The Ely miner., 1930-08-22

~
~ beauty shop at five o'clock.
She had stolen away from her
hostess house three hours ear
lier for the sake of enjoying rare
treat. In the small town where Ada
lived IL was not possible TO get a good
permanent such as the beauty shop
specialized In. She had also indulged
in an expert facial massage When
she looked in the mirror and saw the
dainty waves of her pretty blond hair
and the glowing freshness of her skin
she felt ridiculously young and happy
A confectioner's window tempted
her and she entered to buy box of
candy for her hostess. Edna loved
chocolate-coated almonds. While her
package was being wrapped she
looked about her. Her glance fell on
an obiect that instantly made her take
a penny from her purse. She hadn't
been weighed in a long time. She was
curious about her weight. She stepped
upon the scales, dropped the penny in
the slot and watched the pointer spin
round on the dial. The pointer
stopped at 169 Ada stared at the
figures. They were unbelievable. She
dropped another penny in the SLOT.
Same result.
"Do these scales weigh right?" she
asked faintly.
"Yes, madam. they do" The sales.
girl smiled as she held out to Ada the
neat white package.
Ada had an unpleasant feeling of
moisture between her shoulderblades
Last time she remembered distinctly
she had weighed l39 She had gained
thirty pounds. 1t did not seem pos
sible And yet she had known for
some time that there was something
wrong with her old blue satin. Miss.
Franklin, the dreSsmaker back home
who mad fixed her up for this visit 70
Edna Merrill. had assured her tina:
her measurements were just the same.
But Miss Franklin was TOO sharp 10
give offense to good customer. After
that experience with Mrs. kinch she'd
probably never again exactly fell thr
revealed Mrs. Kinch's dress patterns
had called for two yards more. Ada's
dress pattern had not called for more
goods But the old blue satin cnnld
no longer be made 70 90 around her.
Walking was good for reduction, so
Ada walked home the longest way
around. By the time she reached her
hostess pleasant home she was hun
cry enough TO eat raw potatoes. Her
appetite was sharpened by the smell
of roast chicken floating out of Edna S
open Kitchen window. But Edna
trusting calmly TO the efficiency of her
modern range. sat coolly in the porch
hammock talking to Elhert Ross. El
bert's taffy-colOred roadster stood in
the Merrill's driveway. Edna had
asked him to dinner on Ada's account.
Knowing this. Ada had visited the
beauty shop. Her heart beat fast as
she mounted the porch steps and found
that Elbert had risen to greet her. He
was nearing middle age. a bachelor,
slightly gray at the temple. handsome
with fine mouth and eyes that went
right through you. That was the way
Ada described Elbert's eyes TO her
self On the porch table where Ebert
had placed it to await Ada's coming
was a five-pOund box of chocolates.
Edna referred TO it laughingly.
"Elbert wouldn't let me have one
till you came. Ada. Here. take my
place. I've got to run out and see
what's happening TO my dinner"
Ebert and Ada were alone in the
porch hammock. On Ada's lap lay a
five-pounds box of delicious and ex-
pensive chocolates such as she had
never before tasted. The man she
was crazy about was waiting TO see
her sample her candy. And she had
just vowed to herself on her way
home that she would cut down on her
eats until she had got rid of the last
ounce of those supertious thirty
pounds. Here she was trapped into
adding still more to her avOirdupOis.
Her fingers tembled slightly as she
opened the box She sighed family as
she looked down at the luscious
display.
rs that the kind you like?" Ebert
asked. smiling.
Ada lifted her blue eyes to his. Her
hand hOvered over the candy. She
absently took one and started to pop
it into her mouth. But Ebert play
fully caught her hand in his and with
his own lips snatched away the goody.
Either that or | had TO kiss you."
he said.
Hope scared like singing bird in
Ada's heart. But at that instant an
other car entered the Merrill's drive
way. Gus Merrill, owner of the car