, 1921-12-22
Patricia's
Happy Day
BY MARTHA McWILLIAMS

"'hiStt one VI IdlIICld Love, MILO
answered vaguely: Pm just wonder
dering."
wondering about what?" from the
cleric.
on! whether it's more fun to be rich
or-wicked," from Patricia, solemn
ly. Deep down she was laughing hard.
She was given. you see, to laughing at
most things and people-herself no
barred. Her beaux, especially, Abe
1t she was outwardly the pink and pat
tern Of civility. were each and several,
Merry Andrews of sorts.
Possibly because she lacked Illusions
regarding them. They were keen to
marry. not h girl she was, but the
one who could bring to them her IA
Tiers prestige, hard clear vision, and
influence, no to name a thing so ma
terial and gross as money. After that
you will understand why Brother Dor
set, after trying vainly to look very
much shocked. compromised with his
cloth II his conscience by answer
ing: Il doubt If you ever have the
chance to find out. Rich you are
wicked you nev could be-"
Not so sure about that myself Pa
tricia flung back at him. ~ had q
blissful time once being worse thar
l ever dreamed l could be. Even yet
remembering it l get thrills"
Tell me about it p the minister said.
He was not merely a minister, not even
merely a man. Rather a human be-
Ing of all-around equipment. who took
souls for granted and set about the
saving of them with zest and diligence.
Intelligent, but not intellectual, earn
est, honest, ardent, sincere in love of
God and man, he swayed and led his
flock by the force of example, rather
than the weight of reasoning.
Patricia puzzled him even as she
was puzzled by him. Three months
In the parish, he yet had shown no
trace of adding himself to her list of
victims. At first she had been rather
relieved-to have had him signing for
her openly would have made the
other women, old n young, hate her
more than Eel They were none so
kindly affectionated toward her, even
without special cause-though their
| sDlltIul sayings IOlltu III ntI Us wa
ter from a ducks back, it was on the
whole, %pleasanter to keep terms of
reasonable amity. But when time
made no change in Dorset, Patricia
was a trifie piqued. He ought at the
least to find her refreshing. In that she
did not lay herself out for his en-
thrallment. as did almost all the 9TH
ers.
at is too bad to tell-almost," she
said, smiling roguIshly. But, remem-
Der, / was five, motherless, mighty bad
ly spoiled and just through having the
mumps. Mumps alone, as 1 recall 1t.
is enough to excuse any of the seven
deadly sins. You hate yourself for
having anything so loathing-and If you
dare look at yourself, never do you
quite regain vanity enough to be
healthy. Add that Aunt Lucy was
with us for a time-a try-out to see If
she could stand that awful child
meaning me. She seemed to be stand
ing 1t beautifully-but 1 was not stand
ing her at all. She dyed her hair,
and wore young, frilly clothes-the
pinks and blues and yellows l longed
for. and was forbidden to have"
"You were excusable, no matter
what you did" Dorset interrupted.
She flashed him a side glance, and
went on: Don't be rash Wait and
hear. She had a tea fight one after
noon-I wanted to take part In 1t. She
wouldn't let me, because I had laid
down kicking and screaming for an
hour to prevent my hair being curled.
1t was yellow then. and right pretty,
/ fancy. That is-as 1t grew. The
company saw 1t different stopping
with an elfn smile.
"You dyed 1t, / suppose" Dorset
commented. Patricia nodded. Eyes,
also my hands and face, and most OF
my fine white dress. She insisted on
white for small children, as though 1
did not feel more grown up than I
thought she was. You see. she nagged
and quarreled with servants, and was
mean about money-things | can't
abide. made free with all her make
up-even put on her false curls at one
side, carried her best p%arasol and fan,
and tralled her lace shawl behind me
Before she saw me | got to the middle
| of the room. bobbed my head and said
listen, people. I'm Miss Patricia
Love, and all OF you come to see me
tomorrow-come to dinner. I'll have
Ice cream
"Then she swooped on me and
tried TO carry me out. i scratched
her face and kicked so hard she
dropped me and crumpled down all In
n heap. Daddy came and took me
upstairs. and said he ought to punish
me-. / think he ought to have done
it-now. I didn't then. and he didn't.
Maybe he hadn't the heart. II took the
dye q month to wear Off me, and had
to stay strictly at home until | was a
white child once more. And fair time.
with everybody going. md my PRINCESS