The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-07-22

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looking at the door that had shut her
out of his sight.
Mrs Middleton sat in the kitchen,
darningN stockings. u
'Oh me- oh my! I never seem TO
get caught up with my intending, .
she said ITO Mary Rose, as the, girl
came into the room. Her words were
doleful enough but her tone was
cheerful.
AS matter of fact, she enjoyed
mending. For she was one of those
domestic women who keep house
with the same zest that many an
other woman plays cards or dances
or goes out on a shopping spreel An
excellent type and one that is fast
disappearing from the face of the
earthl
Didn't F1ossie look too. sweet for
words tonight?" Mrs. middleton
spoke again, presently. when Mary
Rose had put on a sewing apron
and was going through the mending
basket. Il declare, Mary Rose, she
gets prettier every day she lives.
don't suppose body would believe
it, to look at me now all faded and
washed Gut, but-shes the living i'm
age of me when was her age!"
II don't doubt it," Mary Rose an
swered promptly. 1--WE always
known that F'lossie got her looks
from you 81
Mrs. Middleton sighed And her
ways. too. was always full of til
very old Nick when was girl she
said. 81 could have had my pick OF
any of the men and then ! had to
take up with your Pa, who never
had one penny to rub up against
another She shook her head i'm
patiently. "
sand that's exactly what Flossie's
going to Ido"~.she added aftcr. a
minute or two. IT don't wish any
body any bad luck, but sometimes
almost wish that Wheeler would
blow up with Sam Jessup in IT. -
Mary Rose laughed. then suddenly
sobered. IF only Flossie is half as
happy with Sam as you were with
my father. she'll be a lucky girl,
She told her mother sensibly.
But Mrs. Middleton couldn't see II
that way. For one thing she couldn't
see what Flossie could find to like In
Sam Jessup! II he were the Prince
Of Wales, she still would dislike him.
she said with spirit.
The clock struck eleven.
well. suppose Flossia.s the
belle Of the ball tonight" Mrs. Mid
dleton remarked, looking up at It.
And Flossie was the belle Of the
ball that night.
There wasn't a girl at the Com
pany's Halloween masquerade who
could hold candle to her.
In her pink dress with its rosebud
wreaths and her pink silk stockings
and gold slippers, she was spring
time and youth and beauty In
carnate.
At least she seemed all OF, that TO
Hilary Dexter who. dressed like a
clown, watched her wherever she
went, fitting from one cornef of the
room TO another like sunbeam.
She was not~only the belle OF the
ball but the life Of the party. She
romped ana she sang. She gave an
Exhibition Of the Charleston in a
cleared space in the center Of the
big shipping room where the party
was held. N<f
Some one had put pep" into the
party by putting gin in the, punch,
and the more Of It that F1ossie
drank the more lively she became.
Come here, Dex. old kidr she
called to the president of the com.
pany, as she collected a crowd to-
gether for tug-o'-war. And to>the
shocked surprise of Miss Minnick,
Dexter yelled In answer, "Right.o.
Flossie" and came running heavily
to her.
That won't make much of a Mt
with Mr.. Dexter to haxa- her cali
out like that to him." Miss Minnick
observed acidly to Sam /, Jessup.
Hes the president of the company
and he ought to be treated with re-
spect." -
That's no jske." Sam answered
seriously.
But what neither Of them knew
was that Hilary Dexter was very,
very tired Of being treated swith re-
spect.
No one in the whole world but
Fiossie Middleton treated him like a
pal and a playfellow. No one else
seemed to forget that he, was the
head Of the company that sold the
wonderful Dexter Eight. and that
he was worth three million, dollars,
II he was worth a nickel!
Even his wife, his grown children
and the men he played golf with
i 81 I'd L H.