The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-02-10
E0ening Story
The Girl in Red.

eyed, but as she grew older she had
learned to dread the laughter that
sometimes greeted her. Irene loved
color. Flaming tints, bizarre ar
engagements of color combinations that
no one else had dared, fascinated
her. She had been submitting cover
designs to the magazines for years,
but, as her brothers gibingly informed
her, she had yet to make single
sale. Her paints were exceedingly
costly, for the colors she used were
invariably the most expensive.
/ IF you'd spent your allowance on
your clothes instead of paints you'd
look a lot better" observed Fred,
staring at the paint-stained frock and
untidy hair.
Irene looked from the startling pic
ture in her hand to her brothers face:
Don't you like it bit?" she inquired,
a somewhat beaten expression creep
ing into her eyes.
Fred's haunting air dropped from
him. This was the first time Irene
had ever looked as tho she thought
defeat a probability. It'll tell you,
Irene" he began crisply, you are
too one-sided. No one can slave at
| best work. If you devoted even five
hours a day to your painting and the
rest to recreation, getting fresh view
points and becoming rested, you
| would do lot better. 1 think you
| have talent, but I don't believe you'll
, ever in this world make good the way
you're rushing at it You have to be
a bit alI-around to get the best out
| of life, you know"
Then you don't think this good ?"
nervously she pushed back wisp of
| curly black hair, and her hand left a
smear OF violent blue paint near her
| left eye which failed to improve her
appearance.
Annoyed by her unkempt look and
| trembling mouth, Fred scowled: mo.
created it. l suppose you are not
going to honor us by attending the
| dance at the country club?"
Irene stared down at her picture
and then rushed from the room: NO
body cares" she wept when she had
I reached her room, that was redolent
of ancient paints.
Daisy tapped at the door and then
pushed it open. She carried cup of
tea, and the very sight of the frail
blue china and the tiny sandwiches
refreshed Irene. "Say, Irene" re
marked the younger sister sensibly,
\ drink this and slip into an evening
| frock and come with us. I believe
Fred is right, altho he is such a crab !;
if you go about a bit and eat properly
you'd go back to work feeling more
fit
Irene pushed back her hair a sec
| ond time, and Daisy began to laugh
as the scarlet decorated the tired face.
IT am too tired to dress she began,
but her sister interrupted her.
Drink this tea and take your time
in dressing. We're not going until
| half-past o'clock and you'll have
plenty of time"
Fred stared as he saw Irene coming
down the wide black oak stairway
! She certainly looked like a different
] ri RI To-.
gave flush on either cheek that was
| becoming. Her black hair was caught
up in curly knot on the top Of her
! head and she had secured it with an
| old carved black comb with a high
| top. Her frock was an old one-Irene
wasted little time on shopping-but it
! was vastly becoming, vivid red chif-
( fon that brought out the soft black of
| her velvety eyes. Gee. sis. you look
| like somebody now" declared Fred
you know how to dress yourself if
you can't dress your impossible slant
| eyed maidens. You" he screwed his
eyes as tho inspecting picture, Tack
something, tho. Haven't you a black
FAM"
Irene, refreshed by the delicious tea.
would think of a black fan because
my eyes are dark. Seer and she
/ brought her. left hand, which had
| been behind her. out with a flourish
! Tn huge feather fan of brilliant blue
| gave a touch of the bizarre to her cos
time that was exquisite Fred hated
] to be effusive, but he really admired
| his sister at that moment. She looked
so tender and feminine, with her
| cloudy, curly hair about her face IF
you painted picture of that staircase
with pretty girl coming down in that
dress it might not be so bad" he said
, slowly.
All evening Fred's words fingered
in the girls mind. He seldom praised
his sisters, and his words gave her an
| idea. If she stopped trying so ear
nestly for something different, if she
painted what she knew, she might
| achieve something. She had been try
| ing to do ideals that no one under
stood, and no one had paused to try
to unravel her meaning in the inpox-
sible tumble she had shaved upon.
| who is that girl in red ?" she over
| heard a stranger ask
She is an artist, and never knew
until tonight that she was a real girl"
/ reJoined Richard Grieg, a man whom
Irene had known for years and Sc
cretly admired. He was a man who
did things in the business world-a
success.
Richard danced four times with the
/ black-haired girl in red, and Daisy
leased her gayly as they drove home
4 in the moonlight. Guess 1 made a
4
dance" she. said. Fancy dancing
| four times with that wonderful Rich
/ ard Grieg.''
| The change from the paint-laden air
| TO the summer, flower-scented breeze
/ ana the recreation of the successful
| evening did Irene worlds of good.
! Moreover, her ideas had freshened and
I she went to work with a steady hand.
/ AS she sketched in the outlines for a
new cover her lips curved happily.
| After all, it was a pleasant thing to
! be a girl and wear pretty clothes.
/ She worked steadily until noon and
then went for a walk before luncheon.
/ At 3 o'clock she had finished her
! sketch, which she had done in water
| colors to get the first effect.
A week later she was waiting in
! the hall for Daisy, who waS~trying the
! effect of a new hat that Irene had,
| with her new interest in clothes, de-
signed for her sister. when the post
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