The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1915-09-16
A Queen
Of Beauty
By F. A. Mitchell

sion on her face. One would suppose
that she saw the reflection Of skele-
ton looking over her shoulder.
Miss HOLSTER had enjoyed the repu-
tation Of being the beauty Of the place
in which she lived for ten years. Her
comeliness was remarked upon when
she was fifteen; three years later she
was the acknowledged belle Of her So
cial circle, and her fame began to DO
spread abroad. She was now twenty
eight and was considered more beauti-
full than ever
What Miss HOLSTER saw in the mir
ror that appalled, her was a tiny crows
foot under her left eye
Miss HOLSTER sank back on lounge
and. buried in many pillows, gave her
self up to thought. Should she not &C.
cept her fate, marry one Of the men
who wanted her and pass from a So
cial belle to wifehood, motherhood?
She shrank from what she considered
the abandonment Of sovereignty to &C.
cept ordinary humdrum. There were
many men from whom to choose, and
there would he no trouble in making q
choice. Clarence Beale had loved her
from the time she came to womanhood.
He was her favorite Of all her suitors,
and nothing had prevented their mar
riage except that matrimony would
curtail her realm.
Madeline arose and stood again be-
fore the glass. Since she had stood
there before the sun had passed be-
hind the branch of tree. and the
light was not so intense. She looked
for the. wrinkle, but under the lesser
light it was not apparent.
A respite-another year at least re-
manned to her before abdicating as
queen Of beauties. AS soon as her
skin ceased to bear an ordinary light
she would resign her position, marry
and content herself as queen of home
and children. But not yet. No. She
could not yet bear to step down from
a position that was part of her be-
ing.
A year passed, and she stood again
before her mirror. The sun was in
the same relative position as when she
had discovered the first mark of decay.
The line had grown deeper, and other
lines radiated from 1t.
another year." she sighed, land l
must abdicate or be deposed."
When still another year had passed
and the lines were multiplying it &C.
CURED to her that she might add to
the period of her reign by the aid Of
cosmetics. She applied them. To her
they seemed to effect the intended
purpose. But they were noticed by
others. and it began to be whispered
about among women that Miss Hollis
ter's beauty was fading. But these
whispers did not reach the ears Of the
queen Of beauty.
If the wrinkles did not show under a
bright light the cosmetics did No
longer was that milky, peachy CON-
plexion present to excite the admira-
ton Of the world. But Miss HOLSTER
was not aware Of the change. Her
eyes were SO constantly fixed upon the
reflection of her face that she did not
remark the very gradual shriveling of
the skin.
One thing she did notice-that the
looks Of admira ton to which she mad
been so long accustomed grew less in
tense. then less frequent. At first she
refused to be convinced that her beau
ty had faded and that the world
knew 1t.
my time is up." she said at last. IL
must abdicate."
She sent for Clarence Beale. He
came. but the lovelight that she had
believed would shine forever for her
in his eyes was wanting. She could
not say that she was ready to marry
him, but she indicated 1t by her man
ner. He failed to respond. When he
took leave Of her she felt that time had
hardened his heart toward her. He
was forty; she was thirty-seven. Later
at the opera she saw him bend loving
ly over girl Of twenty.
e Miss HOLSTER now became panic
stricken. Deposed as queen Of beauty,
she was fearful Of being denied being
queen Of home. One after another
she recalled the lovers she had refus-
ed, only to learn that she had drawn
them by her beauty, and that gone she
had no other means Of attracting them.
Some Of them had become old bache-
lors so set in their ways, so fearful of
losing their liberty by marriage. that
they dared not marry. Those who were
minded to take partners were looking
TOR women much younger than them
selves.
One would suppose that the deposed
queen Of beauty would retire from the
world. She did not. Perhaps she could
not. Her costumes were as artistic as
before, but whoever has seen an old
woman in the bridal dress Of her youth
knows that the costume Of youth in
tensifles age. Miss HOLSTER was thank
full for any crumb Of attention that
was paid her. She grew old not In
shadow. but in the limelight to which
she had been so long accustomed and
without which she could not i've Time
had been when at social functions men
had watched for an opportunity for
q word with her; now when one was
thrown into her company lie was