Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-21

WINTER was over anu neE luSpdA4u iou
a new Spring coat, Mrs. Patroness had
decided it was better to give it to the
poor than to run the risk of moth holes
with the coat came a derby that she
felt she should get rid of for her hus-
bands own sake, he looked such a sight
in it, and every necktie he owned, ex-
cept the one he was wearing, and
couple of white ones for when they
went out evenings-oh, yes, she remem-
bered the coat-for which an old COL
ored customer had already paid GUAR
ter on account
well, my husband says he wants
that coat, and the rest of his belongings
or I don't get a cent for Spring shop
ping-the mean thing"
The mean thing smiled grim indorse-
ment, and the rllmmage clerk went TO a
curtained shelf and produced the coat
and derby.
"You are fortunate" she told the
man, as he welcomed his garments from
the philanthropic clutch. L wanted So
for the coat and so cents for the nat.
but I had to let an old colored man
have both for $3.50, on time"
1T paid SIS for this coat couple OF
seasons ago, and it has got to last me
another-and the hat was Sc last Fall.
The man was mad, but a streak OF
humor lightened his wrath, while the
wife shook her head at the rummage
clerk-though careful not to let him see
her.
What the poor old customer would
have to say, when he came back to pay
the balance and had to take garment
that was distinctly not almost as good
as new, would doubtless make good
literature of the human document sort,
but, after all:
1t is only proper that to the owner
should belong the spoils.
X X X
A GOOD conscience is noble asset
~ and common sense is generally sat-
isfving. but neither of them is bit OF
help if you are caught in the sartorlal
blaze of a fashionable musical comedy
in a cloth suit and umbrella-glorla-
with fine birds in fine feathers preenlng
all around. Every woman knows.
Two entirely genteel women went TO
the theater on night that was chill
and gusty, with raindroppy intervals
that seemed to call for comfort rather
than style. So they wore suits. They
were comfortable, self-respecting women
who looked as if they had bank &C
counts, but goodness they were plain!
Having arrived early, they were
serenely oblividus of the low-downness
of their attire until friend sailed down
the aisle in a scrumptious wrap, bllloWed
it over her seat-back and came over to
exchange greetings-all in nile satin ana
lace, lots of lace-and jewels.
More scrumptuous wraps, bare heaos
mostly bobbed, bare arms up to Wnere
they begin bare neckS shoulder blades
and lavish spines; fans of pink, yellow
and blue oStriches, Greek fllets and
IF oil MAILING nQnV
beauty spots around the cloth-suit
women that, when the show was over
and the two were in a street car going
honle-with a couple of way-up stars
trying their best to shine-the one who
wore eyeglasses on black cord I'M
loosed the pent-up Utica that had
ragged throughout the three acts Zone
minute between the second and third
What on earth made you wear that
dowdy dress?"
1T isn't dowdy It is almost new:
And I wore it because it was rainy ana
cold"
"Oh. I looked as tacky as you. What
are YOU saving that white silk for?"
For proper weather. thought was
all right for wet night"
Then you were never more mistaken
in your life. AS for me, felt like
cents, and looked it. Next time 1 go to
a thing like that, I'll wear my best
gown if I have to swim, going and
coming"
Don't be so hard on YOURSELF
thought you looked real nice"
well, that's more than l can say for
you"
I'm sorry"
shut up. You couldn't look any worse
than did. If that's any comfort"
,,t of which iS inst tn
prove that there come occasions when
neither good conscience nor common
sense is the least bit of help.
Every woman knows.
X * x X
TT has been doctrine for thousand
l. wears that confession is good for
the soul. The truth of this dogma is
given added proof by friend who
" fessed up" like this:
IT was enjoying the evening at one
of the Spring teas, when the old friend
I was hobnobbing with passed me a
plate of small cakes to go with our ices
and, at sight of that particular sweet
known as Kisses which she was frankly
enjoying, suddenly opened my heart
like this:
ct never shall be able to look a kiss
cake in the face without a most awful |
inward disturbance, caused by guilty |
memory. When I was a child, with my |
mother lone provider for large fam |
lily of little children, life was some
thing of a problem. She was so bent on |
an education for each of us that every |
little pleasure had to be sacrificed to
achieve it. But appetite and longing |
for sweets kept right on developing just |
the same, and to make matters worse. |
right near the school was a bake-shop |
window where, every day, I looked
yearningly at heaped-up dishes of |
kisses.
MANY times felt like breaking the
glass, grabbing all in sight and running
for my life with my stolen treasure.
Then, one morning as I neared the
school, along frisked the wind and laid
at my feet crisp new dollar bill.
"Of course, I knew it had been lost
by the owner--I am not trying to hide
my infamy-but seized it, and like a
dart was of to the shop and ordered
the whole amount in kisses. And like
the little glutton I was, sat at mar |
ble-topped table and stuffed until I was
not only unable to touch another kiss,
but felt more horribly nauseated than
at any time before or since. There was
such an awful lot to be eaten, bags and
bags and bags.
THE bagftil that was still left car
ried to school and slipped to several
chlirns at recess, for. before that time,
] did not feel able to leave the shop.
Then, to my horror, I heard the
story OF the poor little girl who had
been sent with the money to pay the
teacher for something, and who, ever
since its loss, had been in Mysteries,
since dollar bills in her house were no
more pias.ssai than In mine.
mo murderer in his death chamber
ever felt more poignant stabs Of remorse .
for his crime. nor was more agonizingly
unhappy, and to come out and tell the
truth in the natteI seemed physical
impossibility--for never did tell. Not
even that night when I was SO i'll as to
brighten the entire household There
was no way ! could make good to the