The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-06-07

|reau instead of the green slipper
buckles she had been counting on.
Then her keen eye cav the bureau
stood out ike AN Island in her
tawdry room The pic turesson the
wall somehow did not that cal-
endar with the bIack-eyed ,cherub
that advertised John and Hughes
the chrome of roses and pansies,
that was so gaiIy colored !, seemed
to hurt the quiet bureau. She took
down her pictures But now the
room was too quiet. @
Another noon found " her pur-
chasing chintz with quaint pink
blossoms on a cream ground and
when she had made curtain for.
her window and some cushion for.
her coach, even a back for her
wicker chair. she glanced hurried
The right keynote had been struck
How it looked as though 1t belonged.
there "a 4, 81 E &. 3
She gave pleased Sigh OF self
satisfaction and went over to 4 the
bureau to look in at her pretty
face. She could see reflected as
well, her soft gray walls with it's
gay back. Staring still at herself
1t almost semed as though she did
not beIong--as thougl1-.she con-
tinued to look In at her surprised
pretty face with the too-pink
cheeks. y -
What was the matter with. her.
self? Wasn't she Just as pretty. as
she had always been-sbeS looked
long and resentfully about, her;
something was either the matter
with the room or with her; and IL
couldn't be with her. Suddenly she
saw 1t. She did not belong with
the room. the room needed a quiet
person like the girl with smooth
shining hair and the smooth pale
cheeks.
Laughing a. little, Nellie ran the
water into her basin and dashed off
the rouge on her face, and then
slowly and painstakingly abe took
out the forty-three hair pains that
were necessary to her hair dress
and began to put-it up very simply,
very smoothly above her white fore
head.
What funny sigh. you are,"
she said, making queer little
moue.
She flashed glance at the tur-
quoise frame and knew that now
she could walk down those stone
steps, out into that 4hedged garden
as though she belonged there. She
put on the 1imsiests of her lacel
blouses, and the highest of her
French-heeled slippers and looked
dediantly at herself.
''If you do it at all, you've got
to do the whole thing she pouted.
She came back an hour later
with white package crushed un-
rayed herself in. the simple heavy
silk blouse Of tailored cut she knew
she was a changed being. She|
couldn't with this particular blousel
and with these sensible oxfords
VITA their low heels be quite as pert,
or as fly away as he hnd always
been.
There's only one thing to do
Nellie said savagely. get rid of
that turquoise frame! Then 7 car
chuck all these clothes
On the fourth landing she met
again the young man who always
passed her by.
1--WE just brought back your sis
ter's Frame she said breathlessly.
.tI thought you might keep it for
her. T thought----'sss5
The young man eyed her. with
surprise, this sweet, fresh looking
girl with her smooth, pale cheeks
and her charming clothes; he won
dered why he had never noticed
her before.
'tI'm sorry. but + don't own the
frame. and haven't any sister"
he apologized; and then. as he
saw her eyes widen with dismay,
he added, "but wish you would do
something for me. I'm the 51oneli-
est duffer in New York. and i'll
you'd let me talk to you now and
then
But why Nellie began.
ooh, yes; rye seen plenty Of girls
with their makeup and their arti-
ficiality, but no one that I've want
ed to know until
Nellie Dwight crushed the tur
quoise frame against her heart as
she retreated down the hall. Il
should like to talk to you now and
then" she said softly.
J When her own door was closed
firmly and she had enshrined the
turquoise frame once more on her
bureau she threw it an airy kiss
You've brought me good luck. any
how" she whispered. Funny what
little thing will do"
Copyright, 1920
The black scarf worn by Ameri-
can sailors is in memory of seamen
Hiod in |