The Washington herald., 1914-08-17
DAILY SHORT STORY.
THE ATTRACTIVE GIRL.
BY LAURA A. KIRKMAN.
fo,n-right islal

saw some Of her girl trlenos pass tht
gate dressed in fashionable howered
dresses with broad. Roman sashes.
'I suppose they're going to the
church sale" she said to herself.
She would have liked to go to that
church sale herself-not because tht
ticularly, but-oh, just because girls
who could go to those things were
somehow. different from girls who
could not. She had to stay at home
and help her mother get meals fol
their boarder. Never, never, never
did she have time to go flying about
like the other girls!
But she wasn't complainingI No
sir! 1t wasn't in the blood Of q. Mar
tin to complain over the performance
of duty, not even though her mothers
boarder was a very nice and jolly
young man, and more than once she
had had TO refuse to go to places with
him because she hadn't just the right
thing to wear. It was only the girls
whose mothers didn't keep boarders
who had time to fuss over sewing.
They'll have TO entertain him." she
had told herself with stern lips
which exactly resembled the lips of
great reat-grandmotherr Martin who
hung IN the parlOr-
Yet, though she wouldn't admit it.
deep down she longed to make new
record for the Martins record Of
defiant prodigality. She longed to turn
her back on duty for evermore and in
dulge to the utmost all her little vani-
ties and extravagant fancies- She
lonEed to destroy her present type
the plain, dutifuI type-and establish
herself once for all in the type TO
which her more idle friends belonged
that type which she had always
called, to herself. The Attractive GIRL
All that would be needed would be
little time Of her own, ana little
money spent on her.
As she turned from the door. after
glancing after her friends, however. her
mind was not on this wild, lawless
theme: It was, as usual flying ahead OF
her into the kitchen. thinking absorbedly
what sort Of desert to make for supper.
Batter pudding last night, she re-
membered. walking swiftly through the
house. Swiss pudding the night before.
guess I'd better make a current pie
tonight"
The next thing to think about, there
fore, was the picking OF the currants-
Il ought to change my dress" she told
herself, giving a quick glance at the
kitchen mirror. May Irving will be
sure to drop in on her way back from
the sale, and IL Mr.. Haskins should hap
pen to be in his room and should. look
down and see me in a sunbonnet and
gingham dress and her in q pink wolfe"
Nevertheless. there was no time In
which to change her dress. Indeed, she
really could not have said whether her
white dress was clean or not-so much
had happened lately TO keep her mind
of clothes!
And it's no worse today than it has
been any otherNday is it," she asked
herself ruefully. II guess he'd faint II
he saw me all dressed up"
Of course the worst happened. May
Irving did drop in. and did stand over
her as she picked currants-in a ging-
ham dress and sunbonnet-and Mr.. Has
kins did look out of his window and see
them.
In fact. he did more: he called down
to them.
Hey, therer he said jealousy. Aren't
I invited? Can't I come to the currant
party, too?"
Sally had to wait almost a minute be-
fore she could answer. Then she looked
up with a very flushed face and said
politely: ..
"of course. Mr.. HaskinsI wed love
TO have you"
tried to tuck the most stained parts of
her dress under her. Some Of the cur
rant Juice from heD fingers had made the
dress look even worse than before. As
he came up to them, however, she looked
up smilingly.
Are you sure you came to work and
not to eat?' she joked
The same reckless feeling had come
over her that always seemed to come to
Of well, things can't be any worse
and that's a satisfaction" feeling. She
even found herself kneeling and letting
the spots show. OF what use was it to
try to appear well?
Nor was she bitter over the situation.
I've just got to convince myself that
I don't care" she thought, sensibly.
He hasn't any eyes for me anyway;
low could he have when May Is around?' %
May was SaIly's ideal of The Attrac-
i've Girl" Her nails were always nicely
nanicured; her hair was always dressed
ashionably; her clothes were always
made in the newest style. As she looked
ip now into Mr.. Haskins' face and smil-
ngly asked him II he knew the church
vas giving ar. entertainment that night
the looked even prettier than ever.
And 1 press you to go-because we
iced your money!" she said, darlingly,
20 the young man.
Sally could see from his face that he
liked her .frankness.
"As you put it that way" he answer
ID quickly, I'll come"
For a moment Mays long. long eye
ashes dropped. Then she looked up with
lightning swiftness.
Don't bring the limousine; / like
victoria just as well'' she said swiftly
and went.
Half dazed, Sally watched her 20 across
the lawn. She was shocked. Never be-
fore had she seen May do such q thing
lsk man TO escort her anywhere She
put her head down, actually ashamed
Ior her friend. .=
Got enough yet-or shall I help you
pick up more?" said Mr. Hashins.
No. 1 think 1 have enough, thank
rou," she replied.
They walked toward the house toeeth-
IT. Suddenly, all at once, she wanted to |
,e alone. She was glad when he left her.
new, strange emotion was stirring |
within her-Jealousy Suddenly she knew |
hat she, did care about this handsome |
-oung boarder-this young boarder who
lad asked her TO go to places first and
vas now snatched away by q bewitch-
ngly pretty and daring girl
She was glad when supper was over.
With an aching head she slipped into !
he dusk Of the garden. Looking up at
is window. she saw that his light was
he had gone to May's-that the !
'eginning Of the end had come.
Then she started. There, before her, in |
he shadows. was the tall figure OF a |
oung man