Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-10-05
Evening Stars S
Daily Story
A FUTURIST

paper Syndicate
Such a botch! And to think I've
got to wear it, Else stay at home,"
Jess mourned looking at herself in
the spotty mirror.
1t aggravated to a degree the wry-
ness and general misfit Of the pink
moussoline she had on, but she knew
its vagaries of reflection well enough
to discount them, SO understood fairly
the result Of inexperience and pat
terms.
IF there have to be poor folks"
she ran on, 81 don't see why they
aren't made all humpbacked or one
eyed or with crooked noses, and
pumpkin complexionsi Then they
wouldn't care what they wore-a
gunny sack with holes would do them
as well as a court dress. I-I-love
clothes. I could wear them, too-if
only I had them. And 1 hoped SO
much-oh, it's too-too-bad." break
ing down there and dropping her face
in her hands.
Tears forced themselves between
her slim, tanned fingers. At sight
of them, Lu, her sharp young sister,
said acidly: ut does look bad
enough-but cry-spots all down the
front won't help it. Shut up! Maybe
folks will be so busy lookin' at your
face, your frock won't natter
st am not going-at least, 1 think
not" Jess said, with a long, CULVER
ing sigh.
I.u stamped foot. "You are
goin'," she said, imperatively. This
is the last chance I'll have to wear
your graduatin' dress-the only de-
cent thing in the family. In an
other month it'll be clean outgrown
unless I take to starvin myself
which I won't, not even to wear
clothes"
How does it look?" Jess asked,
glancing down at herself II can't
tell in the glass;
"Oh, it bags and it sags 1t hikes
up, and hikes down-'most as bad as
the fashions in the newspapers" Lu
said judicially. Suddenly she clapped
both hands over her mouth to stran-
gle an explosive laugh 1t was not
safe to laugh out loud, unless Aunt
Sarah was safe at the sewing circle.
The light -mindedness of her hus-
bands nieces was a sore and continu-
ing trial to that elect lady. Lu fin
shed her laugh in the depths of her
handkerchief then said, more con-
solingly than common: Get busy,
Tess-and sew up all that's left to
do. I'm goin' to help you-not with
the sewin'-but in better ways. And
don't, for goodness sake, say you
won't go to the Elwood party. Be-
cause you will and be mighty glad
of it,"
With that she ran away-out of the
house, across the back lot, and on to
the far hillside, where she knew
Bentley was sketching. He came from
the city-she had made friends with
him vagrantly-had given him but
termilk from the springhouse, and
now and then surreptitious lunches of
brown bread, butter and fresh fruit.
He was tall and thin, with kind eyes
and a whimsical smile, also he
coughed the least bit now and then,
and held aloof from village affairs in
general. His home was in the cabin
up on the ledge-it had been tenant
less three summers of the four since
it was built. Talk with him in ran
dom snatches had convinced Lu he
knew the world and pretty much
everything in it, She was sure of his
help even before he nodded emphat-
tcally at the end of her story, over
which he laughted heartily as 1t went
on.
I'll be there-without fail,7 he
said again, nodding. Great scheme!
Young person, it strikes me you're
wasted on this slow country. When
Jess and Timber-toes make match
of it."
What makes you call Johnny Ed
ward Timber-toes? He hasn't got
any wooden legs!' Lu broke in eager
ly.
Bently nodded a third time, saying,
"Sure he hasn't; but you see his ped
estal is wooden-the lumber mills
that make so much money every day
they have to sit up all night count
ing it."
"And-he isn't going to marry Jess.
I'm afraid not" Lu confessed hon
estly. "You see, Milly Kicks has
been off to boarding school-and they
give her everything"
Fate gave Jess more" Bently
said, with a little half sigh. BE
easy, fellow conspirator. We are go
ing to pull all the kinks fashion and
style may knot up out of this true
loves course"
Which was esoteric-to say the
least. But Lu ran home radiant
and even forgot satisfaction in her
own superlative appearance in her
concern for Jess. The pink mousse
line was a horror, but then Jess was
beautiful enough to carry it off. She
had sloe-black eyes, rose-leaf skin
wheat-yellow hair and motion as
graceful as wind in the wheat.
Aunt Sarah herself did not hold
with parties but as means to the
end of marrying off two portionless
girls she was quite willing to let her
nieces go in ward of Mrs RickS
Thus the contrast between poor
pretty Jess and Milly who had every
thing, was made more than ever
acute Jess all but shrunk under
consciousness of it as they entered
the parlor together. Milly was in
white-vaporous and clinging, with
roses round the low neck and a duck
of a girdle, caught with bigger roses.
Even Johnny Elwood upon his moth
er's left was conscious of the diff
ference in them. 1t was so palpable
other folks nudged meaningly-they
stared when a tall, distinguished
looking man, who had rather held
aloof, came suddenly forward, caught
both Jess's hands and said in a we'll
bred carrying voice: my dear Miss
Wilton, you are as wicked as you
are beautiful. Are you willing to
do penance for giving me so great
a shock?"
"How?" Jess asked bewildered. Lu,
at her elbow, was almost dancing
with excitement.
Bently sighed deeply saying, 'T
came here for the simple life-to
escape PariD--and all it's works
Now, you shatter my paradise in a
week / shall see your imitators on
every hand. So the penance shall
set you is-to sit to me for your
portrait--just as you are. Not a
fold to be changed. Think what an
exhibition picture it will make? I'll
call it the Futurist.' Just what you
yre. 1 didn't dream those advance
.tyles had been sent over-but since
Tou have got one at least"
He stopped there as though sud-
tenly conscious how folk were hang