The Winslow mail., 1919-05-30
THE LAST LAP
BY LOUISE HOFFMAN,.
AAA%%A%%N%%NN%%~%% A%%%%%%%%Va
sht, 1918, by Mcclure Newspape
Syndicate.)

IOrIy. Sno cOulO narQly De calleu Idt
In the Objectionable meaning of the
word. She was plump, well proper
toned and good to look upon. But
there was no extenuating excuse for
her age. For she was forty. Her fair
complexion and golden hair, with ever
so faint trace of silver at the tenn
pies, lent an air of distinction to her
general appearance.
She had just passed her fortieth
milestone and had decided to give up
going about, ostensibly to chaperon
her pretty niece, Wilma 1t bored her
to go to dances and sit around with
nothing to do but gossip. To be sure
the young men occasionally asked her
to dance out of courtesy to Wilma.
And now she was forced to admit
these late nights were telling on her.
She must give them up and she would.
"Oh, here you are" broke in the
silvery voice of Wilma, as she opened
the living room door. "Ive been look
ing all over for you"
"What's the trouble now?" inquired
Aunt Gratia cheerfully.
"Its about tonight" explained Will
ma. Bob was going to take me, but
his train gets in too late. He'll be on
time for the supper dance, but
thought I'd better let you know early
enough so you can take me-"
"But I've just been telling myself
I'm not going out to dances any more"
replied Aunt Gratia.
Wilma's great brown eyes grew wide
with amazement.
why, Aunt Gratia, you can't mean
it. Why, I've no one to go with me,
and just can't miss this dance. It's
Bob's last night"
1t was hard to refuse Wilma. She
was a picture of distress. But she
would be firm. Aunt Gratia laid down
her knitting.
'Why can't yC r mother take your"
Mother has neuralgia. Do come"
pleaded Wilma
II haven't gown fit to wear" pro-
tested Aunt Gratia. "My wardrobe
has been neglected this fall.''
Wear your adorable old blue
crepe" suggested the niece. "The blue
just matches your eyes"
"I've worn that so much, and I think
It's time / wore more subdued colors
anyway"
"Why, you're not DID," asserted Will
ma, with some warmth. "a stranger
meeting you for the first time would
not think you day over twenty eight.
Of course" she temporized, seeing the
doubt on Aunt Gratia's face, "every
one in P knows your age. But
mean strangers"
"You little f1atterer," laughed Aunt
Gratia, pleased in spite of herself.
you'll say any complimentary thing
just to win your point"
"Say you'll co." tormented Wilma.
Aunt Gratia reflected a few mo-
ments. "Tll co." she said at length,
ION condition that this will be my last
dance, and"
you're a DEAR" broke in Wilma.
"I'm going this time," finished Aunt
Gratia, "only because your mother is
Ill and Bob can't take you"
Wilma and her aunt arrived at the
dance in due time and Wilma was ac-
cordingly whisked away by admiripg
youths. Aunt Gratia sat talking to an
older matron, tanning herself and
wishing she were home because dances
were for young people and her dane
ing days were over, when someone
brought a MISUNDERSTANDING mid
dle-aged gentleman up to introduce.
Then the miracle began. Aunt Ora
tia, fair, fat and forty, was whirled
away to indulge in dancing just as her
twenty-year-old niece had been carried
away. AS by magic her dance card
seemed to- fill up. All the young men
seemed suddenly to remember Wilma
had an aunt. To be sure there were
a great many dances by the middle
aged gentleman, but Aunt Gratia
seemed suddenly young and in great
demand.
'Just look at Aunt Gratia," whis-
pered Wilma over Bob's shoulder
"She looks as though she were cele-
brating and having the time of her
life. She told me this morning this
was her last dance. She retires to
her knitting, tea and cats after to
night"
"Jove, but she looks young. / won
der IL you'll look like that at forty"
he teaSed.
"Be careful, Bob, you're getting out
of STEP" scolded Wilma,
'Who is her stately partnerr' in
quired Bob.
THAT" said Wilma so impressively
she almost forgot to dance, ''is the
Hon. Stephen c., member of the
firm of B & c., Maiden lane
jewelers. of New York. Incidentally,
he was also schoolmate of Aunt Ora
tia's. I've just had the pleasure OF
meeting him little while ago."
Bob whistled softly under his breath.
"It looks as though you'd have an