Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1926-09-10
ROCKVILLE MARYLAND FRIDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER TO-

mourn2 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
ferlng for anythlngw
what an unselfsh toddlelens it is
isn't itP" Gracla mockCd "Some day
IL it's very, very good, cousin will take
1t to real party. She'll find some
thing scrumptiOus for 1t to wear, too
That night Gracia tore the lovely
blue and silver gown and the next
morning 1t was presented with great
magnanlmity to Elsie, who mended II
carefully and hung her treasure away
In her very own closet.
That afternoon Aunt Lydia tele-
phoned peremptory command for
Gracla to come to dinner, to help en-
terrain friend of hers who had APP
peared In town Unexpectedly.
"How tlresome |" was Gracla's usual
complaint. "Pll 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 Dulcle 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 Elsle's mother
for marrying a man so far beneath
her. She may make things very UNI
pleasant for the poor child If she goes
there In your place."
"Bosh and nonsense / guess Elsie
can stand 1t for once. I'm not crazy
about Aunt Lyds being too nice to
her, anyway"
And so Oinderelsie, attlred 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
a pumpkin colored taxi to Aunt
Lydla's, while Gracla, bedecked in the
smartest, richest, most becoming frocli
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 Il and being cloud"d
with superlatiye, 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 bit nettled when she
rang for Elsie to do her usual ladys
maids duty to find that she was not
at home.
Aunt Lyd's taking her and that
same friend to the Country club for
dinner tonight" mother explained.
A little pang of fear shot through
Gracia Kenear's selfish heart. What
If Aunt Lyd should forget about Elsie 3
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-fashloned friend, she'd soon
put Elsie where she belonged
The Country club was ablaze with
light and music when Gracla kenear,
Dulcle Woodward and one or two
others moved out upon the dance floor.
Gracla's keen eye swept first one side
Of the hall and then the other In II
search for her aunt.
Look !" she finally whispered,
clutchlng at Dulcle's arm. 81 wonder
who that gorgeous man is, sitting over
there with Aunt Lydf"
Dulcle looked. "Why-upon my
word That's Merton Davles--the fell
low I've been wanting you to meet !!
Seems to me he's incoming quite con
siderable over that mllk-fed cousin Of
yours. Come-on to the rescue 7"
Gracla led the way to her Aunts
party without a word. The eccentric
old lady was radiant. AS though an
ticlpating her older nlece's thoughts,
she arose promptly and waved her
hand toward her gentleman guest
II want you to meet Merton Davies.
II was his father wanted Esle's
mother to marry, never forgave her
for quarrellng with him, but MS 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 ell
max of her story behind her open
hand: "Elsles middle names Lydia
her mother gave It 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
,oaJ. ,,,,y ,,tIIl tnday -