Omaha daily bee., 1922-02-21

myriad reflection OF her oNa tgufe
seated alone on the big plush couch
in the foil glare Of 100 electric lights
She ielt as II she were on hte
from head 10 loot with seliseon.
seionsness and utter misery's her
cheeks were as crimson as the afli-
tieial rose which she had sewn into
the waist of her troek. and every
nerve in her body seemed strung 10
swapping point,
Dowdy and ridieulousl The words
seemed shouted II her every time
her eyes iell upon one or other OF
her many reflections. full-iaeed,
sidesiaeed--no matter which way she
Looked, her small. shrinking figure
seemed TO stand out from the gay
ETY. aud color OF its surroundings and
compel attention by reason OF its
very difference To that OF every other
girl in the room.
Her iroek was so obviously home
made. and although when she had
tried il on two days ago II had
seemed pretty aud dainty enough, 10.
night she could have torn il off and
trampled !, under foot.
She wished she had never come.
She blamed herself passiona,ely Tor
ever having been persuaded to ac-
cept her aunt's invitation TO spend
fortnight In London. and she vas
wretchedly sure that her aunt and
cousins were blaming themselves
just as bitterly for having asked
her.
Dowdy and ridiculous! She could
see the light in the eyes OF every
woman and girl who glanced her
way, and she wished that the ground
would open and swallow her up.
A riotous fox trot was in iull
swing, and a never-ceasing whirl OF
well-dressed couples passed her and
made her feel giddy. as she sat there
on the extreme edge OF the big
sofa. her hands clasped tightly in
her lap and her feet tucked away UNI
der the white skirt that was too long
and too full, and too much every
thing which it should not have been.
During the first quarter OF All
hour her aunt laboriously had tried
to find partners for her. bringing up
men who came reluctantly, looked
at her, bowed stiffly and expressed
regret that their program already was
filled. but il they might hope ior the
fourth or fifth extra. always suppos-
ing there would be such number.
Elizabeth had looked up at each in
turn, with burning eyes and
trembling lips.
Thank you. | can't dance-a'
least, only the polka"
And one by one the men had
melted away, until at last Elizabeth
found herself in icy isolation on the
big sofa.
The fox trot ceased with crash.
ing chord, and the dancing couples
melted away to sit OH the stairs OF
in the corridors, and the ball room
was practically deserted.
Elizabeth looked wildly around. Il
seemed to her as if she were miles
and miles from the nearest door, and
she felt as if she could never find the
will power whereby to get up and
make a run for it.
In far corner the musicians were
chatting and laughing together: they
all-men and women--wore sort o
thunder and lightning jazz costum,
in bright blues and greens, which
Elizabeth's cousin. Dolly Mason. hae
informed her was the latest ant
smartest idea.
Simply posh costume, call it.
she had said, in her up-to-date
slangy way, and Elizabeth had an
swered helplessly, "Oh, is it," witt
not the vaguest idea as to what
"posh' costume might be.
Her hot eyes lifted slowly, an,
looked once again at her reflection il
; the long mirror Immediately oppo
site.
| Dowdy and ridiculous! A lum,
rose in her throat as for the first tim
she mercilessly criticised herself.
A white silk undertook, whic
had been washed more times tha
> she could remember, with an ovel
dress of cheap tissue bought at
!. remnant sale; transparent sleeves I
/, the wrist and the smallest Y oper
ing at the throat.
No cut, nothing smart-no a
tempt at taste! She hated the art
fetal rose which-before she came
London-had seemed to give tt
= finishing touch to a dress with whie
: she had been ignorantly pleased.
r She hated the way in which III
!, soft fair hair was dressed, brushe
t simply back without being loosene
' around her face in any way, al
/ twisted up in big knot too his
{ on her head to be anywhere ne;
:. the fashion followed so closely I
Dolly and her friends.
She hated the necklace Of cor
beads. She hated the imitation 81
+, stockings and undainty shoes whi'
l after the first agonized comparise
: with those around her-she h;
t tucked under the hem of that t'
: long skirt.
II She would have given her soul
II that moment for frock of PHI
9 chiffon like Dolly's, even though
e first she had been shocked by
lack Of bodice. and the slenderne
Of the diamante chains which a
parently were all that kept it fro
) utter disaster.
= Her heart cried out passionate
: for hish-heeled, dainty shoes WI
= butterfly buckles, and for the pow
J to dress her hair in the many pu
= and waves which every other g
in the room seemed TO find the ca
: est thing in the world to manip
late. ,.
Everyone must be laughing at h
she was sure; she had heard DO
!, apologizing for her once to Z
10 rather good looking man with whe
she had danced during the grea'
TO part Of the evening.
n "Yes-she's my couslr1-up ire
the country, you know! MOTT
asked her. She thought it wo'
be kind. OF course she can't dane.
Elizabeth could have killed her
s. the half condescending, halt-oo