South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-04-12
SKIRTS

Alicia didn't dislike soldiers, she
merely Disseminated. And just
because she exercised this right in
most Of things she did. and refused
10 follow the sheep path with the
rest of the herd she had been call
ed Independent, without any COM
pliment being meant.
And so when she came with three
trunks and accessories to visit the
Harpers. her sister and brother-in-
law, she refused to get excited when
the former informed her before
she'd been there an hour. that
she'd adore the Lovells next door.
their very best Of friends, and she
was sure 20 be crazy about Toms
brother, Lieut.. Lowell, who was
home on leave from the army.
Just because he is a soldier -
Alicia's amused eyes had looked over
her tea cup a bit wickedly. And
wears a nice cap, and shoulder
straps and a fitted-in coat and baggy
trousers. all tucked into very nice
leggings," she went on, Some one
on the train called them Sears-Roe-
buck officers. ] kind of thought II
was good"
Alicia Bakewell"' Her sisters
wrath was genuine. why. you
ought to be locked up for talking so
lightly of men who have offered
their lives for our country"
Lives"
Certainly"
"Oh, l see. you class them all
alike. but l reserve the right TO dis
criminate. Out of 500 men from
our town less than half are going
TO be in any jeopardy when they get
over. Why in our block there are
10 new officers and not one will see
any fighting.
"All right. have it your own way
but for goodness sake be nice TO Bob
Lowell. 1 don't know what he's in.
but a soldier is a soldier to me, and
think you're all wrong. They
aren't all physically qualified TO
fight"
Il didn't say it was their fault. 7
just refused to turn a summersault
whenever / hear an officers name
mentioned, that's all"
They are coming over this even
ing. You must be nice to him"
"All right. when / see him I'll be
civil"
And the talk turned TO other
things without Betty Harper in the
least suspecting the ambiguity of her
sisters last remark
That night after dinner Alicia de-
veloped a headache and regretted
that she couldn't come down. She'd
had a tiresome journey and thought
she'd go to bed, she said.
"Of course. it's all right. dear"
said Betty, appearing with a hot wa
ter bottle and some asperin. "but
can't help being so disa ppointed.
was having it for you. and the lieu
tenant is so hard to get hold OF. He
has an engagement, two or three of
them. for every evening he's at
home"
That's good - began Alicia.
That's too bad she answered in
stead. / am sorry for your sake.
But I'll be all right tomorrow, and
If the honorable lieutenant has so
many demands on his time. meeting
a girl more or less isn't going TO be
a soul-destroying matter, l should
say"
Then she took off her dinner
dress, put on a loose Mandarin cos
tune of soft silk. one Of those ter
ribe up-to-date fiambOyant express
sions of art so much affected by
young women nowadays in the
sanctity of their boudoirs; let down
her hair, which was long and thick
and heavy, and enough to give her
a real headache; and pulled one of
the twin beds, and the stand with
the night lamp, over close to the
window so she could take turns
reading and look up at the moon.