Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-05-23
The Daily Nooelette
after the Dance
BY Laura Reid Montgomery
NEINN1E's round face wore an ex.

MINN1E'S round face wore an ex.
AVA preston Of vast disappointment
AS she dressed the morning after the
dance at Rosalie Hall. She had been
going with Tom Miller for three years
and the girls were beginning to ask her
when she was going to wear an engage
ment ring.
ut seems qneer," she unused as she
eyed distastefully the wornout. gray
gingham house apron, that he doesn't
propose. He never goes with any other
girl. that Is. steady. but he never
speaks Of settling down any more and all
the cottages in Acacia row are going 30
fast. thought once" here the. soft,
red mouth, dropped until the happy,
curves were almost gone. that would
have one of those dear little houses witt,
the sunshiny south kitchens and
Hurry, Minnie, there is AN east
wind and grandma feels badly and
the rest Of the speech was lost as an
outside door slammed noisily shut.
Minnie hurriedly buttoned the. ugly
gray garment about her and ran down :
stairs. Grandma was apt to be DIFF
ficult when an east wind blew and her
brother Sam was home with bad cold.
Say" greeted Sam GROSSLY. you
take your ease letting ma get ur AMI
get breakfast. Where did you dig up
that dress?"
"Minnie went to the dance last
night,' excused Mrs. Friedly placidly,
''she got up the minute I called her.
II all nv children were as helpful as
Min I'd have no cause for complaint. y
Sam flushed and drifted out to the
woodshed TO return presently with nm
ormful OF short kindling cut the way
his mother preferred, "Guess the east
wind bothered me. too." he grinned,
and sat down TO the fluffy griddle cakes
that Mrs. Friedly had just baked.
Minnie ate her breakfast thoughtfully.
Sans criticism of her frock had put
into words what she had been thinking
about. For two years past she had
stinted on everyday clothes 30 that she
would be able to afford elaborate party
gowns. She worked afternoons in the
drygoods store and bought all her own
work, but she was needed to help at
home
After the children had been sent to
school and grandma. now somewhat
appeased by a good breakfast, had
settled down in the south bay window,
where she had good view of the street,
Minnie began the baking, no small
task for such large family. "Mother.' ~
said the girl as her mother sat down
to the sewing machine. II am going to
get Some everyday clothes. Sam was
right I've been going around in horrid
things. /"
The whirr of the machine paused for
moment. "Ycs,' said the other,
'you have. I felt sorry when Tom
caught you the other morning in tha,
ragged apron. Your slippers are torn
and you look really shiftless."
"Oh." Minnic's cheeks grew pink
eve been spending too much on party
frocks and satin siippers, and I'm 20.
! ing to stop it. Money is too hard to
earn to fool away on such things. Even
buying materials at wholesale Mt the
buy some pretty dimities and cretonne.
we are going to have some dainty houx
dresses. The dances will have to 20 for
n time. l. she paused suddenH
and the older woman. looking at tn,
brilliant cheeks and wet eyes. made nc
comment. She guessed that her cir
had had n disappointment Mt the part,
and she Thought it wiser to let it blow
over without her interference unles.
Minnie asked definitely for advice.
"Don't you think it Is better to lool
fairly nice right along than to saw,
everything for grand display for a,
evening"" asked Minnie as she cut out
cookies.
"Decidedly. her mothers gray heaf
nodded decisively. ''to nv mind 4
lessons ones self TO 20 abou
in ragged APRONS even if no one els,
sees them. Rut I don't want Won tt
get ANYTHING for me because nv house
dresses are whole and"
"Fadded and of uyiy proy colors. >
cut in Minnie, wondering why she hat
not thought of all these things sooner
Now that she really surveyed her pa
cnt she saw how patched and fadet