Evening star., 1928-03-18

peered out of her window. The trees
and bushes In the yard were shaking
themselves In the wind. trying to throw
OF the festoons Of snow that had fallen
In the night, making the flakes swirl
and eddy In O mimic SfaowStorm I'm the
sunshine.
Only two more days left of my vaca-
stion. What . lot Of time I've wasted
IN the dumps. must make up for
lost time"
And make I'D for lost time she did.
throwing herself into a final whirl OF
gayety in which the new pink frock
| hung like q pleasant halo over the
fnerry-gO-round Of dancing and dining.
Gastronomic feats were perpetrated
which would have rendered q con-
| scientious dietitian pale with horror
Even the hardest we're little ex-
tausted by the wear and tear. but none
would miss single party. Youth and
| Christmas revelry pranced hand In
| hand.
| When the day came for Patricia to
leave again for school she felt an in
ward QueerneSS which she did not men
| ton, assuring herself that she would be
| all right as soon as She stopped eating
chicken a la king and Welsh rabbits
at midnight. The new frock in all its
glory Of pristine pinkneSs was packed
| carefully In tissue paper and Patricia
| felt thrill as she pictured herself
| wearing 1t at the midyear. Bunny had
assured her that he would brave Miss
Orerwood. Miss StanhDpe and the rest,
In the role OF the villain In the play.
Patricia was now able 10 laugh heartily
at the thought OF Bunny as round
faced. pink checked villain.
She was 70 meet Peggy Taliey IN Chi
| cago, and they were TO continue the
Journey together all arrangements hav-
| ing been made for the flyer To stop at
| Hoxing All the elements OF nature.
however, combined 10 frustrate the plans
OF schoolgirls There was the heaviest
blizzard Of a decade on the night that
Patricia left. The train was held up
for hours. nor Was Chicago sighted un-
| til late afternoon. when the string OF
passengers cars tYailcd In like an ex-
haufted caterpillar. The flyer had long
since gone! Patricia. with the sense OF
/ inward queerness growing In intensity.
! found that the next train would arrive
at Hoxing at midnight, nor was there
! any great promise that 1t could be per-
gaiaded 10 stop. Her one desire was 10
crawl into her berth and avoid food
which she did. tossing restleBsly back
and forth, now gtified by the heat that
came from the pounding steam pipes
now frozen by the chill that attends
the turning off Of the heat. There was
no diner and the slow train paused at a
way station 10 allow the passengers the
means for morning EtIatenance at q
lunch counter.
Patricia. now OF pale yellow cast o!
countenance. weakly essayed orange
juice, but even that WAS a little more
than she could bsar, Near her sat q
ulotheriy looking woman with her hat
a tFsite saSkew, accompanied by q gentle
ISan Who2c round hat and clerical col
/ IsF testified 10 hts occupation. They
/ were eating copi0usly Of bacon and eggs
the 0dor Of which caused Patricia Ia
bury her nose in her handkerchief and
wonder II she would i've 10 see board
Ing setIoi again.
She hoped that when she died thf
kindly looking woman would place flow.
efs in her hand~~perhaps her husband
would ofnciate. Tears OF pity for her.
self sprsng weakly ~ her eyes as glif
pictured her death far from home anr
friends, She Was ~ fascinated by hci
gloomy mental picture that she Quit,
forgot her surroundings and was star,
lied by voice that seemed To come
from fat away but proved on closer at.
! Jention " nyH1s from the woman who
al! unknowing, tad been assigned th,
GUY of arranging the flowers.