The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-05-07
CLAS SIZED
WANT ADS
DAILY SHORT STORY.
CHANGING AN OPINION.
by DOROTHY DOUGLAS.

by DOROTHY DOUGLAS.
Thornton smiled reminiscently rs he
4 glanced at the great headlines 'announc-
| ing the big costume lawn party that was
| to be given In the interest Of woman's
suffrage. The papers were generous in
the space devoted to the festivities.
My son." he said, glancing at the tall,
| good looking youth who stood gazing out
of the window, IF ever you fall in love
try to find a girl who is interested In
something outside OF her home and hus-
band
You mean-a suffragist-I SUPPOSE"
laughed Henry.
Exactly" replied Thornton trifie
seriously. Those women are the salt of
the earth-take it from me. They do more
good with one little finger than all the
milk and water variety in existence"
Il thought you were more or less OPP
posed to the advanced type" Henry said.
looking down at his handsome, we'll
poised father. What has changed your
opinion"
MARRYING a girl who was not one the
elder Thornton admitted frankly. Your
mother and l were very happy. but we
could have been far more so had she been
less content to darn socks and bake pies.
She never could discuss anything with
me. because she was not sufficiently in
terested in what was happening outside
her own home"
still" argued Henry, Il don't see how
a fellow can pick out the type OF girl he
wants and then proceed to fall in love
with her. 1t seems to me you do the
falling first and then find out what her
opinions are afterward."
"Ah-h-that 'afterward."' sighed Thorn
ton. II loved a girl with all my heart
thirty years ago. but after we had con-
fessed our love for one another We fool
ishly began discussing opinions and-we
quarreled over the most trivial difference
OF opinion
Il suppose the girl was not a-progres-
sive?" questioned Henry.
That's just the point. She was the
advanced type. but 1 was a young fool
and thought a woman's sphere was in
the house and nowhere else. She predict
ed then that. as the years passed. would
see a vast difference in the character of
women-their standing in the world and
the positions they would occupy" Thorn
ton sighed heavily. Il have seen it all
come to pass-just as Polly prophesied."
Il say, dad, l think you were rather
hard hit on Polly said Henry, with a
strange glance at his father.
First love is always the best and
most desirable" Thornton told his son.
Come. what do you say to taking in this
costume ball? Perhaps We can find ii
girl for you"
IF we can find the five bucks for a
ticket for me-" suggested Henry, 'it
would do me more good
Il intend to give a hundred fives to the
suffrage cause, so guess you can have
one" laughed Thornton. We will go
down and get some fancy costumes and
70 ell nd in, he
The festivities begin at S o'clock"
Accordingly Thornton and his son ar
rived out at Windyheath, the country
home of Mrs. Leonard. shortly after the
half hour of eight The lawns were ex-
C.uisitely decorated, and japanese Ian
.erns hammocks. tea houses. and Won
derful assortment of oddly costumed men
and women greeted them.
Il am glad we came" admitted Thorn
ton the younger.
These advanced women certainly
seem to know how to make things CO."
commented his father.
Thornton. being a man of success and
well known. was soon the center of a
congenial crowd. His son went off in
search of a pretty suffragist to whom he
had been introduced.
A little gray-Clad figure fitted about
talking and laughing with all the guests
She was gowned in a quaint costume of
thirty years ago. Her slim lines seemed
fashioned for she soft panier of gray
nuns yelling with its skirt of numerous
plaits. Her hair was bound around her
head in tr /, hraids that were as softly
gray as was her gown.
Thornton, upon catching sight of her.
stopped in the middle of an especially
good warn he was telling. His heart gave
a swift bound and his knees were not so
steady as he would have liked them TO
be.
who is that little woman?' he asked
his nearest neighbor. the one talking TO
my SOM He knew, OF course, who II
was. and the reply to his question fell
on unconscious ears.
That is Mrs. Leonard. the president
of this branch of the club and your
hostess"
Thornton unceremoniously left the
group of persons to whom he had been
talking and made his way toward Mrs.
Leonard.
When he approached her with extended
hand. Mrs. Leonard cast a quick. inter-
ested glance at him. then drew a swift
breath.
Jimmy, Jimmy Thornton" she cried.
in an unbelievinE voice. and put her hand
into his. II would know you IL only one
year instead of thirty had passed over
your head She was speaking quickly
to try to conceal the great tide of emo
ton that had swept her almost from
her feet.
And YOU Thornton said under his
breath. you have not even changed the
gown-in which l proposed to you! You
are as completely adorable now as you
were then
Jim expostulattd Mrs. Leonard with
a rich color springing into her cheeks.
81 have q daughter twice as big as am
Thornton checked the speech that
would have left his lips. He had quite
forgotten that his Polly of long ago was
the wife of another man.