The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-08
TODAY'S SHORT STORY

Thefirst thing Jessie Porter diG when#6Ae went upstairs to her room on her return from the Century clut that afternoon was to march over to her bureau and stand before the looking glass.
 She had on her best foulard silk "a purple ground with green spot her black satin toque with a fancy pompon at the side resembling a dolls feather duster; white kid gloves, of course, and for ornaments her amethyst brooch and long, elab- crate watch chain that for the last twenty five years she had worn on all going out occasions. But as she stared critically at the woman staring critically at her from the mir TOT there was none of the pleased satisfaction that she generally felt when dressed in her Sunday best. There was no doubt about it, she was showing her age. That abominable middle age when the bloom of youth has gone and the dignity-and benignity of later years--not vet arrived. Her face had a faded, ast-rose-Of-summer look. She was wrinkled-with those detestable crows feet about the~eyes. And she had no idea her hair was so gray-was thinning so at the tenn pies.
 No, she had been letting herself go without taking thought; but be- ing a member of live. up-to-date te womans club like the Century had put her wise about n great many things
 That afternoon there had been a literary and musical prograh com bined. But Jessie Porter was think ing of little talk on the side she had overheard before the program began.
 1t was Jacquelines own fau,f," had declared Betty Cameron. "When Billy Trarers married her she was pretty as Il picture and wore the most adorable clothes, but the last few years she simply slumped.'
 Yes" chimed in Pamela Allen, who never missed an opportunity to be facetious, "a woman always loses her husband and her good looks together" :"
 Tam, what sweeping statement '" deserts and gets divorce" she laughed. Not all men have that much initiative. But he no longer sits up and takes notice. His wife simply becomes Il piece of wall paper background to his life-to hang pictures of other vital interests upon"
 glass winced
 Was that the reason Tom came home from the office later and later? Had so little to say at dinner? Never wanted to go anywhere with her eve- nings!
 And what other vital interest had he instead? Was it the pictures of his new stenographer, that he was hanging up?
 Pauline Saunders was not what Jessie Porter called pretty girl. But she was young. And she wore very smart clothes.
 Deep in thought she took off the white kid gloves, the black satin toque, the old-fashioned watch chain, unfasten- ed the amethyst brooch. She was not one to surrender easily. Before accept ing defeat she would fight for every inch of lost ground
 But how was she to go about it?
 Suddenly her sober face frightened.
 I'll ask Sallie Lou!"
 Jessie Porter had held Sallie Lou in her lap when baby, and the two had been intimate ever since.
 "Sallie Lou, 1 want you to tell what's wrong with me-" she began when the next afternoon again in her best attire she had entered the interior decorator's shop that Sallie Lou had opened on leaving college.
 Wrong with youyH Why there's nothing wrong!" Loyalty declared Sal- lie Lou between kisses; ''you are per fectly all right dear!"
 But the older woman shook her head
 T don't want compliments, I want poi ,ters. To find out how to make a back numbers up-to-date while you wait" she smiled, trying to hide her eagerness behind playful banter.