The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-01-06
The Woman
He Married
NAN PAYS FOR A MODEL.
BY JANE PHELPS
CHAPTER "a.

scarcely knew myself as 1 looked
into the mirror. Could that stylish
looking creature gazing back at me
be I,
1T is perfect" Mildred said, while
Madame, with many shrugs of her
shoulders and quick little nervous
gestures, assured me it was ravish-
ing.
..How much is this dress ?" I man
aged to ask at last, my eyes still on
my own reflection in the mirror
so cheap for Madame Williams
Felice answered, her hands out
stretched in a gesture of depreciation,
as if the price she had put upon the
gown was not worth mentioning,
"only s14O."
THAT is Crit cheap" Mildred whis-
pered when someone called Madame
away for a moment You must have
it. 1t is stunning with that hat, too.
So you won't have to buy one to go
with it,
Madame Felice returned just then
and Mildred gave her my address,
and told her to rush the few altera-
went out to the motor in a perfect
daze. One hundred and forty dollars
for one dressi What would Dick say
whensI told him? He would have TO
even a hat that one could pretend to
have trimmed. He would know at
once that the dress was an expensive
one. 1t looked money.
Yet not even the fear of Dicks dis
pleasure could spoil my delight in the
lovely gown. Long after he was
asleep that night I lay wide awake
wondering how I was to get up cour-
age to tell him, yet not sorry I had
purchased the gown, I was "a wo-
man, 1 loved pretty things, and both
Mildred and Madame Felice had said
T
Finally 1 fell asleep and dreamed
that the dress came, and Dick
wouldn't let me keep it, and that he
advertised in all the newspapers in
the world that he would pay no debts
of mine. But when / awoke 1 soon
forgot my unpleasant dream in antici-
patton of Clara's surprise when she
saw my dress, and in thoughts of its
becomingness.
had not returned home in time
to see Clara that afternoon. 1 had
stopped for Junior when L went in.
and promised to see her the first
thing in the morning and tell her all
1 had seen at Madame Felice's shop.
The dress came before my work was
finished. I opened the box and lifted
the tissue paper. then stood looking
down at it as it lay folded SO that the
exquisite embroidery was the first
thing to catch the eye. Presently 1
undressed and put it on. Even here,
in my simple home, it gave me an
elegance 1 never had noticed before.
pirouetted around the room, much
to Juniors delight. Then 1 called to
Clara:
"Come right up, have something to
show you"
She came almost Immediately. /
opened the door so she could walk
right in, then stood waiting. Her gasp
of admiration was so genuine that l
laughed gleefully.
Where in the world-its wonder
full. Nan. And you are simply stun
ming in it. Why, you look like a mil
lion dollars!"
st fell that way, too. You really
like it. don't you? 1 was horribly eX-
travagant."
Like it, I am blue with envy. Nan
Williams, you should always wear the
right clothes. You are too good look
ing not to-
1 laughed again, then put on my
hat to show her how nicely it looked
with the dress. Then after admiring
myself a little longer, and listening to
her batteries, I took it off, hung it in
work dress 1 sat down and gave Clara
a minute description of the different
dresses and wraps 1 had seen.
How much did your dress cost? ?"
she asked before she left.
81 hardly dare tell you-$140! Isn't
it an awful price,"
"Nc-not for that dress. But has
Dick seen it?''
''No, he doesn't know thing about
it. l am frightened to death to tell
him what it cost"
Don't them Tell him it cost 1925"
81 think I will. 1t doesn't sound so
extravagant as $40"
So once more I not only had ex-
travagantly wasted Dicks money, but
was planning again to deceive him.
(Tomorrow-New acquaintances.)