The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1919-04-17
73e
Pink Waist
By MILDRED WHITE
lCoDyrisAt 1919. by Western Newspaper Union,

as she neared the shop where the
pink waist was displayed. For three
days-it had tempted her behind the
plate glass window. At night she had
even dreamed of the waist, or rather
dreamed of herself an enchanting and
transformed Dora, fitting about In
some beautiful place that same pink
waist adjoining her own small person.
But the dream had been rudely shat
tered by the announcement of her per-
sistent and newly bought alarm clock
that 1t was time to be "up and do
Ing"
Strange faces looked now through
that window, strange voices sounded
in the house, since the familiar ones
were forever silenced. But Dora arose
bravely at the summons of the alarm
clock, and was soon after on her way
ofliceward down a busy city street
The pink waist Haunting its charms
was the first disturber Of Dora's peace
She wanted that waist, unreasonably,
insistently she wanted 1t. Her neat
black costume was tlresomely oppres-
sive.
Ten dollars was the price marked
on the waist, and as far as Dora was
concerned three more ciphers might
have been added. She wondered If
she could not make the waist in a
sense her own, by painting 1t into
one Of her sketches. A girl standing
by tall, pink-blooming hollyhock, for
instance-the girls cheeks as softly
pink as the walst--a bit Of pink cloud
showing in the distance.
1t was Dora's ineXperience in the
business world which made the pink
waist thing of impossibility. Back
again in the bare little room. high
above the surrounding roofs, Dora joy
ously drew forth brush and colors;
she must paint the plnk-waist girl be-
fore her vision should vanish.
The old wooden wardrobe was filled
with Dora's sketches. She seldom
showed them to anyone; they were
to her mere relaxation. But now
desire possessed her to share with
some one the beauty of the pink-walst
girl. Mrs. OBrien, the landlady, was
very Kind; Dora took the sketch to
her.
my deariew exclaimed that wom-
an, raising her hands. ITS the Won
derful talent you have. Why don't you
take the picture around to the Gift
Shoppe,' as they spell ton the cor
ner? Many paintings not half as good
as yours I've seen for sale there, with
sign over 'em, Original Studies "
"Do You really think" began Dora,
! but Mrs. O'Brien was carefully wrap
ping the picture.
"You run around with it right now"
she said
When Dora came back the blue eyes
were wide with awe.
"The picture Is in the window" she
tod Mrs OBrien, "and if it sells |
am to have ten dollars"
"And how much are they to have?"
shrewdly asked the landlady.
Dora laughed. "Why, Of course, It
won't SELL" she said-but it did.
Dora, noting the absence Of her
painting from the window after its
third day Of proud exhibition, hest
tated for a moment in the shop door
way, hoping, yet fearing, to enter.
This gentleman" said madame OF
the shop, briskly, ''has Just bought
your pink study You have dropped
in opportunely; he was requesting
your address"
The unbelievable purchaser Of her
work turned, hat in hand. Dora
stared speechessly from his interest
ed, fine face, down to her framed pic
ture.
"You-really wanted III" she asked
at length.
"More than ! have wanted anything
for long time" the man replied.
1.-THE purity Of the girls face, the
soft blending of colOr-this is won
derful sketch, Miss"
He examined the painted name
across Il corner of the canvas-"Theo-
dora Trenton"
He glanced up at her sharply.
"Have you done much of this sort OF
thing?"
"A wardrobe full" laughed Dora
the reality of 1t all was coming back
to her.
Strange" murmured the man "ths
Is the first Of your work that | have
seen. It has an originality, n certain
delicate skill | should have remcm
bercd. Who is your INSTRUCTOR?
81 was obliged long ago to give NJ
my studies" Dora said sadly. Then
before his sympathetic gaze she begar
suddenly TO tell him about the HON,
! that was no mOre--the necessity fOi
work which forced one to put dreams
and aspirations aside, the advice OF
Mrs. O'Brien, and-the delectable plnl
waist I'm tile window.
And as the man listened he smiled
! and his keen eyes grew very kind. "Yot
may have seen the name Stacy across
drawings In the magazines" he said
"Wcl, am Jack Stacy, and | hop,
that 1t may be my privilege to hell
YOU make those aspirations CONF
true" Impusyeiy, he drew care
from his pocket.
ar you viii come TO my studio tea
at that address, tomorrow" he said
eve can talk things over"
So Dora's dreams. as well as heI