Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1926-02-17
She Was "Wearing
Pink"
By CLARISSA MACKIE

|
Hannah threaded her needle care
fully. Joey must be getting along in
| years." she remarked sagely. 81 won
der how much longer he's going to
keep Luella Parks waiting for him to
make a fortune"
"Luella's beginning to fade some.
He won't see her this time, for she's
gone over to her grandmother's for a
week. Old Mrs. Parks is sick with
the grip, YOU know"
"Of course l know" retorted Han
nah peeyishly. Maria, you've got a
terrible habit of handing out some
thing that everybody knows just as
if it was fresh gossip that you just
! got from the minister's housekeeper."
"For the land sake, Hannah, don't
get the habit of being hen-peckin'-
| didn't mean anything much-speak-
ing of Luella Parks, may be allowed
to say that Joseph is coming up our
| front walk this minute"
Joey ?-here? Maybe he's selling
something. 1t it's brushes tell him
we don't want to buy any, but if it's
| something else and there's samples,
Wen take two Samples!'
Maria went to the door, smiling.
! Joseph Weed was glad to see her and
came in at her invitation, fine, up
standing, youngish man, clean shaven,
well dressed.
well, joey" said the incorrgible
Miss Hannah, 81 suppose you came
home to get married at last?
Nov, Miss Hannah" he began
easily, but his color rose.
"Have you got girl in the city?'
demanded Hannah.
"Of course not. My girls here
you know Lucia and /"
"Pah Everybody around here
knows about Luella and you! How
you courted her for ten years and
kept off every other Teller shat wanted
her, and listen, Joey, Luellas the
prettiest girl in the county, but you
been waitin' 80 long-that somethin'
terrible is happening"
Joseph paled.
"You mean-there's another man?'
he swallowed hard.
"There's hundreds of men in the
world, and plenty who would be glad
to rush in and marry Luella, to say
nothing of being engaged for ten
years p
"What has happened, them" he
asked impatiently.
Hannah regarded him with tragic
dark eyes, Perhaps she was thinking
of her own young Womanhood when
she, too. had kept company with Law
yer Oakley, only to have him tire OF
her in the end and marry his stenog-
rapher some strange young girl from
the city. He was Judge Oakley, and
Mrs. Judge Oakley looked down her
long nose at Hannah and her sister,
who were the village dressmakers
Il won't have anything like that
happen to Luellaw declared Hannah
suddenly.
Like what?" writhed Joseph, turn
ing despairing eyes on Maria Free
man. But Maria only shook her head
hopelessly. Even she did not guess
what Hannah was driving at.
Hannah drew a deep breath and
looked at Joseph accusingly.
"Luella Park is wearing pink y she
said sGiemnly.
Good gracious, Miss Hannah, what
do you mean?" he roared, and when
a man roared at Hannah Freeman she
Immediately came to earth.
"When a girl gets to be thirty and
over, and fades, and loses her LOOKS,
you'll find that she buys pink dresses
it makes her look younger and
fresher-" announced Hannah til
umphantly, for she certainly had their
attention now. Last week l was IN
the village and down at Petty's store
there was Luella buying yards and
wards of pink stuff. She bought other
things, too but the pink impressed me
| bought it myself once" she ended
patheticaly.
Joseph got up, and his face was
still blushing. Il ought to explain
why | came, but Miss Hannah jumped
on me So" he apologized.
1--WE guessed you was selling some
thing" answered Maria kindly.
"If it's brushes, we don't want any,
thank YOU" remarked Hannah, thread
ing her needle.
Joey opened his generous mouth
and laughed heartily. 81 came In TO
sell you a bit of news" he said at
last-"you can't tell it to soul until
next week-promise!
They promised
He brought a large box from his
car. 'Luella asked me to bring TINS
box of materials TO you, and say tlat
| she'd be in later and talk about pat
terms and such-you see, were gong
/ to be married week after next ana
Luella wants you to make her wed
ding clothes.'
AS he went happily down the PAIN
| Hannah glanced after him shrewdly.
81 thought | recognized that pink moss
| .ooob,d In bic h,ttOnhOle-t came