The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-06-12
MYRA And MATRIMONY
BY NEIL LANGsHAWE.

over before she thought of opening it.
To her establishment, she was told
that she had drawn the lucky number
for the automobile at the fair, and
the slip was blue command to a
certain bank to pay her thousand
dollars in cash should she desire the !
money instead of the car.
Kitty, Kitty-oh, Kitty" she cried
excitedly. When she remembered
that Kitty was away visiting Bob's
mother. Kitty was going to marry
Bob, when he could afford it.
That was what Charlie had said to |
her long ago. At first, she didn't mind |
this long absence and unsatisfac- |
tory letters, that spoke only vaguely |
of their prospective wedding.
She had laid the check and letter on
the kitchen table.
In the hall was an old-fashioned |
mirror. In passing, she caught a |
glimpse of herself. She went back, |
stopped and faced the glass squarely. |
Now, Myra Lovelace," she said to
it, 'let us see what you look like since
you have inherited a fortune" She
appraising herself Then she lifted
her hands to her temples where the
golden hair was fading and thinning,
pulled down a loop on each side and
fastened them with pins. Then she
rubbed her cheeks hard. She was 60
ing to match the cherries" as Charlie
used to say, if it took the skin off.
She was surprised at the result.
She looked farther. Her eyes were
all right Excitement had frightened
them. Why, she was still pretty, very
pretty-and rich! Surely if Charlie
could see her now he wouldn't stay in
the West-Or at least he would make
some definite suggestion about their
wedding day
/ Her eyes went down. The glass, not
/ very large, reflected only part of her
blue calico dress, made plain and
/ narrow across the chest and just now
stuck full of pins. She took out the
pins and tried to pull some looseness
/ into the front. 1t was no use.
/ One thousand dollars, With a thou
/ sand dollars she could buy dresses,
/ soft, exquisite, lacy and fine, such
/ as she had seen on the daughters OF
/ Congressman Hodge when they came
/ home in the summer. And lovely
shoes that were all curves, and silk
stockings to match. And hats large
and small she pictured in the steam
1 of the teakettle. Big gauzy ones, with
L a single rose, right underneath next
the hair, and tiny black velvet ones
with band of Jet. Black velvet she
knew would look well on her. And
the clOaks. Such wonders she had
seen in Mrs. Purdum's fashion book!
A thousand dollars! She would like
a wrist watch and a gold mesh bag
and something for around the neck.
She knew it was still smooth and
white beneath the calico. And there
would be cltnging silken undertakings,
delicate shaded and wonderful feel
ing. And gloves and wells
She rose. Charles last letter, months
old, was in the paper wallet in the
sitting room. She got it and looked
at the address. She thought of an
uncle in the same town! Then she
made up her mind to do something!
1t was long past dinnertime, but
she sat down to write letter! That
done, she hunted up a schedule of city
trains, made out list, pressed out
her white waist and got everything
ready for a day of shopping in town.
If Charlie had forgotten how attrac-
tive she was, she would remind him!
Then she drank some tea, lay
down and started to redream all the
/ visions of her girlhOod
But she heard wheels, then Kitty's
voice: "Auntie! Auntie Myra, where
are you?"
: Here, dear. I wasn't expecting yor
so soon. Why, what's the matter?'
Kitty was sobbing softly.
'BOb's herei He came over to say
| good-by to you. He is going West. Oh
D auntie, "a man they know wants hin
to start right away. There is-a gooC
chance open and he must not ever
wait a day. And he's going tonight,
If he had the money to put into thu
store here, they'd take him into part
i nership and he would stay and W.
would be married. But there's nj
chance, he says, and he's going. II
never-never see him again"
Myra patted the heaving shoulder
d and smoothed the soft head on he
breast.
'Dearie, don't cry! Listen to me
, I-I-I've had some luck, Kitty. TIL
G fair people sent me a thousand dollars
- had the winning number. And
z was just wondering what l should d.
with it. Do you think could persuad
Bob to take it as a wedding present
can't think of anything better, ca,
your"
Aunt Myra-why-you- Kitty
I eyes were big. Then she rushed 70
the door. "Bob-oh, Bob, what do 20
think"
! The rest was lost, for Myra ha
/ slipped to the kitchen and droppe