The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-03-08
The Ways
Of Alice

I'm distressed half to death about
her." sighed Mrs. Clinton. She
glanced out Of the window at her
daughter. who was seated on the front
porch deeply engrossed in . book. II
never was interested in books to the
exclusion Of everything else. and
can't see why my daughter should DO.
And for . girl not to care anything
about her trousseau 10 positively ab-
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
told her that she simply must decide
on her wedding gown she just looked
up at me with . dreamy. far-away ex-
| preston and said: Why must I have
q wedding gown? Why can't Frederick
and just 90 down to the chapel some
day when We get ready and be mar.
ried without any fuss?
did you ever hear Of anything SO
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 particle Of
use. She's the only daughter l have,
so this is the only wedding shall
ever have in my own family. and |
am determined to get some fun out Of
1t. You won't believe me-" barking
back to her grievance, but the other
day when asked her II she'd like to
have you 60 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?' could
have spanked her"
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 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 q 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 II beautiful. isn't IT." said Mrs
Henderson. And It certainly 10 rea.
sonabls. doubt II you could do any
better"
1T 10 pretty" said Mrs. Clinton 70.
nectively. 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 wen 90 and look at some Of the
lighter materials.
II haven't quite decided what the
bridesmaids ought to wear" she re-
marked short time after, as she and
her sister examined piles Of soft. deli.
cate chiifons and fairylike silk mus.
Tins. III they wear chiffon. l don't
want Alice to. Of course. and l think
champagne chiffon or yelling over
messaline would be lovely for the
maids, but intend to decide positively
before anything is said to them.
Nov. we'll 60 to Blanks and look.
she said complacently. when they had
examined every possible material in
the first shop. I'm going to see
everything before decide"
Some time later. after they had Wis
tied every possible depository OF wed.
ding gown material and had examined
SO many things that they could hardly
have distinguished brocade from
cheesecloth. with tired faces and dis
heveled locks. they returned to the
first shop and bought the piece Of satin
which they had hrst looked at. When
II had been cut on Mrs. Clinton heavsd
. sigh Of relief.
Now" she said, Alice, you must
60 right up to madame's and lot her
take your Measurements. There's NO
time to b wasted. for drsssmakers
are 20 provokingiy SLOW"
She paused moment. but, rscsiv.
ing no response. she inquired: Don't
you. think it's lovely. child?"
There WAS still no answer. Turn
ing. she found that she had been Id.
dressing the empty air. There waa
no Alice anywhere near She looked
At Mrs. Henderson and Mrs. Hender-
son looked ut her. Then the two
gasped in unison. Alice was distinctly
not present.
| Feverishly they retraced their steps
as nearly as possible to 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, as q last resort. they re-
turned to the booksellers shop where
they had ordered the announcements
There. tucked up In q corner, SO deep
ly engrossed In her book that she was
unaware Of their presence until they
had stood. speeches.. in front OF her
for several seconds. sat the unregen
crate Alice. She greeted them with
the sweetest OF smiles.
did you get the dress!" she asked
Il knew you didn't really need me, &c