Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-07-07
BY JANE MCLEAN

The truth about the matter was
that she never looked her best in
evening dress. Whether or not she
was self-conscious might have had
something to do with it. but she did
not sparkle. A person looking at her
squarely would have noticed more
than the casual observer. who saw a
slight little girl with a dark face
which seemed to be eternally without
a smile. Perhaps she didn't smile
because she saw nothing to smile at;
but, anyway. she was different from
the other girls. who had no trouble
at all in showing their teeth in rather
empty and vacuous grins. All youth
| laughs. whether it has anything to
| laugh at or not And youth is appre-
ciated and understood among its kind.
but to an older person youth is some
! times very boring if 1t has nothing
but a pretty smile to exchange for
| something real.
1t might have been that she was
an uglyr duckling. for her siste
| laughed enough for both. She
| had looked perfectly sweet in pink
tulle evening frocks. The mother of
the two girls used to say despair
! ingly:
Dorothy is a joy to buy for. but
! Joyce never looks we'll in anything,
and in consequence it was Dorothy
who was greatly admired by every
one. while Joyce fluttered around like
a little grub in the background.
The night of the Carleton dance
Dorothy was radiant. She laughed at
! everything, she bubbled over, she
chartered at dinner of her dance pro-
gram and the dances she had already
promised. Joyce sat still and quiet
her dark eyes rather thoughtful and
her little heart shape face guiltless OF
smile.
i Joyce, what is the matter?" hel
mother asked impatiently. Don't you
want to go to the dance; don't you
like your new dress?"
Joyce smiled at this. ITS beauty
mother. but can't laugh like Dorothy
does over nothing. and. besides.
don't have a good time at the dances
I sit most of them out"
We'll. you ought to talk and joke
more with the boys; then they woulc
| want to dance with YOU"
Yes. they're all afraid of you
Joyce" put in Dorothy.
But they, don't say anything fun
| n.y." Joyce eXpostulated.
Dorothy shrieked as though sht
thought this huge joke. oh. you're
hopeless. Joyce; no one can tell yoi
anything"
I'm afraid she'll never be a sue
cess" said her mother, and then sh'
followed Dorothy upstairs anc
watched her radiant daughter MAKE
ready, while Joyce got into her vel
low gown by herself.
The dress suited her somehow. +
was all soft chiffon and it left he
white young neck and her slende
arms bare. Once, as the two girl
stood together in the hall, Joyc
laughed softly at something that wa
said, and her mother looked at he
closely. Was it possible that Joyc
had possibilities after all?
But Joyce at the dance was hope
less Several boys danced with he
because sne was Dorothy's sister.
few because they were asked to do s.
by a hostess who recognized the trutl
of the matter but for the most par
she was a wallfower, watching he
brilliant sister dance every dance an
laughingly split several with cage
besieging partners. 1t wasn't yer,
pleasant.
After a while the longing to sill
away somewhere became too stroni
for her, and with a hasty look aroun
she slid out of her seat and made 70
the doorway. 1t was a warm sprinl
night, and the huge veranda had beel
pressed into service. At one corne
was a punchbowl. and Chinese Ian
terms illuminated everything. Blu
around at the. side there was a tin.
dark place, and Joyce, her eyes unac
customed to the darkness. made 70
this corner. But once safely ensconcel
in a huge rocker she made out tn
outlines of another chair and suddenl,
the sharp odor of tobacco came to heI
She was not alone.
"who are you, maiden of mystery?
said a deep masculine voice. "An,
whence do you conner"
Joyce settled back IN the depths o
her chair and responded. Here in tn
soft night she was not Joyce Bran
don; she was some one quite strang
and remote from her ordinary every
"why would you know who am,