Daily picayune., 1921-01-11
A Double
 Love Story By MOLlIE MATTER.
Copyright )

to her. Twenty-Five dollars, Aessle thought, should be enough to buy the finest coat, and she was in need or coat. Indeed, the thin little suit which had been her last years pur- chase was all insufficient against win try winds, and neither indoors nor out did poor Tessie know the luxury of warmth.
 So the girl was now alone In the world, alone that is, except for Fred eriek. Frederick hoped to marry her when his salary should be raised. and 1t was especially because of Freder- ick that Tessie longed for the tan coat with the fur collar. Frederick ad- mired this coat in the store window, when he and Tessie fingered on their walks. Frederick would buy her coat like that some day, he said, and she would Hook like princess in It.
 Tessie wished to look like princess now, that her lover might be proud or her; so painstakingly and seif-sacri- ficingly she saved the twenty-five dol- lars. There was no price tag on the cloak in the window. and Tessie knew many diScouraging fears, but on the night of the biting snow storm she turned resolutely into the store; she must have some kind of coat at once, even if her hope was to be destroyed. The desired coat had become to her almost an obsession, she gloried in dreams of it's lining. And when the radiator In her upper bedroom re- mained as cold as her own hands, Tes- sic would draw the old woolen shawl about her shoulders and think of that warm fur collar. She felt strangely abashed as she entered the earpeted cloak department in the presence of the stately modish young woman who seemed almost pityingly to await her demands. Tessies faded little suit glared out it's shabbiness in all that grandeur of newness. CouraceouSly, she approached one Of the attendant young women. 'I would like, she said frankly. ito see a tan cloak with a fur collar, can only pay twenty five dollars"
 The young woman continued her work of asserting cloaks.
 We have nothing like that for s25.0o she answered brusquely.
 But there was a coat in the win dow" TeSsie began. she could not so easily dispose of her hope With a shake of her head. the young woman moved on to a more promising GUS toner. Then. as Tessie stood hesitat- ing and deiected, a second young wom- an came around the display table. The dress she wore was black and simply made her soft brown haIr waved naturally over her ears. she had the same calmly superior manner of the others which had inspired Tessie with uncomfortable awe. But the face of this young woman who accosted her with a pleasant question, was pale and tired. Tessie thought and her dark eyes showed sympathetic inter- est. Quickly Tessie responded to that interest "Perhaps.' she suggested, "you might be able to find warm tan coat for me with a fur collar like the one in the window can only pay twenty-five dollars. You see, have sayed-that much"
 "BHt twenty-five dollars Is good deal for a coat. isn't it?"
 "Sometmes," the pale faced young woman answered gently. twenty-five dollars is good deal If you will sit down for few moments l will see abont the coat in the window"
 The sparkles came back again to Tessie's eyes. the kindly voice was so req assnring. And presently the young woman returned with a man bearing the coveted cloak on his arm. and when the man found that the cloak fitted perfectly Tessies slight figure. he carried if away only long enough to fold it in square box, and the purchase was made for twenty-five dollars As Tessie was lovingly bear ing her burden toward the elevator she turned with sudden impulse back to the young woman of the sym- pathetic eyes.
 I'm so grateful to you" Tesse said, flor taking the trouble" The tiredness of the young woman's face seemed to vanish in her smile.
 ''It has been a pleasure to be able to do it for you" she said. Then as Tessie went happily on her way to Took like princess" for Frederick, the young woman slipped back into dressing room strewn with fur trimmed dresses, and here she regained the hat which she had left there when she tried the dresses on, and when she emerged again out into the cloak room, big man grayely faced her.
 "AnG so Marion" he said, "this is really you whom I meet for the first time tonight. As you came to the as- sistance of that shabby little creature I sat waiting for you just behind the mirror. I had called at your home and they said I should find you here. So heard all that passed and realized that you were playing the part of rtarly ttct Ionn tn l.s