Middletown transcript., 1922-01-07
As OTHERS SEE US
BY JULlET PORTER.

o. 1891. by Mcclure Newspaper syndicats
DRAMATIS PERSONAL:
Mrs. Carter, widow.
Dick Appleton, a recent college
| graduate.
Clarinda Fame, poor but honest.
PLACE: Anywhere In the United
States.
TIME: Yesterday.
CLARINDA, (talking to her friend
who has run In right after break
fast, to talk over the news): "At last
l have dress that am not ashamed
Of. 1t. is made opt Of two old ones,-
Aunt Emilie's gray satin and Nell's
blue crepe de chine. It Is In the most
stylish colors, and modelled on one
exhibited at Celestine's. That awful
spot on the front breadth Of the satin
Is concealed under the back draperies
!. shall never turn my back to Mrs
Carter. for she might detect it, though
no one else would. Yes, l am going
to the fair this afternoon. A circular
was sent to me, though I cannot imag-
Inc why. as everybody knows that
we are poverty stricken-have to
"skinch and skanch" to get three meals
day. and positively have nothing q
French orphan would look at twice.
"Of course Mrs. Carter will be there,
as she is rich and goes everywhere.
She must be all Of thirty-five, and
she Is actually setting her cap for
Dick Appleton. 1t Is simply atrOcious !
And she has taken such a dislike to
me! But this afternoon l know l
shall look all right.
"Yes. / am interested in Dick Ap-
pleton myself, and l think he is IN
terested in me. He takes pains to
lind me, and we talk over the days
when we were kids In school. We
went to college the same year, but that
was before dad lost all his money.
Dick is just splendid; he was on the
football team In college, and graduated
cum laude," and now has that offer
from the st. Louis Construction
company. His sister told me all about
It,"
MRS. CARTER (writing to her
friend. who needs a secretary II can
think of no one but Clarinda Fame. I
have been observing her ever since I
knew you wanted secretary. The
Fanes are all nice people, and Clarinda
Is the flower Of the family. She is nat
urally bright, has fair education.
appears well, and II 1t were not for
her clothes would, be an ornament to
any household.
But l like her, she Is so gay and
friendly, and frank, and original with
out being caustic.
Il have to go to fair this after
noon, and the most conspicuous thing
there will be Dick Appleton, chasing
after Clarinda."
DICK APPLETON (soliloquizing) ::
Il shall have to go to that beastly
fair just to please the mater. 1t In
really her fair, and want 1t to be a
success. The mater wants me to be
specially polite to all the old ladies',
the wall flowers and the skinfiints, and
suchlike folk-especially asked me to
be nice to Clarinda Fame, or 1t will
look snobbish. used to try to avoid
her when we were kids, for no boy
likes these intellectual girls.
Il hope that divine Mrs. Carter will
be there; she cannot be more than
twenty-six or twenty-seven. How al
truistic Of Mr.. Carter to make her
widow at the most fascinat-
Ing age! I wonder why she wears
those mosquito netting dresses, inter-
spersed with lavender? Can It be
half mourning? If she would only
take lessons Of Clarinda Fame in Dress
Ing she would be quite all right"
TIME. late afternoon.
CLARINDA (telling mother about
the fair): ''The very first person I
saw was that stylish Mrs. Carter. and
she had on the loveliest dress! 1t
was black with lavender facings, and
she wore amethysts, and a black
picture hat with lilacs.
Il could see that she liked my dress
and could not have suspected that 1t
was made out of two old ones that
have been to every social function for
the last two years or more. Dick Ap-
pleton was there, too, but did not
happen to see me until 1 was about
ready to come home. He heard me
tell Mrs. Shelton that had to leave
early, or would have fingered longer"
MRS. CARTER ito her friend):
Il saw Miss Fame at the fair, dressed
as usual. In an attempt at the latest
style. fashioned out Of two old dresses
we have all known for several years.
She has never had q fair chance, and
with a little preliminary oversight.
will make an efficient secretary. A
chance for one Of the family to get a
decent salary will be 4 godsend to
them all"
DICK. APPLETON (soliloquizing)
"Well, that's over. praise be There
was only one redeeming feature about
the whole show-Mrs. Carter. II she
had been for sale would have bought
her outright. She did not seem to
know was there; was just a Gus
toner. But had one piece of luck,
as I managed to avoid the ever-pres-
ent Clarinda and only told one very
little, very white lie to do 1t. She
had on stunning gown; from the
color and style 1t must have been a
new one, and costly. as well. I wonder
how she does it."
Time, late at night.
ALL THREE (drowslly):
ut has been fairly successful day.
l am learning to understand people,
and that 10 the great thing In life"