The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1922-05-17
Another
Girl
BY LAURA


g. 1922. by Mcclure Newspaper syndicate.
Ruth held her cheap little purse
lightly as the elevated train hurried
ner down to the shopping district. She
1ad saved for a long, long time to get
he $50 together, but she felt that the
occasion warranted the skinny lunch
cons and countless self-denials that
1ad been necessary.
She had not seen Donald Wingert
since he had gone West the day after
they had both been graduated from
nigh school. He had written her say
.ng that he would spend Sunday in
Chicago and would call to take her to
The park.
Il suppose" she dreamed, her IN
seeing gaze fastened earnestly on a
eattered bear that stood jauntily on
he roof of a furrier's shop, that
Donald will be exacting after travelling
so much. l suppose that even this
taffeta gown that seems so wonderful
to me will be very ordinary to him.
| wish 1 could buy some gray silk
stockings and high-heeled pumps TO go
with 1t, but the dress alone will al
most break me up" Her disparaging
glance fell upon her trim tan shoes
with their steady heels and neat-but-
toned straps. "I-" Her thoughts
snapped off as a plump, elderly lady
with a large, benevolent ~countenance
smiled at her and sank down into the
seat beside the girl.
$50 glad to see some one from
home," pufred the newcomer Il have
been meaning to call you up, but, as
usual, I've been so busy begging and
trying to get my missionary box ready
that"
rs the box full?" asked Ruth
dreamily. She had always donated
something to the box at home and she
wondered what she could spare.
"Full?" exploded the other. Eyes,
full. Full of tattered party dresses
with the trains cut off, old motor caps
with goggles attached and broken
glasses, moth-eaten suits with the
buttons hacked off and the fur collars
removed, leaving the lining out. My
dear, you'd hardly believe 1t, but n
wealthy woman sent her chauffeur in
with q broken umbrella full of holes.
She had tied her visiting card to the
handle and had written underneath :;
Good luck to the young missionary
bride. 1t Is more blessed to give than
to receive, and l send this along glad
lyr"
Good gracious, gasped Ruth. The
word bride had brought 4 soft, an
ticipatory look into her shy face. us
the box for a bride? She will prob
ably have what she needs most"
"She did have a cheap but adequate
outfit, but in getting down to the
steamer for Calcutta the cheap little
trunk got lost. We are afraid that
she won't get damages for it. In some
way it seems TO have BEEN carelessness
!; m The part OF the expressman. and
<l1 n3f1 El&y. that
Z fy1oY an has only the Clothes She was
wearing. and her n nice Dress thin
frock for church wear in that hot place
is gone.
"What she needs, most are morning
aprons, thin underwear, a shady hat
she wore a tight turban with her serge
suit on %shipboard, and here the good
woman sighed-"what nj one will give,
n cool pretty muslin of some kind.
Her husband had counted on her nice
appearance to get the children to love
her, but if she has to wear the dis.
carded party dress of vivid green
tulle, torn and spotted, or the red vel
vet knee-length atrocity covered with
battered sequins that came in this
morning, I guess the heathens won't
have much on her"
When Ruth looked over the adver-
tised dresses she found that they out-
"distanced her hopes. One in partfcu-
lar was stunning. Blue silk with smart
touches of gray-and-white braiding
and an adorable vestee of sheer m
%broidered stuff suited her exactly.
Conventional enough for the street yet
suitable for any place that she would
be likely to wear 1t, and only $50.
Yet, as she looked at herself in the
great triple mirror, another form
seemed to fit in and blot out the
smart coat-dress. The face Of the Sec
ond girl was filed with pregnant dis
appointment at the sorry trick fate
had played upon her.
The dainty little wedding gown that
had been stitched full of girlish hopes
that she had planned to wear to Sun
day school to meet her young charges
had vanished and in its place the slim
hands clutched a horror of faded. gro
tesque finery about her. "She could
wear her suit skirt" argued Futh,
looking pitifully at the dream figure
her thoughts had so uncomfortably
conjured into the shop mirror.
mot in that climate reminded her
conscience grimly, 'the heat of this
Saturday afternoon in a temperate
zone ought to tell you that"
What did you say, dearle?" cooed
the shopgirl. patting the ear buns that