Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-08-10
Euening Story
THE LIrrLEsT BRIDESMAID.
BY lzola Forester.
Copyright, 1916, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)

III Nancy were only just little bit
taller, she might do" Marjorie glanced
at the youngest member of the Ra-
leigh family speculatively. II do think
1t was perfectly flendish Of Dell to
idisappoint me right at the very last
minute. She knew l never could get
another girl way up here in the noun
tains in time for the wedding.
Don't you care, Marge,' Nancy
spoke up generously. I'll be the
rescue party. I can wear your high
heeled slippers If l stun the toes and
I'll do my hair way up high. don't
mind bit"
Listen to the magnanimous kitten"
laughed Majorie. ITS the chance OF
your young life. and you know it, too.
don't mind, but how about mother
and Aunt Suzanne? Do you hear
them saying yes?" .~e
| "I'll bet two cents to a. collar but
ton they'll have to-" Nancy returned
! slangily. She sat curled up on the
window seat in the girls favorite room
for confabs, the little room at the
head Of the stairs that looked out
over the broad mountain view below
Stony HENCE. And she was most in
dustriously cleaning her tennis shoes.
for there were no personal maids In
the Raleigh family. Maids and "sich
! lick didn't matter. Nancy was wont
to remark hopefully. Not when one
is the youngest Of bevy Of beauties
Winifred, safely married well in Wash
ington; Kitty. wife Of young Captain
Brainard In the navy. and now Mar
jorfe, bride-elect Of Lansing Phillips.
the consulting engineer for the big
| Graham Stokes interests.
/ you know I shall have to marry
somebody perfectly wonderful to keep
up the family record" Nancy would
often say II can see him waiting for
me. serene and splendid, with dads
consent and mothers sweet smile, and
all you girls wishing you'd waited for
my chance. It's much nicer being the
youngest. You can profit by the others
experiences"
Marjorie had gone down to the yer.
anda, where her mother sat planning
the final arrangements for the wed.
ding the next day, and presently Nancy
heard the familiar voice call her down
likewise for close inspection. The
postman was just coming up the walk
4 with the afternoon mail.
"The high heels would add to her
| height" Mrs. Randall said musingly
! land there's little dress you wore at
the Farley lawn party. You remem-
| Der, dear 1t has lace underskirt
and the overdress OF white null flow,
! cred in pink roses. With her big
dropping white hat and pink roses
but have we any fresh enough?"
"Use real ones" suggested Nancy
1"Oh, I'd love to. real lovely fresh ones
mother, dear, all around the brim and
tucked in my waist, couldn't II"
] 1T. would be rather quaint. You
could carry pink roses, too, and the
other girls wear pink. 1t won't be
noticeable
| So it was arranged and Nancy trod
on air in the seventh heaven while
the dress was altered to fit her slim
alert figure The wedding was to be
at ten in the little UNCOVERED chapel
across the winding road from the Ra.
leigh estate. Nancy. as she came
downstairs with the other girls. intent
one of the men saying that Andy was
late as usual. And it meant nothing
at all to her who Andy was or why he
was late She almost tripped on the
veranda steps. but caught her balance
"'Your tore the lace" Bera Kennedy
whispered-the girl just behind her
and Nancy, taking one backward
glance at the telltale shred dangling
slipped out of line and made for the
sitting room for pin. It did seem
as II every pin had vanished. She
searched wildly, keeping one eye on
the window where the bridal process
sion could be seen. moving sedately
through the spacious bow-bordered
path to the chapel.
did you lose something's"
Nancy was on her knees before the
lower desk drawers when the new
voice startled her. 1t must be be-
lated guest, she thought, yet a very
desirable one. Yes, even at first sight
very desirable. He was tall and alth
iletic and just dusty and rumpled
enough to look refreshing, after the
groomed perfection of the others.
"Have you pin?" asked Nancy. 81
tore my skirt"
| Indeed have" he retorted heartily
fright here. Can I help the flower
girl?' .... a~.
I'm not the flower, girl" Nancy an
swered laughingly. II am one Of the
bridesmaids" ..~
1.-The littlest one.' he added grave1y
as she rose with the ruffle pinned safe
ly in place. Can you run? I've go1
to, because the rings in my pocket
and I'm late.'' '...4
| Nancy's blue eyes danced with sud
den mischief. They went down the
steps and the path on a run like child
rem.
you're Andy and you're always
late" she said. ~.
Then she thanked her lucky stars
! Marjorie could not see her, or hel
mother. as she slipped back into hel
place just as they reached the chapel
And he. this dilatory Andy. wen