The Era-leader. [volume] (Franklinton, La.) 1910-current, 1920-12-02
THE PINK Dress
BY ANNE MOREHOUSE.


ing his first view Of her under the try
ing rays of calcium light, he saw that
she was unusually pretty and instantly
asked his partner who she was.
~ never saw her before said Mary
Brown. AS the figure progressed, DICK
passed and repassed the pretty girl
dozen times, determined to make sure
of an introduction when the thing was
| over, But, as it happened, he was oes-
tined not to wait, for in the lntrlcacles
of the dance when tours were 1orlheu
he. found the girl beside him at his ieit'
She looked unusually piquant ana pref
tv under the tiny parasOl when the
girls had received as favors, while inc
men flourished slender walking STICKS
tied with ribbons.
At the end of the ballroom fours sep
arated again into twos and here some
thing happened. The curved mead OF
Dicks cane caught in the tilmy lace or
the fair strangers bodice and held fast.
He felt the jerk and instinctively let
90. At the next meeting the girl held
out the stick with smile. "This be-
longs to you, ] believe" she said.
"Yes, thank you. am sorry If tore
your gown" was all he had time for as
they passed.
"Cleyer little ruse of yours" laughed
Mary Brown. "Why didn't Laura
come tonight? It's pretty party"
"Her new dress didn't come. Too
blamed bad, / call 1t, but she wouldn't
wear an old one."
"What shame. But everybody Is
busy. Ny dress did not come until
eight o'clock. How do you like iti'
"Peachy! What color is it2''
"Its mauve. And the dress you tore
was hydrangea pink. / saw 1t before
the electric light went off"
At last the two figures of the cotilliOn
were over and Dick went to hunt the
girl. He found her in the balcony and
as luck would have It, for the Instant
alone.
ibid I ruin your gown?" he asked
rather abruptly.
"No~ she answered sweetly, intend
linz to set him at his ease, but only
causing more havoc in his brain. "You
see, it can be mended." She held up
the founce that lay close to a snowy
shoulder.
Mary Brown in an interval inquired:
"Have you found out whose dress you
tOreT
Eyes. Her name Is Susanna Ra.
leigh. I don't know where she lives
she won't tell me that-but know
enough to make up for that"
The next evening Dick came home
early from his Office for an hours sleep
before dinner. He had not seen his sis.
ter at breakfast, so he raped on her
door now before turning In.
"Come in, Dickie," she called. "What
kind Of time did you have? Tell me
all about it. That's the last time III
60 to Price for gown. 1t never came
home until this Afternoon, and isn't it
q dream, too2" She ruefully indicated
q creation Of silk and lace on the bed.
"A peach" Dick answered laconical.
". Only one dress interested him just
now and the thought Of the wearer
was crowding oil other ideas out Of his
head. He looked back quickly, how.
ever-~the color had caught his eye.
Dick came close to the bed and
touched a sleeve. It looked like the
same dress Susanna Raleigh had worn
at the ball.
"What kind Of lace is this?" He pre-.
tended interest and bent low, turning
back bit as he spoke. His sister, fiat
tered, described the whole thing vol.
ubly, but Dick heard not a word. For
there was the place where his cane had
caught, sklllfu1ly mended, it was true
so skillfully his sister would never
see it, most likely-but it was there
nevertheless to condemn the girl to
whom he had lost his head and heart.
A week later, Dick and his sister
were waiting for the elevator at the
apartment hotel where they lived when
a girl and an elderly man approached.
All were in evening dress and Laura's
cloak was open. Suddenly the girl
came over and impulsively touched
Laura's gown. Dick wheeled and faced
Susannet
$50 1t was your dress I wore to the
cotillion and toreW she exclaimed.
"Oh, I've worried SO about itl' Then
suddenly: Father, this is Mrs. Morton
and her brother, Mr.. Harper. They are
neighbors Of ours! You see, we have
only lived here MONTH" she ex.
planned,
"But I don't understand about the
dress~ puzzled Laura. "Are you sure
you wore it7 I'm sure it is not torn I"
Perhaps Price fixed it then It was
this way: My own new dress didn't
come, and when / telephoned at seven
they said 1t couldn't possibly be fin.
ished, but that they would send me q
modal m waar instead Co u,hoo a.