New Britain herald., 1919-05-12

happened to discover the fact Ih'C
 only one panel drapery ot hel Nl''0
 gown was touched by the '''o' It was really no task at all to repIace
 it with the new goods. Don you think we did d good job
 I believe there were many chlo-
 tiOns battling for utterancc III MlllE
 StOckbridcc's soul of Whlch the strongest was probably keen regret that she had not dorc a more corH- Dlcth iob in the "calciminng of my gown. But to the credit of the self control, which rumor attributed to her recent sanatorium sojourn, she crushed them all down, forced her lips 10 smile ana her voice to courtesy, although both smile and voice were decidedly acid
 "Indeed. you have succeeded ad- mirably," $he said, then with a touch of stiffness: Did you get very far with the alteration of my gown be- fore you found out Mrs. Graham could be fiXed?'
 "Nothing that cannot bc put back easily" Alice Holcombe replied. Sim ply a couple of seams ripped-1'll run
 over tomorrow and put them back.
 You needn't trouble" Mrs. Stock
 bridge retorted quickly, then stiffly
 tome, Shall we go downstairs now?'
 The voice of the maid, Christine,
 interrupted.
 If YOU please, ma'an, these just came. Lieut.. Graham says they're with his complimen
 A Happy Transition.
 She was laden with three florists boxes. In her surprise Mrs. Stock nailed to the girl to lay her burden 1 upon the bed. I knew that Dicky 1 had intended providing flowers for 1 his hostess, Miss Holcombe and my self, but in the excitement over my gown had completely forgotten them. Miss Holcombe promptly seized the opportunity to obliterate the incident
 of the gown.
 "Three, count 'em, three!" she ex-
 claimed. By the pricking of my thumbs I feel one must be for me.
 But what have I done to deserve it." Yet unworthy as you are,' I
 mocked, lone is certainly for you Come, let's open them"
 I opened my opera bag, took out a pair of scissors, shipped the cords from all three boxes, and handed the ones marked for the other women to them. In another moment the ,. room was full of the fragrance of roses, also of exclamations of pleas l ure from all of us. Even Milly Stock bridges dark, spiteful face was light ] ed at the glowing crimson roses which were in her box, while Alice 1 Holcombe's eyes, as she lifted the l deep, creamy blossoms with the l golden hearts from their tissue wrap 1 pings, were dancing with pleasure. l My own offering was a cluster of the l real rose color" roses which I most admire. and I gave an instinctive l little shudder of relief as I glanced 1 at the atrocious gown on the bed and Visualized how the delicate blos- soms would have looked against it. l As it was they gave just the right l touch of color to my white gown. We never can wear all these, D l Mrs. .Stockbridge said.
 We were never intended to do SOL I replied. "The rest are for our { later pleaslire. I would advise, that VIC take what we wish and leave the rest in the boxes. Then if anything 8 1 hal pens to our flowers we can slip ! up and replace them.''
 What a lovely ideal" Miss IIol- l com be said enthusiastically. "T never yet sat through a dinner without l some accident happening to my flow 1 CTS. Now I shan't care. I can just replace them after dinner for the l evening reception.'
 We selected the blossoms we l wished, and adjusted them. As we did 1 so, the bell rang.
 l "Oh, I ought to be downstairs this l minute" Mrs Stockb~:1ge said Bess Dean came in ten minutes ago"
 nervously. That must be the Prices. We followed her down the stairs l and into the living-room, where Mr. l Stockbridge came forward to greet l us. Dicky wt>s also in the room, but l it was fully half a minute before he
 saw us, so engrossed was he in his l conversation with Bess Dean.