Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-04
u seful
The Morning Story
WHAT'S IN \ GOwNf
by Dorothy Douglas.

He was the more surprised, then, that
gown worn by n perfectly strange wo-
man should so excite his admiration
Usually. Eric Leonard found his
senses stirred. If they were to be moved.
by purely personal charm. lie was
never in the least certain whether his
companion wore pink. yellow or green,
and whether her hair was coppery or
raven black.
Therefore, in view of the strange
emotion awakened within him. he went
Immediately to his hostess and craved
an Introduction to the girl In the pink
dress He indicated Elise Waterman
with a nod of his head In tho direction
of the tall girl who was laughing light
ly with an officer in the navy
His hostess raised rebuking eyebrows
at him.
Pink! My dear Eric, that is new
dawn, not pink" She let fall the last
word rs IL It werc n word erased from
the latest dictionary for society.
"All right. new dawn" laughed Eric.
rejoicing that he was n mere man and
not expected TO know pink from any
other color He followed his hostess
until she had piloted him and lef, him
ut anchor beside Elise Waterman, who
had turned with a delighted smile al
his approach and Eric knew the girl
outmatched her new dawn gown both In
beauty and the effect on his senses In
general Elise Waterman seemed to
rises above the softness OF the dawn
swept clouds. sparkling, radiant. Her
eyes flung rays OF light into his own
and her hair was heap OF silky gold.
Eric hoped she had not heard his quick
ly indrawn breath when her hand had
met his own.
Apparently she had not, for she
talked on as If an emotion had never
rested upon the cool beauty OF her
face.
Eric fell in love with her He was
struggling Journalist. with scarcely
enough OF worldly goods to hold him
securely In the world Of success. Yet
his precipitate fan into the realm Of
love was none the less violent
When he danced a few minutes later
with Elise and felt his hand touch
the back OF the new dawn gown and
realized that the girl herself was within
IT Eric vowed that he would write tho
points on his pen in an effort to make
himself worthy to win Elise Waterman
for his own.
He went home that nigh. with an
inspiration such as he had never
known before. He would write a
novel. play-something big that
would hurl him once and for all time
into the world OF success and imam
cial strength. After that he could tell
Elise that he loved her. Eric heaved
a sigh and hoped fame would over
rake him before many new dawns he
rejoiced !awa-dly that the early hours
of the day had always been his best
time FOR work. Somehow Elise and
her dawn gown seemed always presen,
when the sun peered al him over the
housetops
Fortunately re va. a practical and
not tanc!ful writer. Wha, he wrote
he wrote because II was what the pub
nc wanted and not ~ha, nc himself
considered good
Before the. idea FOR the great play
came 10 him Eric saw as much as
possible OF Elise. lie tried. without
putting L into words. 10 convey TO her
The knowledge that she was The mis-
'ress OF his heart. and tina, one day he
would tell her SO. II seemed difficult
and yet Eric felt occasionally that
Elise was sending queer l;tlc tei,-
pathic messages o: rather delightful
import into his Inner consciousness
The knowledge only inspired him IN,
more. and his senses rccled in antici-
patton OF the DAY upon which his
tongue could express the love he bore
her.
When the great idea came 10 him
for the play that was to MAXI him
famous Eric made the one false step
in his career lie went of into tn.
scclusion OF the country To conc.n-
trate, and left no address behind him.
Friends. even the best OF them we're
bound 10 destroy his train OF thought
his only need end Eric disappeared
INTO that seclus.on. Short notes. with
Just a word OF explanation, Informed
his friends Of his departure and in
tended application to work
When Elise Waterman read the brief
note OF farewell Il feeling OF deprcs.
sion swept over her. She fell, suddenly
very lonely. and knew that she would
not be really HAPPY until Eric Lconar6
returned 10 her side. She wished tina,
ne had at least trusted her with his
address.
But Eric had trusted no one with
knowledge OF his Whereabouts. Elise
least OF all. for even the sight OF her
writing would drag his thoughts away
from plays and into day dreams OF
the time when she should be his
SO the days wore and Eric Ieona- ~
created the parts OF a great play He
had no word from his friends I'm All
the I'VE months he worked in his en-
papers
;. However, his play was hn,shea.
More than little dragged and tired
from strenuous tension OF nerves and
energy, he made Ills way back TO lly
ing beings and the city OF friends.
he mad no prcmonit!on, no HIM OF
the tragedy that was awaiting him IN
town Elise Wattersons father had
peen found guilty Of enbcZzlcrncn,
had been sentenced. bu, escaped nun
ishment by shot Elsc, feeling the
disgrace kecniy, had disappeared from
the race OF the earth. At least. Eric
leonard FOUND his search fnr Va. ~
vain
,Cursine himself for selfish brute
Tor not having left his address with
ner. AND feeling tina, she would have
communicated with him IN her dis
tress- ne almost sank beneath inc
nuroen o. misery that had descended
upon him
His misery did not however. pre-
vent MANAGERS from reading his play
ana accepting It with fiattcr!ne alac-
rfty. Being known as a newsnancr
man. E!ic mad little difficulty in gain
ing hearing and consequent success
HIS play was strong. and the pubic
ohea , amer many successive fail
uTes had been withdrawn.
ENC seemed scarcely 10 realize maj
ne was now Il man Of fame and quick
~ augmentins financial power All \.