Evening star., 1926-12-01
THE EVENING STORY

attired In her near-exotic frock and
spike heels he surveyed her in 81.
lence Then he looked at her face.
Bess had healthy tan from her gar
den work and a cloud Of tiny golden
freckles still fingered over her nose
and cheeks. Now all this was COW
cred by thick mask Of dead white
and there were two round spots OF In
credible pink on her cheeks. Her lips
were scarlet, curved up where there
had been no curves before.
How dull this suburb is," drawled
Bess. When l marry l certainly in
tend to live close in where there is
real life One is buried out here
where the women think Of nothing
but gardens and sewing and house
work Don't you think IL must be
fun dining out every night at diff
ferent restaurant, Glen"
Through the picture Bess, worried
by Glen's queer manner and puzzled
at his silence concerning her modish
clothes, watched the screen beauty
and tried to memorize certain man
nerisme Bess wished she had eve
lashes an inch long; she was specu.
latins upon the possible purchase OF
those lashes that can be pasted on
when Glen leaned toward her.
Say. Bess, let's get out before the
lights are on. You don't care about
the comedy. do you?"
He took her home. but did not lin,
ger on the snowy front porch. Nor
did he make any future engagement.
Sick at heart. she looked UP at him
BE up Sunday night for tea, I sup
pose" she half whispered The
touched-up lips quivered childishly.
Perhaps. though. you have another
engagement. Tom hinted he'd like
to come This last sentence was
perfectly true. but she had never
meant to say 1t. The words had
burst from her involuntarily as he
stood plainly hesitant about doing
what he'd done for long period.
"Bess. what has changed YOU" He
took her arm and actually shook her.
You are no more like the sweet,
home.loving girl I've admired than a
peacock IL like a small"
Brown thrush. I suppose" she nm
ished bitterly. "A girl has to keep
up with the rest If shes going to get
anywhere.
I'm disappointed in you" he said
teavily. II had planned a small
house out here--a real home. II you
are like the modern. jazzy girls
He did not finish. but went down
the painted steps to the sidewalk.
She stole upstairs and removed her
coat Then went TO the mirror. Her
lpstick had become smeared and her
mouth was like blotch Of crude red
against the startling whiteness Of her
face. II see why he wanted to go
out before the lights flashed on she
muttered, and then broke into a storm
Of sobs that Gould only he stifled by
the instant plunge into her pillows.
She had no idea Of letting her aunt
hear those walls.
She heard nothing Of Glen for over
a week. If only she had detained
him and told -if-if-constantly
her mind revolved upon the situation
with no available solution.
The next time she went downtown
she paused before a model kitchen
kitchen cabinet of cleaning porcelain
stood a girl in rosy house gown.
Bess looked at the pretty interior.
Tears gathered in her soft brown eyes
and one trembled on her brown lashes
"Bess. you--you look like my girl
again. / didn't think you'd be look
ing at this display. Could you be
satisfied with suburban cottage
bought on the installment plano"
A great radiance shone through the
tears and her smile answered.
I'm sorry I've acted so'--he put
| his hand under her arm coZily-"but
the night you sprung that awful
vampish outft I'd been wrestling with
my cousin. She had run away from
| home. determined TO become chorus
girl Her mother wired me to try to
| talk her out Of IL and I certainly had
my work cut out. She was stopping
at the hotel on the boulevard and we
| lunched there. She was a sight with
| her makeup" he ended.
| THE END.
| (Copyrieht 1925