Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-06-13
ny ADA PATTERSON.

She told me sno had been crying
all afternoon over her old photo
graphs. She felt she must explain
why the rims of her eyes were red
and why twenty photographs were
scattered about the couch and on the
floor.
II was raining outside and indoors
tina, day for her. Snc was wearing
loose gray gown and didn't look the
better for II. while she talked.
She pulled a faded photograph from
between two cushions. a piquant
face lifted itself from the yellow
background. y slim figure showed It's
soft, nearly straight lines among the
folds of white gown. THAT was
my graduating gown" she said. pinch
Ing her nose with her handkerchief.
She waited for me TO say something.
1 said quite truthfully: ITS charm
ing picture"
From the mating at her feet She
picked up another: There l was a
year later. in my first evening gown"
She dabbed the handkerchief ON her
no; cheeks. There WAS loneliness in
this photograph, too. and a higher TIT
curve of the lips
This One the day of Her Wedding.
She spread the photographs on the
ding gown. Yes. my hrst marriage.
This was taken about the time l got
my divorce" The lips were wiilful
But the next looked softer and
sweeter. II had met Charlie. my
second husband. when this was taken.
Ms moved ErSa. Tna' was wss tshsn
on my first crossing to Europe. I've
been over dozen times or SO. l
went. rather regularly before the
war"
That was taken six months after
Charlie died. ] was travelling about
then-kind of drifting around"
She showed thcm-all of them--to
the last one taken In all American
clothes. bought while the French were
too busy lighting TO design and sew.
LOSclicst Picture of Them All.
/ told the woman that seemed TO me
the lovcliest OF all. She stared across
the faded graduation gown. the pal ing
first evening gown, the dimmed Splen-
dor Of her bridal robes at me.
Why" she asked. I'm i5.'
Because 1t shows you arrived at
We talked until the rain ceased fall
Ing and the sun shone.
e Story Those Photographs Told.
in the graduating gown wasn't happy.
She was too eager for the adventures
Of life. TOO impatient for the events
that would come too soon and pass as
youth with its fortunes of longing for
Of the pain OF life. The woman and
agreed that We would not be back
on the platform, reading callow cs-
says about things We knew nothing
about to an audience that was Gu
rious about what we would do with
our lives, and most of which didn't
care.
That first party gown? What did
1t stand for? The first glimpse Of
D
but not entire sincerity. The girl in
the frs, party gown had to learn that
mr., tr night sne Wore IL that her dear;
hrst party. Not even the admiration
OF the new young man in town made
up Tor that. a newly sharpened knife
blade Is not keener than the hurts
Her wedding gown? That wedding
was the preamble to life of fret
No. There was nothing to Weep over WEI
in that photograph. We agreed 10 nut
that aside ano forget IL. The photo
Graph of herself when she met
TO the deep. calm content of life That
was a picture to look at long. but
she had nfteen heavy years with
Charlie. And she had the memory OF
a photograph that she should stamp
WIN happy memory. She should
rot stain i with tears. Keep it as
long shining sketch Of her life road
When the Clouds Brgnn to scatter.
the other photographs? The no.
cnvics one who roams the earth seek
ing what she cannot find? | pcr-
suaded her 10 get out OF the gray
house gown and into her stout Amer
lean all-daY dress with It's nne lines
and its collar and cuffs of handsome
embroidery. She powdered tho tip OF