The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-06-11

look OF unqueSti0nable longing In
the starry eyes, when she was press
ing gorgeous frock Of blue and silver
which Gracia was to wear that night
at club affair.
MY word !" Gracia laughed lightly.
Can 1t be that our Cinderelsie doth
yearn to wear such as this and fare
forth in her pumpkin coach to meet We
prince? But she couldst not, couldst
she, being still in mourning?'
I'm not In mourning" insisted
! Elsie. don't believe in mourning
neither did mother. Why should /
mourn? Mothers not here in body,
of course, but she's with me every
single moment in spirit. wouldn't
wish her back into this world of suf-
fering for anythingr
What an unselfish toddlekins it is,
isn't it?" Gracia Knocked. "Some day,
if it's very, very good, cousin will take
it to real party. She'll find some
thing scrumptious for it to wear, too"
That night Gracia tore the lovely
blue and silver gown. and the next
morning it was presented with great
magnanimity to Elsie, who mended 1t
carefully and hung her treasure away
in her very own closet.
That afternoon Aunt Lydia tele-
phoned a peremptory command for
Gracia to come to dinner, to help en-
terrain friend of hers who had APP
peared In town Unexpectedly.
"How tiresome p was Gracia's usual
complaint. "Tll be literally bored to
tears with some dry-as-dust New Eng
land parsonage, | suppose, just when
I'd be free to meet that wonderful
new man Dulcie Woodward has been
telling me about. See here, why can't
Elsie go in my place, Mater?"
"She can, except that Aunt Lydia is
quite set against her and hers. You
know she never forgave Elsie's mother
for marrying a man so far beneath
her. She may make things very I'M
pleasant for the poor child if she goes
there in your place."
'Bosh and nonsense! I guess Elsie
can stand 1t for once. I'm not crazy
about Aunt Lyd's being too nice to
her, anyway"
And so Cinderelsie, attired in the
precious blue and silver gown, her
soft cheeks flushed with natural vel
vety glow, her eyes shining like twin
stars, so excited was she over the
prospective adventure, Jared forth in
pumpkin colored taxi to Aunt
Lydia's, while Gracia, bedecked in the
smartest, richest, most becoming frock
her wardrobe afforded, Jared forth I'M
INSTRUCTED, to meet the new man.
The following day, lacking any in
terest whatever in the previous nights
program at her aunt's, having sue
cessfully escaped it and being clouded
with a superlative, modern crouch
over failure to meet the new man as
prescribed, Gracia refused to discuss
either subject with anybody.
In the evening she was very much
surprised, also a bit nettled when she
rang for Elsie to do her usual lady's
maids duty to find that she was not
at home.
Aunt Lyd's taking her and that
SdluS 10 Iuc SOuulIJ CluU lOk
dinner tonight" mother explained.
A little pang of fear shot through
| Gracia Kenear's selfish heart. What
if Aunt Lyd should forget about Elsie's
| mother and the tabooed marriage?
What if-oh well-she was going to
the Country club herself later on to
dance. If Aunt Lyd's party was still
there and she could do it without be-
coming tangled up with entertaining
the old-fashioned friend, she'd soon
put Elsie where she belonged.
The Country club was ablaze with
light and music when Gracia kenear,
Dulcie Woodward and one or two
others moved out upon the dance floor.
Gracia's keen eye swept first one side
of the hall and then the other in a
search for her aunt.
Look! =" she finally whispered,
clutching at Dulcie's arm. 81 wonder
who that gorgeous man is, sitting over
there with Aunt Lyd?'
Dulcie looked. "Why-upon my
word! That's Merton Davies-the fell
! low I've been wanting you to meet !!
Seems to me he's incoming quite con-
siderable over that milk-fed cousin of
yours Come-on to the rescue"
Gracia led the way to her Aunt's
party without word. The eccentric
old lady was radiant. AS though an
ticipating her older niece's thoughts,
she arose promptly and waved her
hand toward her gentleman guest.
II want you to meet Merton Davies.
1t was his father 1 wanted Elsie's
mother to marry. never forgave her
for quarreling with him, but it's quite
all right now" beaming upon the
young man and the pretty, golden
haired girl in the blue and silver gown
beside him, then whispering the eli
max of her story behind her open
hand: "Elsie's middle names Lydia
her mother gave 1t to her. Tomor-
row she's coming to live with me.
Later, Merton's going to marry her
and-don't tell your mother-but-I
made my will todayl"