Evening star., 1914-12-29
F.. THE EVENING STORY.
MATTER OF CLOTHES.
Copyright, 1914, by ". Werner.A

Nopl EiSut, lolt, oy W. "eipei'
For two long weeks the air had par
taken OF an indigo hue for Letltia, ano
today it wrapped in soggy sheets OF
gray. Her eyes were drab and leaden
and the soft pink had fed from hel
cheeks Her heart must have weighed
at least a ton. When. before, had BoE
ever allowed more than = week &c
elapse without line to her,
She turned from studying her renee
ton in the mantelpiece mirror to cross
the room to an open window and re
sumo her watch for the postnan daily
visit. Belated by the downpour. he
was already more than an hour late
and each minute that wound out its
wretched length was like an eternity.
But at last 1ieck of blue like
luminous spot in the dense, gray mist
came into view, moving steadily near
er till it developed arms and legs, a
stouch hat and a leather sack. Re-
gardless of the rain, Letitia hurried
to the gate. The postman handed her
a thin slip of u letter, addressed Ill a
careless, boyish hand. She tore it open.
devoured the contents and sank down
on the sloppy porch with the envelope
pressed against her burning cheeh.
once she crushed it to her lips and beid
it there while tears of unutteraoie JOY
stole down her face. He was coIilihs
home at last: coming home triumphant,
as he had said--coming to claim her
If those interminable five years had
been Tong and hard to him" they had
been long and hard to her, too, ana
weary with waiting But the lane had
turned at last upon "a shining, rosy
vista. through which lay the golden
path of their future together!
When the girls first thrill Of ecstasy
had spent itself. leaving her dreamy
and subdued, she shook out the snowy
ruffies of her dainty house dress. The
heels of her French suede slippers
clicked joyously against the polished
floor as she hurried down the corr1dor
to her own room, to be shut in alone
with her happiness.
Robert Dawson's picture smiled at her
from it's silver frame on her dressing
table. She went up to it, and for
breathless instant stood there, de-
vouring the strong, gentle llneamentS
of the loved face. He wore q checked
on the firm, bronzed throat, from which
flaming windsor tie dangled negli-
gently. The ill-fitting coat barely dis,
guised the splendid breadth ana
squareness of shoulder beneath But
the poise of the head. tilted slightly
up, without gressiveness-that, at
least. was perfect.
A curious little pang shot through
Letitia as she caught glimpse of her
self in the mirror. The two years she
had spent at college had made her into
the fastidious, befrilled young lady
whose startled eyes fixed her in the lit
tie oval glass And the girl in home
spun and pebble goat shoes he had lett
shudder swept over her. Could she
ever go back to those things and set
tie down into a plain farmers wife,
partaking of homely fare; adjusting
habit-and even dress--to the fiat, duil
routine" Her heart gave little re-
bellious plunge. But she quickly swal-
lowed the lump i'll her throat, and the
strange. shininess breaking suddenly
through her eyes dispeiied the last
yestige of shadow gathering there. She
loved him. Then what of mere clothes
In the midst of her reverle came a
second surprise-a telegram. She tore
it open eagerly and scanned the con-
tents:
"Reuch Cloverdale at G. Bob
Letitia glanced at the clock. 1t was
already close to >. Tremuious1E she
began to unfasten the frilly white dress
and to roll the pale blue ribbons and
tuck them away in a drawer. Yielding
to q sudden impulse, she took from a
closet "a dress of faded pink calico. She
had worn it that last day. Bob had
complime nted her on its becomlngness;
and, though it was faded now and had
no style at all, he'd remember. Bob
was that sort.
Robert Dawson shut the garden gate
with a sharp click and walked briskly
up the gravel path. Just as he had
eXpected--just as she had always done
in the old dayS-Letitia suddenly step
ped out from behind the rose trellis
and he was holding her in his arms.
Bob
Sweetheart:
With his arm still about her they
sought the old tryst in the ivy -sheathed
summer house.
There were hundreds of delicious
things to be said; there were long,
delicious silences in between-times
when Letitia was free to let her as
tonished eyes rest upon Dawson's stall
irreproachable from the tasty black
tie to the shining russet shoes. From
time to time she surprised him regard
ing her own awkward attire with a
peculiar expression in his keen, gray
eyes.
Her heart beat turgidly as she VEN
tured timidly: do you remember this
little old dress, Bob?"
"Of course. 1 remember IT. I remem-
her everything connected with you,
dear But how would you like to wear
fluffy lace and silk things like
OH
Not but what you're charming in
whatever you wear. That goes with
off, not knowing exactly how to pro-
ceed and thinking aGreeably of the
girls he had seen on his frequent visits
to Seattle, fairylike creatures decked
in bewildering creations of fluffy lace
and silk things"
Like the girls in fashion books?" in
quired Letitia, archly.
'Why-yes." He took one of her lit
tie brown hands and held it reassuring-
ly between his broad palms, studying
the pink line of her profile a little un-
certainly.
Il think---it would be-very nice"
unused Letitia, her head turned away.
Il made a barrel of money in the
Yukon, girlie,' he went on .ardently,
land l want you to set the day for
our wedding right away. We'M go
to New York. and you can put in a
fortnight At the shops"
The girls hand shook in his clasp,