The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-03-11
The Ways
of Alice

I'm distressed half to death about
her." sighed Mrs. Clinton. She
glanced out of the window ut her
daughter. who was seated on the front
! porch deeply engrossed in . book Il
f, never was interested in books to the
exclusion Of everything else. and
can't see why my daughter should be.
And for q girl not to care anything
about her trousseau Is positively alb.
normal"
Mrs. Clinton's pretty face quivered
with mental agony. Alice doesn't
care bit whether she has any clothes
or not" she declared. bitterly. When
l told her that she simply must decide
on her wedding gown she just looked
up at me with a dreamy. far-away ex.
| preston and said: Why must I have
a wedding gown? Why can't Frederick
and just 60 down to the chapel some
day when We get ready and be mar
ried without any FUSS?
did you ever hear Of anything 90
preposterous? Why. was simply out
OF my mind for weeks before l was
married. thought Of nothing but my
clothes. | struggled with them all day
and dreamed OF them all night. and
that's the normal. natural way for .
| girl to feel"
Mrs. Henderson, aunt OF the repre-
hensible Alice, laughed. why don't
you let Alice do as she pleases?" she
inquired.
Mrs. Clinton frowned. Now. | sup.
pose you're going to take her part"
she said. But It isn't a particle Of
use. She's the only daughter l have.
SO this Is the only wedding shall
ever have in my own family, and 1
am determined to get some fun out Of
It. You won't believe me-" barking
back to her grievance. but the other
day when asked her II she'd like to
have you go with US to select her we'd
ding gown she looked more interested
than I'd seen her for weeks. That
would be lovely she said But do
you think there's any necessity for my
going? Why don't you and Aunt
Florence go by yourselves?' l could
have spanked her."
A few days later. as they left the
stationer's shop, after ordering the in
vitations and announcements. with
Alice presumably somewhere in their
rear, Mrs. Clinton said In a tone Of
satisfaction to Mrs. Henderson: Nov
We can devote the rest of the morning
to the wedding gown
SHOW us some OF your bridal satin,
please" she said to the clerk few
minutes later. That's an exquisite
piece" she continued. as he held up
the soft. shimmering fabric which fell
in graceful folds over his arm.
1T Is beautiful, isn't it," said Mrs.
Henderson. "And 1t certainly Is rea.
sonable. l doubt II you could do any
better"
1T is pretty" said Mrs. Clinton re.
fectively, but, OF course. I'm not
going to take the first thing ! see"
The clerk displayed bolt after bolt
Of material and was rewarded at the
end Of his labors BY hearing Mrs.
Clinton say: Thank you very much.
Now well 90 and look at some OF the
lighter materials.
II haven't quite decided what the
bridesmaids ought to wear" che re-
marked short time after, as she and
her sister examined piles OF. soft, deli.
cate chiffons and fairylike silk mus
Tins. III they wear chiffon, | don't
want Alice to, OF course. and I think
champagne chiffon or yelling over
messaline would be lovely for the
maids, but intend to decide positively
before anything In said to them.
Nov. we'll 20 to Blanks and look, .
she said complacently. when they had
examined every possible material In
the first shop. I'm going TO sec
everything before ! decide"
Some time later. after they had viz
tied every possible depository OF wed.
ding gown material and had examined
20 many things that they could hardly
have distinguished brocade from
cheesecloth. with tired faces and dis
heveled locks. they returned TO the
nrst shop and bought the piece of satin
which they had FIRST looked at. When
II had been cut on Mrs. Clinton hesvsd
Q sigh OF relief.
Nov" she said. Alice. you must
90 right up TO msdame's and let her
take your measurements. There's no
time to be wasted. for dressmakers
are 20 provokingly SLOW"
She paused q moment. but, receiv-
Ing no response. she inquired: Don't
you think it's lovely. child7"
There was still no answer. Turn.
inT. she found hat she had been nd.
dressing the empty air. There was
no Alice anywhere near. She looked
At Mrs Henderson ard Mrs Hender.
son looked at her. Then the two
gafped In unison. Alice was distinctly
not present.
Feyerishly they retraced their steps
as nearly rs possible 10 every shop
and every counter In every shop which
they had visited. Neither OF them
could remember when they had last
seen the prospective bride
Finally. a. a last resort. they re-
turned 10 the booksellers shop where
they had ordered the announcements
There. tucked up In a corner. so deep
~ engrossed IN her book that she was
una ynrs Of their Dresenrs until thsv