thak-well, that's quite
another matter.
Essie enjoyed the luncheon, and
though she endeavored In the usual
way to peg the check. her protesta-
tions were quickly swept away. As
the man pflo<ed her back to her chair
In the par3or car, abe was conscious OF
a certain guilty feeling. but she put It
from her. How could girl be expect
ed to do anything else? She was only
human. and she liked to talk to peo-
pie. She couldn't play any. kind OF a
game by herself. There are many
young girls like Ess1e. -, =,
It was only twenty minutes until
Essie's home town would be reached.
She was rather sorry. She was having
such good time. T..
I'D like to see you again." said the
man. meaningly.
"Oh, thank you," laughed the girl.
i've enjoyed meeting you" ,.
But you don't live far from Buffalo,
and haven't you some friends there
that you could tell your parents you
we're going to visit-while you really
came down to spend a few days with
me? I know nice little place where
we could go and be undisturbed.
Here's my card. That's my Office ad-
dress. Write me when you can get
away" =. ...,
Essie was dumfounded. All the
color had gone out of her face. She
felt sick to the very depths Of her.
She simply couldn't speak. The card
dropped from her nerveless fingers.
/, But the stranger did not understand
His eyes glittered strangely, while the
mark Of the beast was in every line OF
his face. You're great little kiddo," !"
he said, "and there isn't anything
wouldn't do for you. Do you think you
could como down to see me In few
days" f:-ss. :s:. .4&t 49,. -
The girl found voice, but still It was
not her own voice. It was the voice of
a girl who has suddenly had every
ideal and Illusion Knocked from under
her. .:.& i. Il. Ill
'Oh. oh, you horrible thing, you!
F-you'vs made mistake. Oh, I
hate you. hate you! I never want to
],rs, ,zt., ...y ;.