Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-09-20
DAILY NOVELETTE,
PHOEBE'S FINE
FEATHERS
Nv Annnftn Green
BY Annette Green
r AKBsIDE, the beautiful summe,

T AKESIDE, the beautiful summer
home of Mrs. Carter, cleaned like an
enchanted palace in the moonlight,
while from the brightly lighted ball
room came the strains of music, min
gled with the sound of dancing and
youthful laughter. Everybody seemed
happy, except one. From the shadows
of the upper balcony overlooking the
ballroom young man watched the gay
scene below with frown. And as he
caught sight from time to time of a
certain fairy like figure among the
dancers, a look of almost bitter pain
swept over his fine features.
"Why, Phil, my dear boy" ex-
cfaimed the hostess, spying the watching
figure in the shadow as she strolled by
with another matron. Aren't you
dancing?" He answered haltingly that
he had a headache didn't feel up to it
tonight. "I'm afraid you young people
STAYED out on the lake in the sun too
long today" replied Mrs. Carter.
What a pity! And this is Phoebe's
last night here, too
Phoebe's last night! Phil knew that
only too we'll And again searching her
out among the dancing throng, he fol-
lowed the lovely girlish figure in silvery
chiffons with longing eyes. Muttering
nm excuse to Mrs. Carter about getting
some fresh air, he turned away and
left the balcony, followed by his hos
tess voice bidding him come back later,
Avoiding the gay groups on the We
randa. Phil made his way through the
shrubbery. and dropping down on
bench by the shining lake. gave him
self up to his bitter thoughts. With the
strains from the ballroom ringing faint
" in his ears. he closed his eyes to
shrt ont the bright moonlight and went
over in his mind bit by bit his acquaint-
ance with Phoebe. Mrs. Carter's niece,
from the day in June when she arrived
stranger to them all, up to tonight
when she had come to mean everything
to him. He had thought her quite the
incest girl he'd ever met that first day,
when, arriving at noon, she found the
rest of the house party gone for
tramp. and a picnic. and he, her aunt's
nearest neighbor. had taken her out in
bis canoe on the lake for the afternoon.
He taught her how to paddle the canoe,
and the memory Of her in her simple
hlue bingham dress. with her golden
hair blowing about her laughing face,
came back to him tonight so clearly
that he groaned and buried his face in
his hands, For he had never seen her
in any simple gingham gowns again.
Chic morning dresses and sport suits,
correct yachting costumes, lacy en-
broidered things for afternoon and beau
tiful evening gowns had followed each
other in varying succession, until Phil
gave up all hope of ever daring to ask
her to share his love and fortunes. Even
to his uninitiated masculine mind
Phoebe's clothes spelled much money.
He had an idea that his months salary
would not have paid for the silvery gown
she was wearing that evening (and he
was quite right.
. Well. it was madness to dream of ask =
ing such a girl to marry young archi-
tect lust starting out in business; that
was all he could do-dream. With a
sigh he got up from the bench and start
ed back to the house. He would have
one more glimpse of Phoebe's beloved
face before she went out of his life for
ever, although the sight Of her, so dear,
vet for him so unattainable, would be
only one more pang. He found place
at one of the ballroom windows where
| 1 H., In c
searching among the dancing couples
for Phoebe, who seemed to have dis
appeared, when he heard her name re-
peated just inside the window. Some
one was talking about her to group OF
guests, and before he could move away
Phil was rooted to the spot in stunned
surprise. "Phoebe?" the gossiping voice
went on, "Oh, my, no! All those stun
ming clothes she's been wearing Mrs
Carter gave her, all of them 'She
looks charming tonight :; where is SHE
now?" asked a second voice. Il saw
her going toward the garden all alone 6
little while ago." the other replied
"she'd taken off her ball gown and hat
on that old gingham thing she Wort
when she first came"
Phil turned away from the window
Just as Mrs. Carter laid hand on hi
arm, asking if his head still ached
Strangely enough, his headache wa'
gone, and replying to her kind inquiries
with ill concealed haste, he Vaultet
over the veranda railing and dashed
around the house toward the garden.
The next complete novelette-Ned''
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