The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1918-04-16
81 Don't Know Pm Sure"

heart. Quite unexpectedly Ann had a
feeling that she wanted to go to that
dance, wanted to see young people
who were enjoying themselves, care
free, dancing, laughing
Eyes. I'll be chaperone," she heard
herself saying.
Later, when Ann faced herself in
the mirror she wondered If 1t were
true, what A1illy had said. Did she
look thirty-fve? Her dark hair folded
smoothly about her oval face, and she
was tall enough to look dignifed, and
yet-there was dimple at the corner
of her mouth, and a twinkle in her
long-lashed eyes which, though not
often called upon to act during the
quiet days alone with her book-loving
father, was surprisingly bewitching
when it did appear.
81 won't look thirty-fivel' she told
herself suddenly, yehemently.
And thereupon she did surprising
ly indiscreet thing for chaperone to
do. She took from her closet a pink
gown ruf1ed and frivolous as though
1t had belonged to Milly herself AIMS
aunt had sent the gown to her the
year before, but 1t had never been
worn, for Ann did not share in the
young society Of Edgedale. She had
lived there two years, and during the
first Of them she wore mourning fol-
her mother. Later she lived quietly
through habit perhaps, perhaps be-
cause she was a little shy. Or was II
possible that they thought her thirty
five, these gay young people who sped
by In their cars, waved to her with
their tennis-rackets. invited her now
and then to a staid afternoon teal
Well, If they did, she would show
them. Her pulses beat high that
night as she fluffed the dark hair about
her temples and called to Mi1ly to
fasten the pink gown. Its color lent q
flush to her smooth cheeks, and Milly
on the threshold, stopped short with
amaze.
"Why, Aunt Ami How nice you
look buL ISL tlful SOWA a AAIlkc Dil
young-for a chaperoneT
"Oh, no, Kitty Barton wears pink
and she's older than l."
colder than your Why Aunt Ann
she can't bel You do look sweet
though" Milly added generously. 81
wouldn't think you were day over
thirty"
Milly's escort was youth of hel
own age, Peter Barnes. He paid scani
attention to Ann, except to establish
her courteously in comfortable
rocker on the "side-lines" where she
could watch the children dance. They
we're only children of course, and as
Ann watched them she felt suddenly
old. unutterably old and settled. Mrs
Carberry, mother of a pretty girl in
RED chiffon who was flirting outrag
eously, had come to share AIMS du
ties of chaperone, and her talk OF can
ming, sewing and housekeeping, droned
on in AIMS ear like the dirge Of youth
After all she had been foolish to fee
rs young as the pink gown; there
was nothing left for her but draf
days, silent and apart
"Who is that man over there witt
my daughter?' Mrs. Carberry asked
abruptly. "The tall one with the blacl
hair?'
81 don't know, I'm sure"
Ann cast a disinterested look in thu
direction of May Carberry. The mai
beside the red chiffon frock was indeed
very tall, he was looking down at hi
diminutive partner with a look k9t
amused, half bored. He was not youn'
like the rest of them, he might easil.
have been as old as Ann herself. AM
looked, and figurativefy speaking
rubbed her eyes. Where had she seei
| that man before? And then it came t
her in a flash of joyous memory. Il
fact, 1t opened the locked door OF TN
most treasured memory of all. Bacl
in her early school days she ha'
known that man. He had been DO
then, with shy brown eyes that wer
filed with alteration for her, An
Douglas. They had walked home fror
Echool together, coasted together
rowed and picnieked together, He ha
taken her TO her very first dance, h
had paid the very first compliment
that brought a blush to her cheeks
And then, the years had drifted be
tween. he had gone away to college
to medical school, letters had grow
fewer and stopped altogether. Woul
he remember her? And what was h
doing here at this children's party
AIMS heart beat quickly with some
thing more than mere expectancy. Sh
wanted him to see her, and yet sh
was afraid. She turned her eyes ava
lest he should see her staring.