The Washington herald., 1914-07-13
DRESS OF GOLD.
Nv BELLE MANIATRS.

/ II was Ike fsiry-godmother dress,
| spun OF samite-like stun and golden
| gauze. As Helen Blaine held il forth. the
! long. sinuous lineS falling in a slender.
/ gIfttering train. little thrill Of achieve
| ment swept through her. She was 4
! dressmakcr, but In accomplishing the
] creation OF her fancy. she felt as pro-
1 found a triumph as an artist who beholds
/ his masterpiece on canvas
4 When her father died. he was on the
verge Of bankruptcy. II was characteris-
4 tic OF his ofbhaped daughter that she
1 choose her means OF livelihood with refer
ence to the one thing in which she ex-
eeiled. From her doll days, her fingers
had been deftiy lured 10 needlework- A
!, remnant from the wrecked estate de-
I frayed her expenses while she was mas
/ tering the trade. Then she went to a
city OF the Middle West where resided a
former school friend who gladly recon-
mended the young dressmaker TO her
J circle. Success came instantaneously. II
was a democratic city. and with the doors
OF the popular Nora valdeen entreating-
| ly opened, Helen could have attended
many a fashionable function. but her in
herent practicability told her that work
and society made an oil and water mix
! ture.
! She rented a rambling house In an un-
| fashionable locality. reserved the lower
| floor forSnersef and fitted the upper story
! as a dressmaking establishment. From
the auction sale Of the estate she had re-
served the piano. a few rugs, pictures,
one or two old tapestries, books, and a
| few foreign curios. and her library was
like no other In this little city OF mush-
room growth. For recreation she allowed
herself one luxury-a riding horse.
One day. Miss Alymer, the daughter of
the richest man In town, called her up
by telephone TO consult her about an
evening gown for the charity event.
MY cousin. VIII is agroad. has sent me
material for a dress, but it's sort of
yellow have never tried to wear that
color
Bring it down tomorrow" advised
Helen. ~
When Miss AIymer opened the bundle
her maid carried helen uttered a little
CRY of delight at the contents.
AOh:" she exclaimed, gazing upon the
shimmering Goth of gold, really, l never
saw anything like It,"
As she spoke she gathered the fabric
up about her.
It's Just the color of your hair" said
Miss Alymer 'I never knew before that
blonds could wear yellow"
''Blue-eyed ones shouldn't. Ny eyes
are yellow"
so they are! Do you think it will be
becoming to me?'
Helen draped the material about her
customer. The result was most unflat-
tering TO the plain-featured. sallow face.
but her fingers ached 10 fashion this fab
ric into the form her artists eye was al
ready creating. She drew down the
shades and turned on the lights.
1T Is more becoming by electric light.
must have Il. don't care whether il
is becoming or not. And make it as orig
inal, as startling as you like, so that peo-
pie will notice me. / am tired Of being
one OF the guests in white"
Helen devoted herself so assiduously to
her work that II was finished late Monday
afternoon. Miss Alymer was to send for
1t the next morning. Afte- dinner. alone
in the house. Helen tried the dress on
herself fora final inspection. When she
looked upon her reflection in the long
pier glass, a little cry of astonishment es-
capped her-such a cry as Eve must have
given when she first gazed into the wat
ers of Eden. She saw herself trans
formed. The lines OF the gown brought
out every charm Of her exquisite figure.
II heightened the color of her hair and
made her eyes look like two shining stars.
Her bare arms and throat took on the
tint of ivory. Up to the time OF her faith
schoolgirl style. Since then her only
raiment had been plain little work clothes
and trim street suits.
ITS the dress that makes me seem at
tractive." she thought. when I take II
OF. shall be Cinderella again. hope
Miss Alymer has topazes."
She then recalled the set she had in
herited from her mother. and had just
cIasped the cleaning necklace about her
hail h.
went to the door and stood in the bril-
liancy of the electric light, the man on
the Threshold stood and stared, silent
for a moment. at the beautiful picture
she made. Then he explained that his
car had broken down and he wished per
mission to use her telephone in summon
ing his chauffeur.
She asked him in and led the way to
the telephone.
Where shall 7 tell him to Gomez" he !
asked. 'T scarcely know where I am. |
Something has put the street lights out
OF commission
She gave him the street apd number. |
When he had finished telephoning she !
asked him into the library to await the ,
coming of the chauffeur. She knew that |
he was Roger Thorne. a cousin Of Nora /
valdeen's, and had but recently come to !
the city.
He began to talk at random. his mind /
obviously in a chaotic condition. A little
thrill of exultation went through her at !
the knowledge of the spell she had :
wrought As they talked, a certain sub
tie sympathy of intellectual intercourse :
Crept between them. The sound of the {
doorbeI came as a distant and unwel-
come reminder.
by the way" said Thorne. smiling. as
he fingered in the hall. MY name is /
Roger Thorne."
She flushed as she gave her name but /
evidently Nora had not mentioned her to /
him.
Shall see you at the baIl?' Ne asked (
eagerly.
No she answered gravely ct don't .