Evening star., 1914-08-09

stitch l particularly want you te
look well tonight. There She broke
off the thread and stood back. THAT
looks better. Now please hurry. dear
The taxi may arrive any moment"
But I don't seem to be able to
hurry" Hilda replied, laughing oddly
MY fingers are all thumbs can't
find single hook
| Let me-" said Mrs. Berry. Her
steady fingers fastened the dress quick
ly. Now your cloak"
"1'll get that" Hilda murmured. She
turned to the bed to lift her cloak. but
suddenly sank forward with her face
! in its folds. She was next aware OF a
smell of lavender and the pungency OF
| ammonia. Her mother sat upon the
bed rubbing her wrists.
did l faint?'' asked IIilda. puzzled
Yes" answered Mrs. Berry.
Hilda closed her eyes. Her Ideas
swan again. Presently she felt new
| presence In the room. The doctor had
come. Vitality low. Heart weak. She
| needs rest" she heard him say, and
yeXed."
| Hours later she awoke from won
| derful, dreamless sleep. The whole house
was still But out In the street taAis
were running. They were taking the
guests home from Mrs. Bests party.
She lay lazily wondering what people
! had thought when she and her mother
had not appeared She could count on
! ments they had missed since she first
came out eight years before. She was
| nineteen that fall and eager for good
time. Three of her closest friends came
| out that same week and their mothers
united in making them splendid party.
IIilda had worn blue. With dreamy
amusement she remembered how she had
thrilled at the sight of herself in that
| blue gown And her slippers-she had
tilted the glass in order TO see her little
feet.
1t was two years before she began to
feel the s4meness of the social hubbub
in which she lived. Two of the girls who
had come out with her were married; the
third was engaged. She herself had had
only one proposal, and she had refused
that. For it came from Roger Ware. and
Roger was poor. She had not cared so
very much for him. She had thought
He is my first chance. / won't take my
first chance. for If l do I'll be sorry
There'll be others coming later on. Grace
and Mildred and Marjory are all going to
do much better than Roger Ware. l
I'm having perfectly splendid time
But long time after. when Roger
Ware had gone up into the Saskatche-
wan to raise wheat and there was no
prospect of his ever returning. she began
to think about him. She thought about
him SO much that when presently there
came chance to get married that she
had wanted she did not take 1t. Other
fourth season. and beginning to be little
passe. She knew that herself. though
her mother would not allow It, They
Stunned difficult topics like the veriest
strangers. And, indeed. they. seemed to
become more like strangers each succeed
ing day.
Hilda had often wondered at her moth
err She had begun to change with that
coming-out party Before that she had
never gone anywhere. save to church or
to an OCCASIONAL tea or dinner. OF course,
she had but then passed the period of
mourning for Hilda's father. Love of
sociality seemed to have seized her like
distemper. Worse still. she impaired
it to all with whon<she came in contact.
The whole town was infected. But Hilda
perceived that her mother. having set
the pace. maintained it steadily.
Many a time before TIilda had been
ready to give up-to lose voluntarily