Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-05
THE DAILY NOVELETTE,
THE LAST LAP
BY Louise Hoffman
AUNT GRATLA Il. was fair, fat and
A forty. Sho could hardly be called

AUNT GRATA r. was fair. fat and
A forty. She could hardly be called
fat in the Objectionable meaning of the
word. She was plump, well proportioned
and good TO look upon. But there was
no extenuating excuse for her age. For
she was forty. Her fair complexion and
golden hair with ever so faint trace
stnson M ssr at the her
z She had just passed her fortieth mile
stone and had decided to give. up going
4 about, ostensibly to chaperone her pretty
niece Wilma. 1t bored her to go TO
dances and sit around with nothing TO
DO but gossip. To be sure, tho young
men occasionally asked her to dance
out of courtesy to wilma. And now she
was forced to admit these late nights
vere telling on her. She must give them
up and she would.
She had deluded herself into thinking
i was her duty TO attend her niece.
But why should she take 1t upon her-
self to do these irksome duties. when
Wilma,s mother could as 4no,;s easily yyhot i6e
mothers were for. certainly. There was
mo use denying the fact any longer. g.,
"oh. here you are" broke % s in the 81, 81
iiving-room door. i've been looking all
"whats the trouble now?" inquired
ApEt Graf rha. cheeEISE oxn,opea wilma
train gets in too late. He'll be on time
for the supper-dance. but thought I'd
better let you know early enough so
you can take Inc"
itBut i've just been telling myself I'm
not going out to dances any morc,' re-
"why, Aunt Gratla, you cant mean
1t. why, I've no one to go with, and
just cant miss this dance. It's Bob's
II was hard TO refuse Wilma. she
was a picture in distress. But she would
be firm. Aunt Gratia laid down her
:rWhy cant your mother take YOU.
.Mother has neuralgia. DO come
II haven't a gown 1T to wear" pro.
tested Aunt, Gratia' MY. wardrobe has
been neglected this fall"
Wear your adorable Old old b'YS ii, crepe,
matches your eyes"
1--WE worn that so much. and think
it's time. | wore more subdued colors,
whK you,5s g net 9Id" asscr.sd As s,l,ysn- vii
meeting, you for the first time would
course" she temporized, seeing the doubt
on Aunt Giratia's fa"r very one in
?. knows your age. But. | mean strang-
'iYou little natterer." laughed Aunt
You'll say any complimentary thing
"say you1i GO" tormented Wilma
Aunt Gracia reflected a few moments.
.,Tll co. she said at length. ''on, con-
dition that this will be my last dance,
and"
You're a dear" broke in Wilma.
AIN g2inE dni this me frShSd o1b4r Auqt m
i'll and Bob can't take you"
asUoa n a and e her fs aunt and ma at was fas
accordingly whisked away by admirinS
youths. Aunt .Gratia sat talking to. an
older ,natron, tanning herself and wish
ing she were hGme because dances we're
were over, when some one brought
distinguished looking middle-aged gen.
tleman up to introduce.
Then the miracle began. Aunt Gra-
tia, fair, fat and forty, was whirled away
10 indulge in dancing Just as her twenty
year-old niece had been carried away.
As by magic. her dance card seemed to
Ill up. All the young men seemed sud-
denly to remember Wilma had an aunt.
To be sure. there were u great many
dances by the .middle-aged gentleman,
& but Aunt Gratia seemed suddenly young
and in great demand.
.'Just look at Aunt Gratia," whisper
- Wilma over Bob's shoulder. she
and having the time of her life: She told
me this morning this was her last dance
She retires to her knitting, tea and cats
y utter tonight
Jovc. but she looks young. won
4 der il you'll look like that at forty
he teased.
4 "Bc careful Bob. you're getting out
{ Of step scolded Wilma.
''Who is her stately partner?' inquir-
Z. ed Bob.
'That," said Wilma so impressively
she almost forgot to dance. ''is the Hon
orable stephen C, member of the
firm Of B. & C, Maiden Lane,
Jewellers, of New York. Incidentally. he
was also 4 schoolnlate OF Aunt Gratia's s..
I've just had the pleasure of meeting
;, MIN q little while ago.
I Bob whistled softly under his breath.
It@looks as though you'd have an Uncle
Stephen" he prophesied.
A short time afterWard Aunt Gratia
was seen TO wear the, largest and most
Z brilliant solitaire ever seen in P.
Only brief engagement and Aunt
Gratia became Mrs. stephen c.,
eF"Arent you glad you took me to that
dance?" teasingly whispered Wilma into
the radiant brides ear.
And Aunt Gratia was glad. She con-
fessed that just as she had given up
all hope of ever capturing the one man
in the whole world that she wanted and
loved, she found him. She felt like a
Jockey in horse show She had won
on the last lap.
g,,s Tomorrow complete novelette,
3 Happy Surprise for Both
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