The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1921-09-15
AlICE'S BLUE GOWN
~ mlxpAH p. sUcklsoHAm


hut. Lloyd. doat you like ~ Isn't
Il becomlngf"
Allte turned around In Imitation Of
the style-show m,nnlkins. displaying
TO It's best advantage tho limited
glories Of her new blue wolfe dress II
was a pretty dress. and becoming. TO
be sure. but Il lacked the something
that well that Vera DemmLngs
oIo,ips had
She had heard u sll her lifs-hov
80 many marriages were unhappy be
cause men lost interest Ia their wives
when they became careless about their
appearance aud Indifferent 10 styles
So Alice tried ioubly hard 20 look her
best. but II seemed that lloyd was ~
different" he never "enthused" about
her appearance Why didn't he call
hs peach" "classy" and such
uhingsI Jus, 10 win some word of
praise from him she had worked late
the night before % fnish the blue
dress 10 wear today 20 the shore party
where they. with the other members
Of the Paving Avenue club. hal BEEN
invited 10 visit, Mrs Carriers summer
home
"You bet. It's pre,tisr than any.
thing Vera ever had"
The answer was all that she could
have hoped for. but some way q hurt
for Alice knew II wasn't true and be-
lisved Lloyd said Il just 10 pleas. her.
because she expected him 90. Oh N
he would only rave abou, her the way
fellows were supposed 20
why. my little grille. what's the
mstter1 Have ! gone ani saii the
wrong thing again. or course you
look nicc-you always look nice. to
me-"
"Yes-and I guess I do % other
folks. too. I'm tired of your being ~
quiet and never noticing" she hung
at him. and ran hastily w the beach
TO the cottage.
A plan Of action had already
formed IN Allce's mind. She had said
she didn't care. and she would show
Lloyd that she really didn't.
Not n bad looking object" either
was Carl Houghton. arrayei IN the
sportiest 81 white fannels ani-buf
his eye were what Alice noticed
What admiration she read IN them ss
she knew he was taking In every de
tail OF her dress.
"Oho. my sweet Alice OF the Alice
blue gown. why dost thou waste thy
by me and regard the laboring
classes. tolling for our suppers In yon
clam bed"
"fwould give me greater pleasure
than all other Joys combined Ia while
away the weary hours for thee" r.
piled Alice. lsuxhlngly. glad TO ind
that her purpose was so easily TO be
accomplished.
Yet somehow her eyes kept wan.
dering down 20 the shore. where she
could see that Lloyd was keeping
rather near Vera. and that he was en-.
joying the afternoon more than she
was. she felt sure. as the sound OF
their merry laughter came TO her
ears.
swell" she thought. Il guess he'll
see now that her sport satin Is pref
tier than my dress"
Soon the group passed from sight
behind the boathouse. and Alice felt
her spirits sinking lower as she saw
that Lloyd aud Vera were earnestly
engaged In conversation.
After that the afternoon seemed
long indeed. II was not until the
crowd came back 20 supper that she
enjoyed herself again.
Alice later was carrying things into
the pantry when she stopped sudden
ly by the window. Some one outside
was speaking and she overheard her
own name. She paused to listen and
recognized Carts voice.
But. Vera" he was saying. Il
didn't say that Alice looked better
than you DO I only saii she had on
a very neat dress. one much more sp-
propriate TO an outing Ike this than
yours. OF course dldn't mean that
about Alice. because you always look
nice. 20 me"
The familiar sound Of those words
made Alice smile as she went on with
her work. Perhaps 10 was a tired.
sad little smile. for when Lloyd came
rushing into the kitchen a moment
later he exclaimed.
"why. sweetheart-whats the mat.
tG-all tired outr Where's veraf
Did she go and leave you alone with
all this work. 'Frald OF spelling her
skirt again probably"
Maybe. but I noticed that that
same skirt seemed rather attractive
10 you this afternoon" Alice replied.
sarcastically.
satin. was III Humph. ! didn't
notice what Il was. All know 10
she put In q pretty unhappy after
noon on account of Il. She was bub-
bling over with her troubles. She
aud Carl had some kind u quarrel"
$50 you took upon yourself the very
unpleasant task of hsart-healer. or
something. I suppose"
Alice. be sensible. You and Carl
seemed TO be- getting along rather
Ii - ali Ill