The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1918-02-21
Te
Wedding Dress
By Florence Lillian Henderson

or the nrSt utne In ten years Mar
tin Wade was taking vacation. For
the first time in his life he had the
money To do ii with and plenty of it.
So novel was the situation that the
very opuIence of his pride required u
definite plan us to how he should get
rid of it. Novelty, anticipation, a
new experience In freedom from care
gave to the experience the keenest
zest and pleasure.
THE five thousand dollars my broth
er unexpectedly willcd to me-" rumi-
mated Martin, seems To he like an I'M
ending fortune"
He did not proceed to squander II.
Martin did not know how. Years Of
economy, thrift, perfect contentment
with the ordinary ncceSSarieS of life
had trained him To be not only self
denying but conservative.
Il Will buy real good suit Of
clothes" decided Martin, and he look
ed immensely the better for ii. 81 had
just vegetated all these years. I'll
do little waking up. Then I'll try and
find some nice, lazy, quiet little bust
ness 10 go INTO.
He went out for walk, to discover
button gone from his new coat. Ii
put him in mind of Mrs. Wilton at
once. His landlady had few weeks
previous directed his attention To Mrs.
Wilton, Il gentle, patient-faced old lady
who had seen better days, and, with
her unmarried daughter, Madge, was
reduced To living in one room. Madge
worked at q dressmaklng establish
ment. Her mother had indicated to
the landlady that she would be glad to
take in light sewing and mending. So
Martin had sent some of his belong
ings to Mrs. Wilton for repairs.
Then, one evening as he called for
his bundle on the floor two flights up,
the WiltOns were having tea. Mar
/ tin must take a cup Of tea, and he
passed a most pleasant hour In the
company of the widow and her daugh-
ter, the latter a tall, graceful girl
whose sweet beauty was married only
by traces of Overwork and the anxi-
ETY. of getting along.
"rve come to trouble you about a
Maynard overcOat button" reported
Martin, and Mrs. Wilton proceeded to
sew ii on. Martin glanced about the
| apartment, realizing n sense of order
and cOziness. His breath came quick
| ly as a daring suggestion entered his
mind.
'By the way, Mrs. Wilton" he stam-
mered, "I-that is-Tm having a va
cation"
81 hope you will enjoy It," said the
widow brightly.
I'm afraid 1 don't know how to-"
half laughed Martin In an embar-
raised way. II feel sort of lonesome,
away from the office. Would you
that is, do you think you would enjoy
going to the theater with me-you and
Miss Wiltonf"
They went. They made the trip In
a taxi cab. There was a supper aft
erwards. Mr.. Wade, you have given
me the pleasantest evening of my life"
said Mrs. Wilton when they reached
home, and Madge looked her thanks
with grateful eyes.
"They are fine people," communed
Martin with himself "Wish I had
met them-that Is, Miss Wilton-be-
fore l got so far along in life" He
was not yet thirty, and tried to be-
lieve he was sedate and dull as an
old man of sixty.
Martin rOamed about all kinds Of
odd places to put in the time. One
day he CHANGED to come upon a sale
of unclaimed express packages In an
auction room. A momentary invest
ment fever led him to bid for little
wooden box and long pasteboard
one. When he got them home he open
ed the wooden box first. 1t con-
tanned broken mechanism, apparent
ly the invention Of some poor genius,
and the sight of 1t saddened Martin.
Then surprise ensued, for opening the
pasteboard box he brought to light a
dainty silk wedding dress. As he
swung the f1lmy robe about, 1t caught
on a bureau handle, and tore half way
down a seam.
"What am i ever going to do with
it," cogitated Martin. "What nom
sense have l INDUCED in? Oh, well,
| III get IL menueu anu put IL away.
Maybe some day-some day l may
find someone to wear It."
81 shall have to leave mending such
delicate stuff to Madge," said Mrs.
Wilton, when Martin the next day took
her the torn wedding dress and ex-
planned its possession as IL 1t were a
huge joke. He went up to see how
the work was getting on the next eve
ming. The door of the Wilton apart
ment was ajar. Mrs. Wilton had gone
out, but Madge stood before the mir
ror arrayed in the dress. She burst
upon his senses, rare vision Of
beauty.
"Oh, how lovely" cried Martin, I'M
petuously. and Madge turned, blushing
like peOny.
81 was trying 1t on toto see IL the
mending showed" she explained con-
fusedly.
you must keep 1t, Miss Wilton"
fioundered Martin. "What use have
for 1t? 1t becomes you so, and some
time-sOme time"
And there Martin Wade took cour-
age. miss Wilton-Madge," he said