The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-27
Episode Of a
Halloween Party
By BARBARA PHlPPS

tober. 1t is said that we women put
the most important part of letter III
postscript. and Myrtle certainly did so
in this case, for in space where she
had scarcely room to write them were
the words. Jimmie Atherton will be
with us
MYRTLE devoted three pages of her
letter in suggesting different costumes
from which might choose one to
wear ut fancy dress Halloween par
ty she proposed to give for her guests
She advised me to bring my costume
with me. for could not get one in the
country.
| arrived three days before the party
and was disappointed to find that Mr..
Athcrton would not be with us till
Halloween could scarcely wait for
him. He had telephoned me that he
expet ;cl to meet me at MyrtleS house
party and had given me to understand
that all would be settled between US
during our visit. OF course no one else
than | could make out his meaning
though can't help but consider his
saying anything over phone to con-
vey such meaning evidence of the
Impotence Of lovers.
The three days | spent waiting for
the arrival of my lover, and especially
what l expected to hear from him,
were the longest of my life. | fear
presented bad appearance to the
other guests moping by myself and, If
joined in their sports, showing plain
was somewhere else. At any rate,
Myrtle knew where my heart was if
the others did not.
During the day before the party we
were all busy preparing our costumes,
some of which must be constructed i'm
promptu. The men were very remiss
about this. What women love to do in
a matter Of dress is bore to a man,
and several Of Myrtle's men guests
had come either without fancy dress
or with a simple domino and mask.
Myrtle insisted on every one repre-
senting some historical character.
At o'clock in the afternoon Myrtle
received telegram from Jimmie-my
Jimmie-that he could not get away
in time for the Halloween party, but
he would do the best he could When
Myrtle told me this my heart sank
within me like lead. l dreaded joining
In the evenings festivities with such
a disappointment upon me. But what
could l do? l must make the best of
it and not render myself obnoxious by
pining among troup Of merrymakers.
l succeeded so poorly that Myrtle felt
obliged to come to my rescue. About
10 O'Clock, when the merrymaking was
at its height, she said to me:
Gwen, go out into the grounds with
a hand mirror and see If the man you
are to marry does not look over your
shoulder
l was glad of an excuse to get away
by myself. l didn't care for a hand
glass, but Myrtle had provided num-
Der of them for the occasion and thrust
one into my hand. Several of the girls
had already gone forth on an errand
similar to mine, each having taken a
mirror
l strolled out, not into the darkness.
for the moon was near the full. taking
my way down the driveway that led
from the house to the gate Presently
| stopped and raised the glass. | did
this without being conscious of the
act, for | knew already the man |
would marry and had no idea of seeing
his face in the glass. | moved the
mirror to take in different places be-
hind me and at last saw something I
was not prepared for
One of our house party-as was evi.
dent from her costume-was sitting nm
bench in a recess among shrubberv
and beside her sat man in ordinary
business apparel. As | looked he sud.
denly drew her toward him and gave
her bear hug. During this episode
cloud was passing over the moon. but
as soon as it had rolled away thera
was light enough for me to see that tho
man IN the case was my Jimmie Ather.
ton.
| moved noiselessly away and back
TO the house and on reaching it went
TO my room, where / spent half an
hour getting myself in condition 70
go downstairs. When | descended I
found Mr.. Atherton, who had not LONG
before come in, having arrived by a
late train. He came up to me smiling
but | bowed to him ceremoniouslv and
passed on.
nerved myself to show great pava
ty Tor the Fest of the evening. esna.
clally before Mr.. Anterior, and was
glad when the festivities were ovar
and | could hide my anguish in INV
room. When all was quiet MYRTLE who
had observed that something waS
wrong with me, came in and asked
what it was. When / told her smiIo
came TO her lips. and she asked mo
what costume the girl Jimmie had
hugsed wore. | replied that / could
not see 1t distinctly, but it was Grim.
son. At this she burst into langh
IL