Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1921-12-02
ROMPERS
BY AGNES C. o c


m 1921. sy Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate
Fanchon paused as she turned the
oages of her new pattern book and
.eo ysd ike one bewitched. 1t was the
Dicture of q chubby boy which caught
her eve. and the boy was wearing a
c%antivating suit of rOmpers. At least
that was the name the fashion book
gaye to the illustrated article of APP
nareL Fanchon smiled, delighted.
irhe boys yellow hair was just the
color Of the pale pictured material
while the blue of his appealing eyes
matched exactly the rompers' bind
,ne. de was a lovely boy. A ~softness
came TO the young woman's beautiful
evss as she studied the pattern.
Softness was foreign to FanchOn's
usual laughing style. She had laughed
her way through many difficulties and
had Knocked at barriers high. So
that now, in a brave yet Indifferent
sort Of way, she had reached her
present success in the business world
of the great strange city. For Fan
chon had come from across the wide
waters, and the home that sheltered
her childhood was on the far-away
hills of France. But that time, too,
was far away and half forgotten.
This Mademoiselle Fanchon was a
charming creature, with pleasures
ever coming to seek her favor. "A
dainty, lovely doll Of a woman, in
whom as yet the. most persistent ad-
mirer had failed to discover a heart.
Now Fanchon bent over the picture,
and all at once in a rush of impulsive-
ness she vas bending over her cutting
table, and pale soft material was in
her hands. She hummed gaily as she
sought out blue facings and laughed
a little happy laugh as she eagerly
started the stitching. A dimple popped
out In her olive-cream cheek at
thought of common rompers displayed
in the "Fanchon Shop" Then she
suddenly decided that the rompers
never would be displayed. They were
one of her fancies-she could not tell
Just why this fancy so deeply held
her, but the rompers would be laid
away in the square mahogany box I'M
til some little boy might be found,
perhaps, to suit them. For he must
have yellow curls, this boy, to receive
Fanchon's gift, and eyes wide and
blue. She held the garment up when
1t was finished and triumphed over 1t,
then whimsically folded 1t away.
Lucille called for her later to take
her to dinner. Fanchon's merry COM
panionship was cheering in her own
Announcements. But as the w
passed out through the street door a
pathetic picture greeted them. A
small boy very shabby as to knees
end elbows, and very dirty as to face
and hands, bent a~nxiously over a
PROSTATE yellow dog in he street be-
fore them.
"a car hit Tige," he sobbed in an
swer to Fanchon's quick questioning.
1.-THE dog is not badly hurt" a mar
nearby assured her.
The child looked up hopefully into
the young woman's sympathetic face.
"Please," he begged, "carry Tfge up
stairs for me-"
Laughingly Fanchon waved her
friend aside. "Good-by Lucille" she
said. "You know me; I will have to
do as Sonny says"
The elevator stopped at the ninth
floor of the building. 1t was there
that the boy told her his father lived.
Fanchon In her silks and furs obedi-
emily followed into the room, the lame
dog In her arms. And as the two en-
tered the disordered apartment, a
man with rumpled hair as yellow as
the small boys own, and blue eyes as
frank and as young in their gaze
looked up, confused at the invasion.
He was sewing, Fanchon noticed,
clumsily sewing with q darning needle
upon some article Of childish apparel.
But when the man arose at his young
sons abrupt Introduction, his man
ner was approvedly courteous, and
his grateful smile most winning.
SLOW kind" he thanked Fanchon,
ITO come to the relief IT my little boy.
He is sadly neglected these days. we
seem to have difficulty In holding our
housekeepers. Dickie Boys mother
died when he was born"
When the yellow dog was mace
comfortable upon a cushion the maj
came back again to find the artist OF
fine needlework shaking her head
sadly wei his bungled mending.
you see," he apologetically ex-
planned "Dickie Boy pokes his knees
and elbows through fhe things about
as fast as / can Jew them up. Some
Z time We hope to be prosperous enough
to have on hand an unlimited supply
of clothing, but now" Dickie Boys
father sighed. mend 'em every night
when l come home" he said.
Fanchon's black eyes were dancing.
Wait a moment" she cried, n ran
n1f 49,, - 1lA