The Washington herald., 1914-01-23
Daily Short Story
DOLLY-DEBUTANTE
Ry A. MARIA CRAWFORD.
lCop,richt. NIL

Copyricht, lgiJ
Life was bewilderingly gay for Dolly.
She had finished at select school in
June and had Immediately sailed with her
parents for the tour OF Europe that is
Of the daughters of the rich. In planning
formally to present her to society. her
relatives urged her to pick and choose
husband as high up socially and finan-
cfally as possible She could certainly get
anybody she wanted. for she possessed
all the feminine requisites for the bar
gain
Dolly was wonderfully pretty. She was
slender and graceful. at ease in a ball
room, on a golf course, on horseback. or
in boat Her hair was brown. Her eyes
we're bright and the color OF deep pur-
pie pansy. They reminded Bob McClung
Of the amethyst mist that hung at twi-
light over the mountains around his
ranch At home.
He had met Dolly when she visited her
aunt on the Coast during the last weeks
Of the summer. He had fallen in love
with her. His attack had lasted. even
when the chill in the air caused the fair
summer visitors to have their maids
quietly fold their suit cases and pack
their trunks and return to town
Dollys mother had asked him to be
present at her daughters debut party.
knowing at the time that his case was
hopeless, for Dolly had been told not to
limit her fiirtations. but when it came to
falling in love, o., at lesst, to choosing a
husband. she must confine herself to two
suitors she had quickly acquired. One
Of them was Jim Lurton. who had his
automobiles. his yachts, his country
houses, and his millions. The other pros
pective son-in-law was q duke, who had
trailed Dolly all over the Continent, and
then across the sea
Dolly was ponderinS all these things
In her heart while she sat resting in her
pretty little sitting room. The afternoon
was over. Sh, had met the satin, chif-
fon, and charmeuse clad dowasers and
their old maid daughters, who remained
unattached because they had gazed too
long at the pictures of counts and earls
across the ocean. Dolly had met them
graciously and cordially answered their
murmure6 pleasantries that they could
hope nothing better for her and for them
selves than that she should follow in her
beautifuI mothers footsteps and marry
man in their midst so that they would
not be deprived OF her charm and love-
illness.
She was thinking over all these things
while she waited for the time when she
must put on the wonderful lace gown that
was spread out on her bed and go down.
stairs again to stand beside her mother
and go through the same hypocritical pro-
ceeding she had endured in the after
noon; but this time she would be greeting
the young element of the city's elite. Her
maid tapped at the door. More flowers
Rad arrived. She would carry the gifts
up one by one to show mademoiselle.
NO Marie You're tired. Just write
On each card what kind OF flowers came
with 1t and put the cards on my desk
with the others. II you should-should''-I
Dolly hesitated. 'Ic there should be any
thing from Mr.. Bob McClung. bring 1t up
here, but don't mention it to anybody,
please.
The little French maid smiled. She. too,
had been young and II: Already.
II will msdemoiselle. Anything elser
Nothing. thanNy you"
Then arms over her head. Dolly sat
dreaming until Marie came running in
Wonderful, Exquisite. See. mademoi-
selle!" She held out a great box of vio-
lets. In the center rested a bunch of lilies
Of the valley and orchids. From Mon
sieur McClung."
Il will carry them tonight, Marie Put
them In my dressing-room. Then come
I've ruffied II horribly
Dollys mother swept into the room.
Remember. dear. to carry jun Lurtons
American Beauties. 1 explained to the
duke that you carried his flowers this
afternoon. He was quite touched"
II don't doubt that. mother" laughed
Dolly. THE jeweled flower holder must
have cost him a email fortune"
II didn't mean any slang. Dolly. Do be
serious
II want to carry lilies and orchids.
Look at the lovely cluster in my dressing |
room"
"who sent them?'
TIL tell you in the morning. There, |
Aunt Elizabeth Is calling you. Be a
dear and let me do what pleases me
about the flowers"
81 hope there is no silly sentimentality |
about them. Dolly. but carry them IL you |
want to do it. They really are lovely"
Marie dropped a white envelope over
the girls shoulder. Il found IL. |
under the flowers. I will
get your pearls while YOU read
Dolly opened the note with eager fin |
gers.
Dear, dear Dolly-I cannot hope that
YOU will carry my flowers at your party.
There will be so very. very many others
and perhaps you have almost forgotten
the ranchman from Montana who dared
and continues to dare to love you, dear
May you always be happy!
Yours,