Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-08-06
THE DAILY NOVELETTE,
Renaissance

IF QUEEN LOUISE could have stepped
from her heavy frame and We'd with
Louise Bragdon as she descended the
stairs where the portrait Of tho, world
famed sovereign hung, she would have
found that her queenly grace and cling
ing charm had indeed found n rival.
To the girl madly climbing the social
ladder while she wrestled with the per-
plexities OF the newly rich. the portrait
vas the only pleasing. euphonious note
from their obscure past; but then
Louise had been too young to remember
the day her mother had jubilantly
chase OF q $3.50 pair Of shoes, and later
had bought the handsome frame from
an itinerant framer OF pictures; ana
heavy, indeed, must have become the
heart of the little queen which her
graceful fingers upheld through chang.
ing years as the old furnishings ana
decorations one by one faded into the
despised past. y
Soon after Mr.. Bragdon had suddenly
fallen upon the hold Of his incoming
Ship" fashion luckily cast her whim-
sical shadow across their pretty street
one by one those OF too modest means
had sold their homes; one by one those
homes sprang from the magic touch or
the master architect into things or
beauty. and while the Bragdon home re-
kitty-cornered, cutup coziness had given
way for airy rooms where overstuffed
mahogany and cleaning black walnut
abounded.
Louise glowed from tip to. toe with
satisfaction and winked saucily at her
lifelong emulation. for the gowns which
abe had just been trying on were ex-
quisite enough for the taste OF any
queen, whether she ruled a realm or only
n tiny coterie such as the exclusive
Y vt,,l 30 ,,,kt Lob, \ xyo !.
president. and tomorrow night would be
the night for which her soul hau
iiungered and thirsted through long
ages.
Tomorrow night her Prince Charming
would enter the chamber of her heart
and she must be regally decked 70 NEE,
him and wideawake to greet him: for
somehow she was very sure that Joyce
Keating's cousin. who had studied In
foreign lands for years, and whose
name every one breathed with some-
thing very like awe, would be In truth
her ideal. And.rshe caught her breath,
while the crimson dyed her soft cheek
when he should ask to paint her portrait
She was very sure he would ask. When
he did, she would be descending broad
staircase. as gracefully draped and
carefully posed as any queen or any age
Louise, dear, please come here and
see II these hang straight"
The girl was startled from her day
dreaming by her mothers voice. She
dashed into the spacious living room.
Mother !" she exclaimed aghast
"Oh. mother. you are actually draping
those curtains standing on that awfu
stepladder right In front of the win.
dow Oh, suppose, just suppose some
of my Lathrope Club sheuld see you
Why. why do you insist on performing
menial tasks? It's crying disgrace.
Mrs. Bragdon wanted to LAUGH at the
tragic intensity. DO not forget. darling
how very recently I did all the work
Della has a toothache ana of course
| Maggie is needed at home"
"Jt isn't our concern that Maggie's
| little brother was injured" retorted tn,
girl with a petulant stamp.
Mrs. Bragdon had held her rare com
mon sense An denviable poise high abov,
the tide Of their onrushing wealth. ant
| an overpowering desire to literally snax,
| the nonsense out of the daughter wat
lowing in the foam Of the golden break
| ers made her forget her insecure percn.
| A thud, n quick cry of anguish swep
the pout from the girls full lips ant
| kindled her eyes with sympathetic con
cern. Capably she helped her mother q
| couch. anguishing in tender solicitude
| Gone was her supercilious foolishnes
and only warm. throbbing, girlish sym
| pathy gushed clear and sparkling from
her tender heart.
Mrs. Bragdon smiled through he
|
discouragingly foolish that I'm ap; {
forget what genuine heart is hidde
| In your lovely body Fetch me the rem
edies, dear. and I'll soon have this pain
ful swelling In subjection."
| Mrs. Bragdon stopped short in he
| twining of the antlseptic gauze aroun,
her anguished ankle.
| Darling. you'll have to take Aun
Prudence to fill her appointment wit
the oculist. Her eyes are paining dread
| fully She must go at 1880 and it.
| 10 now. Burton drove dad in tow
| his morning, so you can't use the car
| consent to taxi, so you'll have to go oi
| he street car"
| "Oh, mother. can't Maidie----" sh
| jegan, but her words fell fiat. for sh
heard her sisters voice minging wit
Il masculine voice at the door. ana kney
| hat So an hour musical instructo
could not be jugged with girlish qualn
A sudden whim sent her to the hid
lien corner of her closet hunting a littl
| hree seasons back dress. She recalle
now every one had Complimented he
say just why she chose that little OUT
of-date thing rather than an ultra chi
| rock. Perhaps her new set would no
| recognize her so readily.
OF course she loved Aunt Prudence
She was dear. dear old lady, an,
when at home among the fine old fur
nishings of her own room which Louis
had named Auntles RENAISSANCE Bou
doir, there. within her habitat, Louis
loved to fetch her friends. But on tn
street-inpossible The od-fashione
cape, bonnet; why. oh, why wouldn'
| Auntie go to madam's and be properl
| hn cir hNu