The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-11-02
Episode of a
Halloween Party.
By BARBARA PHlPPS

Myrtle wrote me to spend a week
with her at their country place in DC
tober. 1t is said that we women put
the most important part of letter in a
postscript, and Myrtle certainly did So
in this case, for in a 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 l might choose one to
wear at 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 Ia the
country.
arrived three days before the party
and was disappointed to find that Mr..
Anterior would not be with US till
Halloween. could scarcely wait for
him. He had telephoned me that he
expected to meet me at Myrtle's 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 a 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. l fear
presented a bad appearance to the
other guests moping by myself and, if
/ Joined In their sports, showing plain
ly that my mind-indeed. my heart
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 a bore to a man,
and several Of Myrtle's men guests
had come either without fancy dress
or with 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 lac 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 dreaded joining
in the evenings festivities with such
a disappointment upon me. But what
could / do? | must make the best Of
1t and not render myself obnoxious by
pining among a troop of merrymakers.
! 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
hand mirror and see If the man you
are to marry does not look over your
shoulder"
was glad of an excuse to get away
by myself ! didn't care for hand
glass, but Myrtle had provided a num-
one into my hand Several of the girls
had already gone forth on an Grand
similar to mine, each having taken
mirror.
| 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
was not prepared for
One of our house party-as was evi.
dent from her costume-was sitting on
a bench in n recess among shrubbery.
and beside her sat man in ordinary
business apparel As looked he sud
denly drew her toward him and gave
her a bear hug. During this episode
cloud was passing over the moon, but
as soon as it had rolled away there
was light enough for me to see that the
man in the case was my Jimmie Athcr
ton
l moved noiselessly away and back
to the house and ON reaching it went
/ to my room, where l spent half ali
hour getting myself In a condition to
| go downstairs When | descended |
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 tremendously and
passed on.
| neryed myself to show great gave
ty for the rest of the evening, espe
cially before Mr.. Anterior, and wa.
glad when the festivities were owe
and | could hide my anguish In m,
room, When all was quiet Myrtle, VIII,
had observed that something wa,
wrong with me, came In and aske,
what 1t was. When told her smil
came to her lips, and she asked M
what costume the girl Jimmie ha,
Rugged wore. replied that l ccul
not see 1t distinctly, but it was GRIN
son. At this she burst into a laug
and said:
That girl was Johnny Webster. 81
makes up admirably as woman. III
l..