The Washington times., 1925-12-25
Every Man Is in Love With His Stem
ographer-Or His StenOgrapher Is
in Love With Him, Says a Student
of Human Nature.

pretty and gay as FloSsle ~,
enca upon q time" Mary Rose
fhOuaht. "And that's why she's
afraid Flossie win have the same
kind Of poverty stricken life
she's had"
Her mother woke with q start.
and looked dazedly around the
room. Dear, deari Iswas hav-
lrg such terrible dream about
Fsiossfe,'a she said. She wtls
standing on the edge Of q hiSh
cliff-dear, dear Then she
was asleep again.
Mary. Rose went out to the
front porch and looked up and
down to see IL Flossie and Sam
were In sight. But not soul
was to be seen The street lay
silent and deserted under the
thicIEly flung stars.
How remote they seemed, those
distant stars! She wondered II
there really were people on some
Of them. people who were lonely
as she was lonely, whose hearts
were breaking. too? But the
stars kept their ageless secret.
They blinked and winked at her
moclxingly with their small bright
oyes.
A car turned the corner and
came tearing up the street. Be-
fore she heard its engine, Mary
Rose knew 1t was the Wheeler.
For Sam always drove It that
Way-at top speed.
He was possessed BY the demon
Of 'restiesshess. Whatever he did,
ne did with lightning swiftness,
whether It was driving q car or
fypewriting d letter for Hilary
Dexter or dancing the Charles
ton. And F1ossI6 Middleton was
3 perfect companion for him.
The two Of them came running
up the walk now toward Mary
Rose. F106sie had evidently for
gotten her peeve, for she greet
"a her sister In q cheerful, even
friendly way.
Hello. Sweet sing! why are
YOU incoming here BY yourself. On
q Saturday night, when you should
be out enjoying yourself some
whefe?" she wanted to know.
Saturday nights always Field
Day for us. isn't It, Sam? I'll
bet we've danced twenty miles
tonight easily. and could have
da n esd twenty miles more,
Pink Limits
She stopped and dropped her
voice to haIf-whisper
Only she went on, Moth
er's decided to take me in hand
from now on. Did i. tell you,
Mary Rose7 And she says I'VE
got to be home before twelve
every night. Isn't that the pink
limit? Come along, Sam. and
lets see what's In the icebox.
I'm q starving woman"
Mary Rose followed them. al
suppose you want coffee" she
SAid. And FIossie never could
make IL in q lifetime. Don't let
her cut the bread, either, sam.
She just hacks It to pieces"
Sam took the loaf and the
knife from Flossie's hands and
began to slice bread for sand
witches.
az suppose I'm too beautiful
70 be useful, Flossie remarked
with a giggIe, as she Jumped
MP on corner Of the sink and
watched them. She took q little
mirror from the pocket of her
white flannel coat and began TO
paint her lips.
Not as pretty as / used TO be,
though" she added. Just think,
tomorrow I'll be twenty-an old
nag of twenty! Isn't that
nnisery?"
1sFlossie Middleton. what are
you putting on your MOUTH"
asked the girls mother from the
doorway. She had wakened,
and was standing blinking q
little in the brilliant light of the
white kitchen.
Flossis stared at her. Zip
stick, Of course she answered.
You've seen me use IL many
times before. Why rave now?"
Mrs Middleton walked across
the kitchen and took the offend
ing little stick out of Fiossie's
hand. She opened the screen
door, and tossed 1t into the
garbage can at the foot OF the
back steps.
Nov, see herer' she began.
This painting habit Is q bad
thing. It's the beginning OF all
the rest of the Understanding
and drinking and staying out half
the night! And this is the end
Of 1t for youI You don't need
paint on your lips, Flossie! Provi-
dence has given you skin in a
million. But even If you had a
face like leather, 1 wouldn't let
you plaster it with rouge. 1t
doesn't look respectable, and 1t
ISN'T respectable?'
why, mother, all the girls
use rouge and powder. Mary
Rose uses 1t, herself, and so do
all the other girls down at the
office" Flossie walled. "Just no
tice next time you go down
''I have noticed" Mrs. Middle
ton broke in grimly. land that's
why you're not going to use lip
Am~RRA