Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-01-02

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Coward" 1 exclaimed, not entirely in
geniously, "a week from Saturday is my
birthday!
Good" exclaimed my youthful ad-
mirer. Wen have a party"'
We were seated on a lounge in my
sitting room. Howard was one of the
very few men whom my mother per-
mitteG to cali upon me. She had liked
him from the start-basically 1 am
afraid because he seemed to have plenty
o. money and to spend it freely. But
also Howard was an extremely we'll
hammered and good looking youth.
suppose my mother cherished thoughts
of possible marriage between us. But
l somehow felt it would never come 70
pass. Although Howard had what AIDE
laide described as a crush on me, N
trinsically L realized that we belonged
to somewhat different strata in So
ciety. Perhaps Towards father, an
enormously rich man, might not be too
delighted to have me as daughter-in-
law.
But just now, whatever the future
might hold, Howard was making my
present very pleasant. Two or three
times a week he took me to the the
alter and to suppers, arranged parties
of young people made up of Adelaide
and Nell and other girls who worked
at Silbersteins and his own young
friends. Now 1 felt that after my an
nouncement of my coming birthday
there would be some sort of very spe-
cial celebration. 1 looked at Howard
accordingly with shining eyes.
What kind of party will we have?"
l asked.
ooh, whale of a dinner party" How
ard answered. I'll get a special room
at one of the big hotels and we'll have
a birthday cake and all the fixings!
Say, Di, you're only a kid, you know!
Eighteen, think of that! A mere child!
Look at me; I'll never see twenty-five
again!"
We talked some more about the
party, and then it was time for How
ard to go. Our leave takings were al
ways more or less elaborate dramas. My
mother officially could not give her con-
sent 20 the good night kiss which pass
ed between Howard and myself. As
long as my mother remained in the
next room, which she usually did when
Howard called, we had to be very quiet
lest she should overhear us. AS a rule
1 managed to follow MIN into the hall
on the pretext of helping him with his
coat Then while 1 kept one eye open
for the stairs, Howard would watch the
door into mothers room, and we would
manage a caress or two.
Generally after Howard had gone
home l would wander in to mother and
chatter to her for half an hour or so
before 1 went to bed. But tonight, after
our. conversation about the birthday
party L felt cast down. 1 had a genuine
problem to solve. Where was I to get
a gown such as 1 desired to wear to
the function Howard proposed? For
some time my clothes had been worry
ing me. AS matter of fact, they were
good enough for a girl of my age and
station. But of late 1 had been to so
many parties in the big gilded restau-
rants of the city, had seen so many
women in glittering, shimmering cos
tunes, that L had begun to yearn to
the point of unhappiness for the sort
of apparel 1 had seen.
Also 1 had some worldly wisdom now.
I had worked in a shop where the sorts
of gowns ] coveted were sold. All too
we'll l knew their cost-their terrific
cost. They were far beyond my means.
Yet such a gown l was determined to
have. 1 counted the money in my
pocketbook several times. All that l
had in the world would just about buy
me a pair of silk stockings and pair
of evening slippers.
Then suddenly an idea come to me.
ly dared to look it in the face myself.
Then it grew. l realized it was pos
sibility. 1t might be done if only l
had the courage. There in the shop
in which 1 worked hung just such.
gowns as 1 wanted, rows and rows of
them. Might it be possible for me to
go to the store with my suitcase in
the morning, slip one of these gowns
into it, and bring it home with me,
wear it and slip it back into its place
next morning? The more 1 thought Of
it the more possible the scheme seemed
to me. Many of the gowns in the shops
had been worn by our models. anyway.
to show them off. If 1 were very care
full 1 would not harm the delicate silk
and lace.
I tried to turn from the temptation.
could not. 1 had little or no con-
science to whisper to me that what /
contemplated was wrong; that it was
practically stealing. For an hour or
more I paced my own room with cold