The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-02-26
By w. l.. George

out. the unmanicured, rather red
hands of the country girl, all this
contributed to make an appeal.
Patricia was 50 essentially what
women call "a little thing" and
men such a little thing"
For some time Patricia perse-
veringly went on striking at the
fluffy ball. She was slicing now,
and a certain misery came into her
blue eyes. II would have been
clear to a sagacious observer that
what she was doing was immense
ly important, that achievement in
golf would mean something. pro-
cure something.
She stopped suddenly, her air Of
gloom deepened; she put the ball
into her pocket, and for a moment
stood irresolutely in the middle of
the room, idly swinging her club
from right to left. Oh. It was a
nuisance! She wasn't getting any
better, and Mr.. Rodbourne had
explained to her so perfectly. She
wondered why she was so much
better with him than she was
alone. OF course. he was awfully
good and she supposed that helped.
II put one on ones mettle. She
knew she ought to try again. He'd
think her so silly. and they'd be
bound 10 go round again next day
II It cleared up. since the Basing-
alton links were sand.
Then by degrees her thoughts
slowly turned away from the game
Her life had been very full this
week, and she did not quite know
what had filled 1t. Somehow
there was a difference between this
week and her twenty years in a
Devonshire village, which had
seemed so long; there was some
thing exciting in this visit.
A softness came over her as she
thought of her fellow guests. II
was such a Jolly atmosphere. Even
mamma. who was rather short
tempered, hadn't gone for her once.
Mrs. Headcorn was dear,
though II was awful to think that
one might get as fat as that. For
a moment Patricia gloomily medi-
tated upon the difference between
Mrs. Headcorn to-day and the pict-
ure OF Mrs. Headcorn as a bride
twenty-five years before. One
never knew. II was awful. Oh, Il
must be dreadful, getting old To
think that one. day she'd be thirty
Patricia reflected upon what she
should do when she was thirty.
She expected she'd he married and
have boy at the university. Well.
no, not at the university. but at a
preparatory school And give par
ties to stuffy old gentlemen. And
see the children she knew now
having all the fun. Thirty! She
really would be thirty one day, and
call herself twenty-nine. 1t was
awfuI.\
Then Patricia remembered Mrs.
CaldeCot She supposed Mrs. Cal
deceit must be thirty, thol Oh in the
evening she certainly didn't look
1t. Patricia reflected that Mrs. Cal
decot was perfectly charming. She
was so beautiful. Patricia said to
herself: What ] can't make out
is how she gets those clothes. That
frock OF hers last night, she got II
from the same place as did when
mamma took me up 10 town. And
yet IN al over hooks and eyes,
while she looks as il it was paint.
ed o.. her"
Patricia absorbed herself in
girlish brooding. She could not
believe that the time would come
when her shoulder straps would
hold in any attitude, and when her
stockings, by some miracle, would
never be drawn on sideways. Mrs.
Caldecot was like that. How won
erful she was. oh" thought Pa
tricia, 81 do wish | had gray eyes,"
and was sad, not knowing that II
she'd had gray eyes she'd have
wanted blue. "Of course" she re-
fected revengefully, she's getting
rather stout" But as she was
ashamed Of her own salt-cellars the
idea did not satisfy her. Besides,
she wanted no revenge on the older
woman, for Mrs. Caldecot intet-
ested her intensely.
She seemed to know everybody;
to play bridge brilliantly with an
air of not caring; she knew how to
laugh at herself without looking
self-conscious; she was so entirely
there in the picture without know.
ing it; she didn't seem to have that
awful feeling of Patricia's that
everybody in the room had their
eyes fixed upon her wrists and feet,
and that everybody knew that one OF
her suspenders was broken and was
mended with safety pin.
But Patricia was generous enough
TO feel only admiration and not
envy. She was at an age when she
wanted to worship. IL only Mrs.
Caldecot would let her, and to 60
and see her when she went up to
town, and tell her everything about