Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-12-09
CHAPTER |
The ENedsliDo' Dress


yards and yards of heavy, lustrous
white satin The small gray enam-
eled fitting room seemed full of the
shining stuff, and the sun coming
in through the thinly curtained win
dows struck soft CLEANS of light
from the tiny seed pearls and small
brilliants with which the bridal
gown was incrusted.
On the floor 1nelt two women in
black. Another woman in a severe
ly plain. but extensively simple gray
dress, stood at a little distance Civ
ing directions. This was Madame
Iucette. the head Of the establish
ment. She was making all of Lyras
trousseau clothes, as well as the
froclls for the maid of honor and
the six bridesmaids, and the Graham
wedding was to be one of the smart
est affairs of the season.
The two fitting women were drap-
ing the train. OF frailest chiffon
bordered with white satin, it hung
from Lyra's shoulders and spread
it's delicate loneliness three teet\ on
the floor. At the wedding, little
Bobby Wainwright was to carry 1t
in his small, chubby fingers. He
he would imagine it properly.
The last fold pinned into place,
the two fitting women rose to their
feet and stepped back to look at
the results of their handiWork. One
who was quite young, not more
than twenty-One or two, gave ut
tie gasp Of delight, and even the
great Lucette gave a nod of salts
faction as she looked at Lyra crit
ically.
The daughter Of the Grahams was
certainly a credit to the establish
ment. Lucette had made many bri-
dial gowns for many pretty women
but Lyra Graham was perhaps one
of the most beautiful girls Lucette
had ever seen.
She was tall, and very slim, with
hair so blond that under artificial
light it looked more like silver than
gold. She wore it dressed high and
bound close to her small head, and
thus far she had resisted the temp
tation to have it cut.
Her eyes were gray, but so light a
gray that they often seemed blue.
And strangely enough, although her
hair was blond, her lashes were
black. Some one had once likened
her eyes to fringed gentians, but it
was not Peter GriswGld. Peter was
going to marry Lyra, but he would
never in the world think Of thing
like that to say to her. AS he
might have put it himself, lit wasn't
his line"
Lyra's mouth was perhaps her
loveliest feature. 1t was straight,
like that of a child, but with every
mood it's expression varied, so that
it was never quite the same.
Altogether she was quite lovely
thing. this daughter of the Grahams,
a finished perfect thing, a product
of the highest civilization, with
breeding in her slim feet and hands,
and a naughty tilt to her small, per-
feet head.
There was silence in the small
room as Lyra turned slowly around,
looking at herself from different
angles, conscious of her loneliness
and vet accepting it as her right.
At last she turned to Lucette with
a smile.
Its really quite lovely, I'm de-
lighted with it, she said gracious
". but there was more satisfaction
than enthusiasm in her tone. Al
that moment she was not thinking
so much of what Peter would think
when he saw her in her bridal robes,
but of what the guests would say
as she walked UP the long dim aisle
of the church, and Of what the ac'
counts in the different newspaper
would be.
YES, it's perfect" she said, with
a final little nod, quite a master
piece. Lucette, and q credit to your
establishment. And now II you IL
get me out of it. | must rush away.
I won't have time to try on the oth-
err things. but I'll be in the first
thing in the morning. l want to be
here when the bridesmaids dresses
are fitted"
But the blue and silver dress
Miss Graham. You wanted it for the
party tomorrow night. 1t won t take
moment to slip it on, eXpostulat-
&c Lucette. g..
Lyra shook her head. Il can't
stop now, I'm late as it is. Send It
out and if anything is wrong with
it, YOU can make the changes
later"
The fitting women were fastening
her street dress. She was crushing
:, small hat over her golden hair. She
had promised to meet Peter at 4 and
already she was fifteen minutes late.
CHAPTER IT
Peter GriswoId
Y YRA met Peter in the lobby of
the Hotel Ardmore. she loved
81 meeting him like this, having
him rise from one of the deep chairs
as she entered, knowing that he
would always do Just the right thing
and that his good looks were so pro-
nounced that every woman in the
room envied her.
He belonged, that was the word,
He had the eu-groomed, polished
look that she liked, and she knew
she would be happy with him, be-
cause he liked to do the same things
she did, and he did everything so
we'll 1t seemed to Lyra that she had
known Peter always. When he had
been at Yale she had gone to the
prom with him. At New London she
had watched him distinguish him.
self as stroke for the varsity crew,
in the Yale bowl she had glowed as
he had dashed down the field for a
touchdown oh, yes. Peter was gor-
Seous. 1t was worth while marry
ms some one like him.
For time he had paid some lit
tie attention to Cynthia Weston, but
it had not bothered Lyra in the
least. She had never known what
it was to be jealous, she had never
had to be, and it amused her to see
Cynthia angling for him so openly.
Then had come the triumphant
evening when Peter had asked her
to marry him. Lyra had held off at
first, PLAYED with him a little before
she had finally capitulated, but she
had known all alons that she in
tended 70 marry him. Who else was
as well suited 10 her? And then,
too, there was the knowledge that
Peter was bound to make good fl
nancially. Already he had gained a