Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-02-04
THE Dali NOVELETTE,
The Beauty Contest
By MARIE LOUISE BUZZELL

The ladies OF the Parsonage Repair
Fund sat In solemn conclave in Mrs;
treasury being empty, they were thor.
Oughly discouraged. for the parsonage
was in a sad state OF disrepalr.
The case was briefly and plainly stated
by Ellen Raymonds terseiy uttered
sales-and cooked-food sales, till person
ally, I should be actually ashamed to
look even spawned horse gale IN the
face And meantime. tho ceiling In the
parsonage living room threatens to bury
the whole family under plastering at
any minute: the kitchen In a sight, and
as for the minister's study:-wellH' -
Mrs Skeffngton nodded agreement
that the parsonage was In a disgracefu'
"Mr. and Mrs. Wright have been sim
ply angelic to put up with II as long as
they have and something must be
done! I'll confess that I'm at a stand
still! But any one able to solve the
problem for us would receive the thanks
Of all Meadowville--andd deserve a halo !!
At this juncture there was a knock
the door opened, and Peace Arkwrighi
looked In with an apologize:
Pardon me--but as mother couldn't
come, she sent me to"
Mrs. SkeffIngton sprang UP. her face
heaming. -.
Peace Arkwright--" she cried, II
believe you're the very one TO help us
out Of bad predicament Listen =
and Peace listened attentively to the tale
OF woe, unfolded by the head OF the re:
pair fund; and at It's conclusion said
thoughtfully:
get up some kind OF an entertainment
that would bring In some money 1t
would have to be something entirely new
something you've never had--in order
to be a success - Then she added hesi;
tatingly, over in Shelbyville. they had
a beauty contest--all the prettiest girls
disguised, with just their faces showing
through one thickness of gauze, you
know-with young men for judges, who
paid five dollars apiece for the privilege
auctioned of kisses at two dollars each
and they made just stacks Of money.
Shocked CONSERVATION was depicted on
every face, and Ellen Raymond gasped :
affair-and anything like selling kisses
would bring dIscrcdit on the church.
and scandalize the whole town. No
that wouldn't do - decidedly.
Peace smiled demurely.
But haven't told you all, ladies,
and can't--nOt quite all But assure
you. won't bring diacredit on the
churCh-nor grieve dear Mr.. Wright.
With the entertainment, however. and
ice cream and cake. and plenty Of Miss
Raymond's delicious coffee" with an In.
gratiating SMILE 'and the sale of-er--
kisses and the money the judges would
pay for their lcenses--why, you ought
to realize enough to pay for the repairs.
Or II few dollars short, surely there
are enough carpenters. masons and
painters in town to help out without
charge"
Mrs. SkcTington faced her co-workers.
Ladies' she said Il believe II was
Providcnce-Instead Of her mother-that
sent Peace Arkwright here this after.
noon So Peace you just go ahead-for
I know ! can trust you 10 do what is
right And anyway I'm so fabber.
gasted over the whole thing, that guess
ia stand back OF you. even II you made
the minister kiss every girl In town
Instead OF selling candy kisses, YOU
rogue" she whispered. convinced that
she had guessed what Peace intended Ia
do. Peace said nothing but laughed 10
herself as she left the meeting
II was the evening Of the beauty con.
test. One hundred young men had cheer
fully paid i've dollars each for n
Judges" liccnsc-whIch also entitled