The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1918-08-07
The Dolly
Warden Gown
b SUSAN cLAooErr

eoeoeeeeeeeaeeee9eeeeee4Aeaeee>eeenael
Copyrtght. 1918. by the Mcclure Newsp,
per eyndicate.)
In the attic Eleanor Brooke dive
INTO the old hOrse-hair trunk that ha
once belonged to the great aunt afte
whom she was named. She was look
Ing for and hoping to find somethin
she could shape into dress for tn
dance on the fourth. Whenever sh
was Mt loss for finery Aunt Eleanor
trunk had been a veritable treasur
trove. but SO often had the girl gon
through the contents she had small
hope of finding anything that woult
Be suitable for the party toward which
she was looking forward with NOR,
than usual anticipat ton.
Aunt Elean0r's gowns were all o.
the heaviest brocades. velvets ant
satfns. so stir they would stand alone
She had never been stinted in money
a. her namesake frequently was, ant
rich dresses, with here and there q
time stain, that had come from Lon
don and were Of bygone style, had
lain for long In the hOrse-hair trunk
under the caves until young Eleanor
one morning pulled 1t into the light
With little EXPLANATIONS of pleasure
she opened the carefully wrapped
packages and found herself heir to
much that was totally unsuited to her
youth and petite figure, even In a day
when maids were g0wned In costly
stun.
But when one loves dances and has
not the wherewithal to buy vanities,
tine fact that material Is unsuitable has
little weight, and she always carried
the day against her mothers more
certain judgment Of things fit and I'M
IT. But II her gowns were not always
what she should have worn, that fact
was lost In the pleasure one found in
looking at the animated face and the
absolute JOyousness Of the girl herself
For this little story Is Of time when
girls. young girls, were mot so sophis-
ticated as at the present day and their
pleasures, coming far apart, made them
al the more desirable, simple though
they usually were.
This dance had been heralded for
weeks. General Washington had sig
Allied his intention to be present, paus-
ing for few hours in Upper Marl-
borough On his way to Annapolis. Nat
uraIly everyone was on the qui vive,
and Eleanor Brooke forthwith went
INTO the attic to search for a gown
brave enough to do, honor to the Occa-
a0n.
She knew what she wanted and low
sngiy fingered the heavy brocade GOV.
cred with pink roses and the under
skirt Of pink satin that had long been
Der utmost desire. And more daring
still was the wish to wear the gown
9ust ~ 1t was, quaint In its lOOped-up
everdress and vatican plat.
She shook out the folds Of satin and
held It against her height. It was
long: very long, for Great Aunt Flea
nor had been tall woman. But she
bad also been slight, and when later
her namesake stood In her own room
and twisted and turned before the mir
ror to get q glimpse Of her back, she
decided the only change needed was in
length. ~
1t was lovely gown and she would
have been very Indifferent girl II she
had not been thrilled by the Vision that
peered half shyly at her from the gilt
framed glass. It Was the first time her
face had impressed her and the dain-
tfly-colored oval with it's shining eyes,
framed In waving hair. made her won
der II It really was herself. Her color
0Amed at deeper thought which she
tried to hide from her consciousness,
ut It would obtrude, and at last she
faced II. "Would he like It," Even to
herself she hesitated to call his name.
For before all others she wished to
appear fair in his sight. She gave no
thought to other guests who would
come from Georgetown. Alexandria,
Baltimore and Annapolis on horseback
and ln great coaches, drawn by four
horses. Four horses were always used
upOn state occasions, and what more
important event could there be than
this bali, the first after the Declara-
eeoa Of Independence? There had been
much rain and the roads were deep,
and the maids in and about Maribor<
eugh watched the clouds and prayed
tur q south wind that would dry the
mud. while the young men Of the coun-
y made the assembly room brave with
Hags and greenery.
Even with greatest interest Eleanor
Brooke watched the clouds, for she
lived long way from Upper MARI
borough and was to stay with her
grandmother Mt "Croome" over the
fourth. and for little visit thereafter.
There was the chance her father would
think the mud too deep to drive from
scar Mattapony Landing, and when
ever that thought occurred there was
ednking at her heart for fear she might
oose the lOng-looked-f0r pleasure.
But the day of her expected visit
rose clear and bright. and with her
Aorschair trunk strapped tight on the
rumble and Uncle Glen and Jake in
front, she set out with her mother for