The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-05-18
Eoening Story
Observation-Disclosures
BY JESSIE DOUGLAS.

/
tie the second knot and was working
painstakingly when Molly thrust her
curly head in at the door.
Were off, Ell, dear. Put the key
under the mat if we're not home till
late. And do put something on a tray
Careys are delightful, but one never
| gets enough to eat there"
The door slammed after Molly and
Janet. Elspeth worked on over the
stubborn knot.
IF any one telephones me, say I've
gone to Trevor's," Caroline said draw
ing on her pearl-clasped glove slowly.
/ Elspeth stopped until she heard the
door close softly. She was alone, as
usual.
| She stood staring at the room gray
ing in the twilight, forgetting her
package, forgetting everything, in fact,
but the situation she faced.
There was something the matter
with her, that was sure. Molly, the
youngest, with her short curlS and her
gay smocks studied art and talked of
| technique" and Zine and color as
tho they belonged exclusively to her.
Janet, just year older. was engaged
to Jim Corey, and nothing else ex-
listed 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 set
|
That was it-they were all types;
all except Elspeth. She realized, as
she stood there fighting with her sense
of futility, 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.
| n 10
were all typed ready to read to the
| Tuesday Morning club, and to make
| MollyS new smocks.
| 1t was so dark in the room now
! that Elspeth fumbled about for a
match and, having lighted the lamp
on the table, she saw the package still
unopened.
/ She wondered why she had been so
excited over this package; Aunt Emma
sent them few of her old things
chose the best as her immemorial
right and EIspeth made them over.
! BY the time Janet and Molly had
chosen there was either nothing left
or. if there was, it was not worth
much.
/ This time, however, the package had
| come addressed to:
l. MISS ELSPETH GREEN.
| She shook out the folds of tissue
| paper and saw in one corner where it
/ mad been crushed something delicately
pink and silver with tiny French flow
ers and frail, cobwebby lace. In her
/ hand it looked more like the lining of
! a sunset cloud than real frock
| She laid it down and went toward
the kitchen.
81 believe I'm starved, that's what's
| the matter with metz Elspeth told
| herself firmly.
She had marketed that day SO she
knew the chops were thick, that the
lettuce was ID and white and that
she could H.. - a cup of coffee in
I jiffy.
/ She paused in the dining room, and
then smiling elfishly she set the table
/ for two, put the candles on, with their
| pink shades, brought out the white
| plates with their gold bands, and put
a bowl of roses that had come last
night for Caroline in the center of the
table.
Then she caught up the pink cloud
like frock and ran upstairs. 1t took
her much longer than she expected to
dress. For she had to borrow Mollys
pink slippers and Janet's stockings
and she mad to do her hair in that
| new way with a twist at the back to
suit the frock. She had to powder
her slender white throat and try on
those tiny pearl earrings that Caroline
had bought last week.
When at last she had slipped into
the pink frock, she gasped at her own
reflection. She wasn't just Elspeth-
put-the-kettle on, but a new. a strange
person who smiled back at her with
shining eyes.
She went down stairs slowly and
lighted the candles under their rosy
shades, and put on the chops to broil,
and smeIt the delicious aroma of boil
ing coffee.
She felt rather thrilled as tho It
| were not really a game she was play
ing with herself, but as tho she were
expecting some one and
the some one wanted to see her-not
Caroline delicious Janet or short
| haired Molly. but herself.
Yet when the bell gave a resound-
ing clang. she was as frightened as
tho she were guilty Of a crime.
It's you, Miss E1speth,' a man
said. and all alone?'
''Why, yes; Caroline is out and she
said to tell you, mean, to tell any
one who came for her. she
stopped, blushing and embarrassed.
But won't you ask me to come and
see you awhile? I may, mayn't ~"
Paul Winslow's deep, pleasant voice,
his laughing blue eyes. caught her
heart and twisted it as they had from
the first time she had seen him. But
she said, in her quietest voice with
out the hint of surprise in it: Dol I
believe Caroline will
But I should like to see youi" he
, insisted, and then catching a look at
the dining room with its pink shaded
candles he exclaimed: What? A
party"
II mo, T.
Just then Elspeth picked up her
skirts and ran, for she heard the
gurg1ing of the coffee as 1t dubbed
out of the mouth of the coffee pot
, and sizz1ed and blew.
81 say. you haven't had dinner yet
st-I'm sorry, I didn't rea1ize@'
Wont you have dinner with me"
/. ElSDeth turned to ask
AS he hesitated she begged, I'D
, hate to sit down alone and it would
be so nice
you don't need to beg me, I never
get a square meal in that place where
: I board-here, I'll mix the mayon-
naise," he commanded.
In a few minutes the dinner was on