The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-02-16
Eoening Story
Fifty-Eight Fifty.

1t did not look like a good invest
ment that Hilda Crauthers had made.
Nc, Hilda had not taken a flyer in
copper, oil or motors. She had simply
bought a dress.
Clothes being a necessity, the pur-
chase of a dress when one is needed is
an investment. But Hilda was fairly
we'll supplied with wearing apparel
that was pretty enough, but suited
only to everyday wear.
The reason the dress in question did
not look like a good investment was
that she wanted it for one special ocz
casion, aQd it cost $3.50 Of the $50
she had IN the bank.
1t seemed like downright foolish
ness, but she just had to go to Anne
Moorehouses wedding, and as Anne's
wedding was to be an event OF stellar
social Importance. common clot&s
would be out of place.
Anne was the best girl friend Hilda
ever had. They had been chums in
school and had been together SO much
they were taken for sisters, and even
began to feel that way themselves
In their senior year at high school
the two girls became separated when
Anne's parents moved with her to a
nearby city However, the two girls
correspondent regularly and We're as
good friends as ever. spending most of
their vacation periods together.
Hilda was graduated from high
school, tookfa business course and be-
came a bookkeeper in a department
store. Anne took position as stenog-
rapher in a brokers' office.
Three years later came the surpris-
ing news from Anne.
I'm going to marry a millionaire!
1t seemed that Anne's employer fell
in love with her and she with him.
he natural
! result. In the midst of preparations
for the wedding, the Moorehouse
home burned to the ground, and plans
were upset for a short time.
Then Anne got the idea she would
like to be married in the little church
she used to attend in her old home
town; so the two families most con-
cerned motored thither.
1t was to be an elaborate function.
and consequently when Hflda received
an invitation she knew it behooved her
to adorn herself suitably for the occa-
sion.
The wedding was set for II O'Clock
in the morning, and aS9 Hilda set out
afoot for the church 1t had been
raining hard, but had cleared off, and
the sun was shining brightly.
Two blocks from the church she
stopped at a--corner to let a big coupe
roll past The machine was closer tc
stood on the walk. and the rear wheel
churned UP a sea of mud and hurled
tidal wave at Hilda.
AS the auto vanished round a corner
a block away. the girl stood and with
her fists rubbed wet dirt out of he1
eyes and looked down at her dress te
see that it was ruined.
Hilda realized that as far as her
presence was concerned, the wedding
might have been on Mars. She SIM
| ply could not attend in that mud-be-
spattered costume. There was only
one thing to do--retrace her steps
take off the $3.50 worth of ruined
goods and spend the day in misery in
| her room.
! As she walked dolefully toward heI
home, trying vainly to brush the cling
| ing mud from her a feeling of rage
gradually rose within her She re-
membered how she had seen a young
man driving the coupe and she re,
called that he had smiled at her a.
he drenched her with mud.
For a moment the smiling face had
attracted her and she had wished that
| she might know the young man. Now
she had the same longing, but for q
present him with a slice of her mind
Fretting and Tuning, Hilda wended
her way homeward. while the wedding
guests crowded the church, and the
bride-to-be, with the assistance of a
maid, got into her gown in her room
at the hotel. and the groom to-be sal
in his room with his father and
smoked blacl1> cigars to steady hi
nerves.
In the midst of these preparations
the telephone in Anne's room sum-
moned her, and when she turned from
the instrument she displayed excite
lnent.
Get mother" she ordered the maid
"Gwendolin has had a nervous col
lapse and can't act as bridesmaid
/, Anybody would think she was going
to be married instead of her cousin
I was afraid she'd do something like
that, she's so high-strung. Mother in
sisted on having her, tho. Now. may
be she'll consent to Hilda Crauthers
if it's possible to get word to Hilda
| this late and If she'll consent to play
| ing second fiddle"
So Mrs. Moorehouse fluttered onto
the scene, and when she Dad beer
made acquainted with the situation
| she fluttered to the young man who
was about to become her son-in-law
The latter's brother. who was to act
as best man, had just driven up in
| his machine.
| Fred directed the prospective
groom, take run up to the church
and yank Hilda Crauthers out of the
audience and bring her here. She can
wear one OF Anne's dresses"
81 don't know her." Fred objected
Mrs. Moorehouse fluttered back to
her daughter and returned with a
picture of Hilda. Fred's face took on
a queer, elated expression as he
| studied it.
That's funny" he remarked. 81
passed that girl just a little while age