Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-03-09
735e Wedding Dress By Florence Lillian Henderson
Copyright. 1917. Western Newspaper Union }

'he hfst time in his life he had the money to do it with, and plenty of it. oo noVel was the situation that the very opulence of his pride required q i uellhlte plan as to how he should get fid of Il. Novelty, anticipation d new experience i'll freedom from care gave to the experience the keenest zest and pleasure.
 "Ihe five thousand dollars my brotb- CT unexpectedly Willed to me," rumi- mated Martin, seems to me like an un- ending fortune"
 i lie dld not proceed to squander it. Martln did not know how. Years of 1 economy, thrift, perfect contentment l With the ordinary necessaries of life had trained him to be not only self uenylnS but conservative.
 Will buy q real good suit of clothes,' decided Martin, and he look ed immensely the better for it. q had Just Ve%etated all these years. I'll do a little waking up. Then I'll try and find some nice, lazy, quiet little busi- ness to go into"
 tie went out for a walk, to discover button gone frcm his new coat It put him ill mind of Mrs. Wilton at once His landlady had few weeks previous directed his attention to Mrs. i Wilton, 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 a dressmaking 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 q cup of tea, and he passed 8 most pleasant hour in the company of the widow and her daugll- ter, the latter tall, graceful girl whose sweet beauty was marred only by traces of overwork and the anxi- ety of getting along.
 i've come to trouble you about a wayward oyercoat button," reported Martin, and Mrs. Wilton proceeded to sew it on. Martin glanced about the apartment, realizing 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-Im having va cation"
 q hope you will enjoy it, said the widow brightly
 "I'm afraid l don't know how to-" half laughed Martin in an embar- rassed way. "I 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 Wilton?"
 They went They made the trip in a taxi cab. There was a supper aft erwards. Mir. 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 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 chanced 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 a long pasteboard one. When he got them home he open ed the wooden box first. It con- tained a broken mechanism. apparent ly the invention of some poor genius, and the sight of it Saddened Martin. Then surprise ensued, for opening the pasteboard box he brought to light a dainty silk wedding dress. As he swung the filmy robe about, it caught on bureau handle, and tore half way down a seam.
 "What am I ever going to do with it?" cogitated Martin. ''What non- sense have I indulged in? Oh, well, I'll get it mended and put it away. Maybe some day-some day l may find Someone to wear it."
 "I 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' plained it's possession as if it were 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 TOT arrayed in the dress. She burst upon his senses, rare vision of beauty.
 ''Oh how lovely." cried Martin. im- petuously, and Madge turned, blushing like peony.
 q was trying it on toto see if the mending showed" she explained con- fusedly.
 "You must keep 1t, Miss Wilton" Aoup1oro1 Martin 6Whot JIsp have l |