The Topeka state journal., 1921-12-31
Eoening Story
A New Leaf
BY BEssIE DOUGLAS.

'I am" said Melita with quiet de-
cision, "going to get married"
The girl on the couch opposite gave
a gurgle of astonishment.
''Melita! You! When?"
at don't think it's the most tactful
thing in the world to be so surprised" :"
Melita said slowly, because -
"Oh, I didn't mean it! That is, I
never expected you. Why you're such
a good business woman and you never
look at a man ard"
you mean a man never looks at
me-" .Melita Post said bit wistfully.
ooh, my dear, you're sweet thing
and all that, but you're not exactly a
mans girl"
I'm going to be, tho. You'll see!"
'When do you begin?"
az shall begin on New Years-to-
morrow night at your dinner"
Nellie Griffith shook out her f;ufLy
skirt, ran her hands thru her bobbed
light hair, and, catching up her hat,
iammed it on nonchalantly as she
turned to the door.
wish you luck" was all she vouch-
safed.
When she was alone Melita stood up
with that same air of resolute decision
hair. Thick, straight hair that was
brushed smoothly back from her fore
head and twisted into a single coil be-
hind fell to her waist. With some
thing like fierceness she pulled Oft her
tailored skirt, her severe blouse and
stood in her little fringed petticoat
looking with disgust at the white face
that stared back at her.
Quickly she went to the door, locked
it softly and then pulled open her
bottom bureau drawer.
She laid a sleeveless black frock
with deep cut V on the bed, then,
on hands and knees, she drew from
their hiding place a lip pencil, a pair
of green earrings with swinging loops,
high carved comb with sparkle OF
green and brilliant jade colored Slip
pers and stockings.
With the same concentration that
she lent to her office work, she bent
over the picture of May Airline, the
.movie actress, and, studying the folds
of waved hair on the actress head,
she began to twist and torture her
own hair into something like a copy.
Her arms ached and she took down
her hair Haree times in despair before
the result she desired grew into shape.
When she had slipped into the sleeve
less frock and felt the earrings swing
against her cheek as she moved, she
looked at herself. The old Melita still
gazed at her from the pitiless mirror
until she lifted the lip pencil and
made her lips into a soft red bow that
Knocked from her white face. Just
tiny shadow under the eyes and she
would be thru.
She stood watching herself with her
heart palpitating, dropped her eye
lashes, lifted them as she had seen
Nellie do with greatest effect, smiled
back over her shoulder, and blew a
kiss with airy affectation from the
palm of her hand.
''Disgusting!" she said, suddenly
flinging herself down in a chair. 81
won't go thru all those tricks
and"
She stopped. Wasn't it worth go
ing thru all those studied wiles for
the sake of a home of her own?
Melita visualized the very house
tiny and white with brilliant green
shutters, and polished bell-pull. She
walked thru the fresh rooms of hel
dreamhouse, sweet with flowers in
the blue bowls, watched the curtains
blowing in the breeze, Strengthened
the white and gold plates in the dining
room on the table set for two, and
| came back to reality with a painful
| jerk.
Miss Melita, Gennemen to see
youl" a voice called outside her door
h With something like horror she
remembered that Arthur Bridges had
said he would leave that brief of his
with her to be copied Arthur Bridges
the man who dictated letters to heI
every day and fed her work as tho she
were a weIl-oiled machine!
| i've got to have some practice,
| she Quavered and stood up suddenly
| icy of fingertip and fluttering Of
pulse.
She heard her footsteps ring dowr
| the uncarpeted stairs, she could al
most fancy they betrayed her fright
but when she pushed aside the por-
there's in her aunt's stiff sitting room
she was nerved to desperation.
How do you do, Miss Post.
brought you" then the man with the
broad shoulders and the grim facs
stopped suddenly and stared at her al
tho he had made a mistake.
Melita tilted her head back and
lifted her eyebrows.
"Oh, yes, that-that work. I never
think of work after it's all over" she
said in a voice that shook in spite o.
her.
The grim young man in the char
by the window made no move. how
ever, to go.
Melita, leaning forward. so that tbs
earrings dangled audaciously. lifteC
the cigarette box from the table at he
side. She passed it to him silentl!
and chose one herself, lighting it will
fingers that were none too steady
and took a. slight puff that alnaos
strangled her.
Il won't keep you if you're goini
out"
Just to dinner MeIita said airil.
with a sideways glance at the door
She almost fancied she had heard he
aunt's step in the hall. She was quit
aware that the man opposite wa
studying her from the flash of he
sparkling comb to her really exquisit
i ankles.
Miss POST he said abruptly, I'm
going to say something for whicl
you'll never thank me, but I've go
to say it. You've been working 70
me now for almost a year. I admire,
everything about you, your dignit
and your quiet charm and your diff
ference from other women. It Away
rested me to come into the office t
see you, and yet you were always s
laloof. I-I-youll think me an awfu
bOnOdeI- bIIf I wish I nOnid think n