Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1921-07-22
Elspeth-P ut-the-
KettIe-On
By JESSIE DOUGLAS

ptlHSthhlusly With Molly THRUST HeI
curly head in at the door.
6 "We're off, E, dear. Put the key
. under the mat If we're not home till
c late And do put something on tray
t for us to eat when we get home. The
g Careys are delightful, but one never
+ gets enough TO eat there"
j. The door slammed after Molly and
J Janet Elspeth worked on over the
4 stubborn knot.
, IF any one telephones me, say I've
, gone to TrevOr's," Caroline said draw
, ing on her pearl-clasped glove slowly.
Elspeth stopped until she heard the
door close softly. She was alone, as
usual.
She stood staring at the room gray
ing in the twilight, forgetting her
package forgetting everything in
fact, but the situation she faced.
There was something the matter
with her, that was sure. Molly, the
youngest, with her short curls and her
gay smOcks, studied art and talked of
technique" and Zine" and color as
though they belonged exclusively to
her. Janet just year older, was en-
gagged to Jim Corey, and nothing else |
existed for her in the world Then |
came Elspeth. But Caroline two years
older, was noted for her charm; she
| always had new sutors and all the
new clothes that were necessary to
set off her type.
That was it-they were all types
all except Elspeth She realized as
she stood there fighting with her
sense of futility, that she just wasn't
any type.
She was necessary, Of course; to
stayeat home and get trays ready to
see that the silver wasn't stolen and
to answer lhe telephone when Paul
Winsiow called ~ TO know if Caroline
was there
10 make sure her mothers papers
were all TWEED ready to read to the
Tuesday Morning club. and to make
Mollys new smocks.
It was so dark in the room now that
Elspoth fumbled about for match
and having lighted the lamp on tile
able, she saw the package still IN
opened )
She wondered why she had been so
excited over this package; Aunt En-
ma sent them few of her old things
every few rnOnths. Caroline usually
chose the best as her immemorial
right and Elspeth made them over.
By the time Janet and Molly had
chosen there was either nothing left
or, if there was. it was not worth
much. L
This time. however, the package
had come addressed to: .
MISS ELSPETH GREEN. ii
She shook out the folds of tissue h
PAPER and saw in one corner where if "
lad been crushed something delicateIy p
'ink and silver with tiny French flow m
RS and frail, cobwebby lace. In her L
land it looked more like the lining of til
sunset cloud than real frock.
She laid 1t down and went toward is
he kitchen. sa
Il believe I'm starved. that's what's vi
he matter with e." Elspeth told her In
elf firmly. WI
She had narketed that day so she WI
new the chops were thick, that the Oh
sttuce was hard and white and that co
he could make a cup Of coffee Gin a III
fly. pa
She paused in the dining room. and pc
zen smiling selfishly she set the table aSl
II two, put the candles on. with their or'
INK shades, brought out the white s"l
ates with their gold bands. and put J.,
bowl Of roses that had come last o.u
ght for Caroline in the center of the Vi
bile
Then she caught up the pink cloud
sc frock aud ran upstairs. 1t took I
II much longer than she expected to mel
ess. For she had to borrow Mollv's tina
nix slippers and Janet'S stockings. the
ID she had to Go her hair in that new put
~ with twist at the back to suit pro
Q frock. She had to powder her ing,
'nder white throat and try on those pro-
~ pearl earrings that Caroline had ity
ught last week. stiti
When at last she had slinped into won
9 pink frock she gasped at her own a m
lection She wasn't just Elspeth- due
t-the-kettle-on, but new, a strange lend
's"h VINO smiled back at her with or 5
ming eyes boys
she went down stairs slowly and won
hted the candles under their rosy At
'des, and put on the chops to broil. peri
smelt the delicious aroma of ,bon- men
coffee. trea
'he felt rather thrilled as though II then
re not really game she was play
with herself but as though she
re expecting some one and TIL
some one wanted to see her-not Aire,
oline or delicious Janet or short and
red Molly, but herself Neic
ct when the bell gave a Resembling and
lg, she was as frightened as pear,
ugh she were guilty of a crime. 1856.
It's you, Miss Elspeth," a man said show
all aloner Nav,