Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-12-22
Evening Star S
Daily Story
MACAO IS OF FANCY
BY KATHERINE HoPsoN.


illusionment of 1t all,
She took off her street suit and
slipped into dainty pink dressing
gown, the soft tone of which failed
Tor the first time to give color to her
face. AS her eyes met their retiec-
tion In the mirror they had the look
of a wounded thing.
She sat down on the window seat
md spread out q crumpled news
paper From the society column there
stared up at her the words which
seemed to change for her the face OF
the world.
"At an informal dinner given at
their home on 908 South Jersey bouie-
ward last night, Mr.. and Mrs. Julian
C. Danley announced the engage
ment of their daughter Grace, to MI.
l.. S. Kerton, of S23 Langley avenue.
The wedding Is to take place in Sep
TENDER"
ut must-it must be the Luther
Kerton that I--knowi Those are his
initials, and that is his address on
Langley avenue"
He had been a classmate of her
brothers., and when Margaret came
to cambridge to teach in Connought
College, Luther Kerton had shown
her much attention. or late he had
seemed more than a friend.
teaching me to care-he was virtually
engaged to this other girl!'
There was no occasion for actual
remorse. Throughout their aequaint-
aneeshlp she had held herself with
reserve; yet in her heart she realized
that many little instances would have
been different had she known about
Miss Danley. Margaret buried her
face in her hands to shut out the
thought. Nor did she stir when the
dinner gong sounded and the girls
trooped down the corridor and de-
scended the stairs to the dining room.
Someone else can sit at the head
of my table," she murmured, and
gave herself up to her wretchedness
ooh, if [ only did not have to go
down tonight to that CHASTITY recep-
tion," she declared later, as she heard
the girls returning to their rooms to
dress
How long she sat huddled there
Margaret did not know, until she was
startled by the sound of knocking. 1t
was Nora, the maid, who dared brave
any engaged"
Here are some flowers for you,
Miss Semeron,'
Margaret opened the door to re-
ceive them. AS she laid the box on
the table her fingers trembled. Even
before she removed the wrappings'
she knew from whom they had come
Nesting among the roses was Luther
Kertons card.
A wave of resentment swept over
her and she started to tear it to bits.
then her mood changed and she
slipped it into her Jewel box.
Its all I have she said with
auivering lips, and buried her face in
90
'tAnd the roses are not to blame"
At length She reused herself and
began to dress. AS she stood ar
Z ranging her fluffy brown hair, she
could hear the girls fitting merriiy
about the corridors laughing and
talking to each other. The senior
reception was one OF the big events
of the college year.
When at last she was ready i'll her
filmy white dress, Margaret took up
the roses in hesitation; then, with
quick indrawn breath she put them
back in the vase, resolutely closed
the door, crossed the corridor down
tho stairs and took her place with
The rest of the. faculty in the receiv-
ing line She was not moment too
soon, for the first group of guests
had already arrived.
AS this was her first year of teach
ing at the college. she knew few town
people and heard one meaningless
name after another announced. The
mingled perfume of flowers was suf-
locating, and the gay orchestra music
came to her like mockery.
"Will it ever end?' she wondered,
and glanced YEARLY at the line to
see if any more guests were arriving.
A sudden wave of color dyed her face
and then receded, leaving her like
marble Coming in the door was
luther Kerton and q strange girl.
whom she surmised to be Miss Dan
ley.
''Why didn't I realize he would be
here? He's a friend of DR.. Con-
nought, and might have known he'd
come"
She greeted them mechanically
when her turn came. She saw Mr..
Kertons keen eyes sweep her in
searching glance.
She held herself erect, smile on
her lips, while her thoughts were:
"At any rate. he doesn't find me
wearing his roses"
When her duty on the reception
committee was over it was relief
to Margaret to be cornered by the
mother OF one of her pupils. She
was surprised to find herself giving
Intelligent answers to Mrs. Warren's
questions about Nellie's English
themes.s 1t was queer what one
could do.
She resolutely kept her eyes turned
away from Mr.. Kerton, though not
for one single second did she lose
consciousness of his presence.
Covertly she studied Grace Danley, !
who was making her stately way |
about the room. Something in her |
cold, self-satisfied elegance depressed
Margaret with a sense of her own
loneliness.
Still the music and hum OF voices
surged about her.
when the crowd clears away a |
little from the door l will go up
stairs" she decided, again conscious
of feeling of trembling faintness
Il guess it would have been better if |
l had gone down to dinner"
She was leaning YEARLY against |
the mantel when she saw, with a |
feeling of desperation, that Luther |
ISerton was coming toward her. |
There was no chance for escape.
ITS so close and crowded in here, |
let's go out on the campus, Miss
Semeron.'
Margaret's brown eyes pleaded |
protestation. What should she say? |
How should she say 1t?
But Kerton was not waiting TOR |
anything to be said. Even when out
side Margaret could not speak; that |
firm hand on her arm seemed to |
dominate her, and they crossed the
grounds in silence
"Oh, why does he make things so
hard?' she wondered bitterly.
Other couples were strolllng ABOUT
the moonlit campus, and the soft
strains of a waltz fioated out to them.
They sat down on bench.
Margaret murmured something