The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-11-26
A DISBURSEMENT
Chapter 35


So ! put myself into the hands of
the kindly, jealous little neighbor who
ran tearoom successfully, and sue
cessfully left off seven or eight years
of her age.
And as the winter went on, my
transformation became swift, instead
of gradual. Before this, | had made
little faltering attempts to redeem
myself. In time, / would have sue
ceeded. But Helen came and with a
rush changed me from a Sinking lit
tie old lady into a-well, you shall
see.
You'll have to spend money on
your suit and the corset. Those things
are most important and you can't
make them" Helen said. And ! went
with her obedently. She picked out
the suit. reduced, but still costing a
sum that made me hold my breath.
She picked out corset with long, slim
lines, and had it fitted to me. She
made me the hiatt had worn one of
me purchase furs.
"Furs soften the face" she said
And now about face POWDER"
So got that too-and rouge, though
| protested for days against this, and
l
and that l was only buying it because
Helen wanted me to. And then
bought material in sales, and made it
up at home.
And eventually I. too, had what vi
called a "city wardrobe"
And there was the transformation
complete before my eyes. l found
that the corset was so clever1y made
it turned my bony awkwardness into
lines of slim grace. ] found the face
powder lent a whiteness to my skin
that was not really artificial and not
unbecoming. l found that the care
was giving my hair had coaxed back
some of its old color and little of the
waviness it once possessed. Helen
dressed it high up on my head in a
very fashionable way.
you know, you have a profile" vi
said, watching the proceeding from
her position on the couch. 1t was
and Helen had dropped in for a visit
IF course she has a profile. She is
really very pretty, only she's afraid
to admit it." Helens intelligent eyes
squinted up as she smiled at me.
flushed-and turned to the mirror.
saw suddenly that my small nose
really made my face rather young
Esther had always made fun of my
pug nose" I found the high piled
hair gave me look of sophistication
that was rather nice. The gown-the
satin one-clung around me, and the
figure it revealed was. slender and
youthful.
looked-not so as on that other
night when | dressed up before my
mirror. | looked-possibly 40. Yes
40-tuth rather young and well pre-
served 40. l decided l would have
some more face treatments.
1t was not the corsets, not the cloth
es. not the powder, at least, it was
not entirely these. The change was
menal more than physical. Before.
/ lived in an atmosphere heavy with dis
couragement. In Henly Falls there
was nothing to strive for-but here,
there seemed to be so many things
worth working towards. 1t was this
that was making me young.
And then, curiously enough, Esther
came into my life again. Whenever
was in this light-hearted mood, she
seemed to reach out and choke me
Agais. it was letter from her, deliv'
cred in the last mail that afternoon
81 wish you'd come home" she
Fl wrote. Il don't approve of two WON
en- living by themselves in a house
built on one floor like yours. 1t don't
seem decent having the kitchen and