Evening star., 1919-08-17

doesn't 1t? Take this chair by the
fire. I always start a little blaze on
club nights for the cheerfulness Of 1t.
1t seems only yesterday you did that
tambourine dance at Marinis May
ball. You were tho cutest little
skeesics.'
"'How lovely Of you! 1t seems like
old times to be getting compliment
like that. What perfectly dear quar-
ters you have-rm awfully glad I
came
so am I. The way you jiggled
that beribboned thing would have
done credit to the movies. What ever
became of your tambouriner
why. was such q mite at the
time I hardly remember-.'
but you will have to. The rule
or the club Is to go as far back as
you can. Wait until 1 poke the fire
l love to see the sparks fly upward.
don't you? Some Of us old girls have
long-tailed recollections that go back
to-well. to show you: Neelie Carter
gave talk last meeting on the gown
worn by Mrs. Lincoln at her last
ievee. She was there and took in
every stitch-and Zenobie Brent will
read a paper tonight on "Handker-
chief Rings" to be illustrated by the
one given to her by her lover before
he was killed at Antietam. How far
back are you willing to go?
How far do the rules reQuire?'
"'Oh. don't tax yourself. Just take
it lightly
think 1 can remember-though
1t may be from having heard my dear
mother speak of it. or If do, l was
mere baby
OF course. of course-go on"
L seem tot makes me feel so old
hate to put it in words. butt
think l can recall the Grecian bend
Don't you think IL you were to
try right hard you could reach back
to hoopskirts?
She hesitated. poor child, but she
wanted to join the club. and, be-
sides, she knew that we were about
the same age, with the benefit on
my side. SO. when 1 patted her on
the arm. she broke completely down.
l poked the fire until she had braced
up. and. after we had banded q bit
OF surface talk between us, she all
at once as good as took her heart
from her body and held it up for me
to see. 1 give you my word. never
was so surprised in all the days of
my life.
Oh, Miss Marian. am so ashamed
OF being an old maid! 1 can't get
used to it. 1 know how foolish it
Is IN me. I tell myself so every day
or my life, but it hurts-always.
Sometimes when 1 see girls flirting
around I want to scream, and when
1 look at these young soldiers in
the streets with their ardent eyes
searching for romance, and realize
what l am-why-'
She stopped to quiver out a little
cry. like baby with it's feelings hurt,
and 1 could tell by the look of her
that she wanted to sink through the
floor. You see, I knew what was go
ing on inside of her. Oh. yes, knew
SO l poked the fire. There is nothing
like a blaze to give you courage
and waited.
Miss Marian, you know how Ned
treated me-everybody knows. II he
had died l could have hugged the
comfort that death was my only rival.
or, If we had quarreled and I could
blame myself-but, to desert me like
that after kissing me in the moon
light with his ring on my finger|
have hated the moonlight ever since"
''She had another little cry. and while
she was about it brushed UP the
ashes with a wisp keep on hand.
"'Why, Miss Marian. it cowed me
SO that I thought my heart would
break in two. sometimes believe
it did. 1 would love to be happy
like you and the other old giris-and
1 would. IL 1 were like you. You see.
all Of you who had lovers can look
forward to meeting them in heaven.
while am deprived of even that
comfort. Why. ! would love to do
useful things for other people. AL
most every night think up happy
things 1 could do II only could get
away from the fact that Ned got
tired Of me. but I can't-and 1T kills
me, Miss Marian--it kills mel have