The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-07-13
Elspeth-P ut-the-
Kettle-On
BY JESSIE DOUGLAS

M Elspeth undid the package with
s6ngers that trembled. She had come
- the second knot and was working
xainstakingly when Molly thrust her
Nnrly head in at the door.
"Were off, E, dear. Put the key
nder the mat If we're not home till
to- And do put something on tray
Tor us to eat when we get home. The
Nsareys are delightful, but one never
tets enough TO eat there"
SM The door slammed after Molly and
,tanet Elspeth worked on over the
S&tubbOrn knot.
HIM "If any one telephones me, say I've
zone to TrevOr's," Caroline said draw
ing on her pearl-clasped glove slowly. |
ii N Elspeth stopped until she heard the |
&oor close softly. She was alone. as
Usual
a She stood staring at the room gray
ing in the twilight, forgetting her
package, forgetting everything, in
fact, but the situation she faced.
ss There was something the matter
Nth her. that was sure. Molly, the
youngest, with her short curls and her
iEny smocks, studied art and talked Of
sstechnique" and "line" and "cOlOr" as
though they belonged exclusively to
her. Janet, just a year older. was en-
Gaged 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 suitOrs and all the
new clothes that were necessary to
Get off her type.
M That was it-they were all types;
all except Elspeth. She realized, as
she stood there fighting with her
sense of futiity, that she just wasn't
any type.
She was necessary. of course; to
stay at home and get trays ready, to
see that the silver wasn't stolen and
to answer The telephone when Paul
WinslOw called up to know If Caroline
was there.
To make sure her mothers papers
were all typed ready to read to the
Tuesday Morning club and to make
Nolly's new smocks.
x 1t was so dark in the room now that
Elspeth funb led about for match
and, having lighted the lamp on the
table, she saw the package still I'M
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 immemoria
right and Elspeth made them over
BY the time Janet and Molly hat
chosen there was either nothing lef
or, If there was, it was not wOrtl
much.
This time, however, the package
had come addressed to:
MISS EI.SPETH GREEN.
She shook out the folds of TISSUE
paper and saw in one corner where l
had been crushed something delicatel,
pink and silver with tiny French flow
ers and frail, cobwebby lace. In he
hand it looked more like the lining o
Z sunset cloud than a real frocK.
She laid it down and went towar
the kitchen.
II believe I'm starved, that's what
the matter with me !" Espeth told hel
Oelf firmly.
She had marketed that day so sh
knew the chops were thick, that til
lettuce was hard and white and tha
she could make a cup OF coffee in
fifty.
She paused in the dining room, an
then smiling seltishly she set the tabl
for two. put the candles on. with the
pink shades. brought out the whit
plates with their gold bands, and pl
bowl of roses that had come Ia.
night for Caroline in the center Of tt
table.
Then she caught up the pink clou
like frOck aud ran upstairs. 1t toe
her much longer than she expected
dress. For she had to borrow Molly
pink slippers and Janet's stocking
and she had to do her hair In that ne
way with twist at the back to su
the frock. She had to powder h
BENDER white throat and try on tho
tiny pearl earrings that Caroline BIZ
Bought last week.
When at last she had slipped In
The pink frock, she gasped at her ov
reflection. She wasn't Just Elspet
put-the-kettle-O but a new, a stran
person who smiled back at her wi
Shining eyes,
She went down stairs slowly al
lighted the candles under their 70
Shades and put on the chops to bro
md smelt the delicious aroma of DO
sing coffee.
She felt rather thrilled as though
were not really game she was pla
Ing with herself but as though S
were expecting some one a
the some one wanted to see her-n
Caroline or delicious Janet or sho
slaired Molly, but herself.
Yet when the bell gave resOundi