Smyrna times., 1930-01-01
A Case of Before
and After
BY r. RAY BAKER


don disappear round a corner of the
street.
She dropped into a chair and
picking up a magazine she turned
TO the back and absently began
reading an advertisement in colors.
discovered The Elixir of
Youth !" ran the headline of the ad-
vertisement in bright red letters.
And a subtitle below it was:
"Why Have Wrinkles? Use
Sylvia Halls Carmine Cold Cream
and Danish Signs of Age and
Worry"
Then there were two pictures,
one of a woman who might be
about eighty-five years old, and the
other a girl Of perhaps sixteen. On
perusing further Alice discovered
that the two persons were one and
the same, the first being before
and the other "after" using the
wonderful "Carmine Cold Cream"
Alice discarded the magazine and
smiled bitterly.
'Perhaps / had better invest in
some of that" she mused. ''I'll be
looking like a hundred years old
If this ordeal doesn't end pretty
soon. Why can't / muster enough
courage to do my duty to Henry and
myself?"
The ordeal in question began
two weeks ago, when Alice first
saw Henry with another woman.
She waited for Henry to speak
of the matter, but he did not men
ton it. Inasmuch as he had been
engaged to Alice for a year, it
would have been the proper thing
for him to explain himself. she
thought.
Alice was willing to let it drop,
only the very next day Jennie
Quaites, who worked with her in
the shoe manufacturers office, came
TO her with a story of having seen
Henry with "a very stylishly
dressed young woman" at a mat
inee. Soon after other friends
were kind enough to inform her
Of episodes of a similar nature, and
finally Alice again saw the pair her
self at the restaurant.
Finally, in desperation, Alice
sought the advice of her aunt who
was versed in matters of the heart,
having had three husbands and sur
vived them all. She found her Sunt
performing her toilet and making
profuse use OF some crimson, paste
like substance which she took from
a large jar.
making myself young again" ex-
planned the aunt, rubbing the oily
substance into her face. ,"This is
Sylvia Halls Carmine Cream. which
restores youth. banishes old age
and wrinkles. You won't know me
when / get made up"
She refused to become serious
when Alice related her tale of woe.
'sThere's only one of two things
to do" advised the aunt. 'Hand
him his ring and forget about him.
or get busy and beat out this other
woman that has stolen his atfec-
TONS"
But l love him too much to let
him 60, even though it's my duty"
protested Alice.
Better think it over, then" said
the aunt. "You have my advice.
Better let him take the initiative, IL
you can't do it yourself"
/ must, though. It's my plain
duty to break off our engagement
and let Henry and this other wom-
an enjoy happiness. I'll do it next
time / see him."
And Alice took her leave, while
her aunt muttered something about
,.sheart, affectiOns-rot :" and re
sumed lathering her face.
While Alice was passing the win
cow, however, the aunt appeared
TO have been struck with an idea,
for she called:
"Alice, / just happened to think
Of something. Perhaps the other
woman is Henry's sister. or cousin,
or-or his mother"
"No. it can't be-" Alice rejoined.
"Henry has no sisters or cousins. !
know that TO be a fact; and his
mother is dead"
'sToo bad, then. | thought per
haps I'd solved the puzzle. Well,
good-by; and don't lose any sleep
and get lot Of worry wrinkles"
At the dinner hour the next day
: Alice could not keep away from the
restaurant where her troubles Of
the heart had begun. She had no
intention Of spying, but she simply
must know if that affair" was con-
tinuing.
Evidently it was, for through the
window Alice saw Henry and the
/. .fashionably garbed woman she had
almost learned to hate.
"She's silly looking young
thing" the watcher remarked. and
started away. determined not to be
seen.
But she was seen. Henry spied
her as he turned from the cashiers
desk.
{ "Good evening. Alice" he said,
doffing his hat and drawing the
other woman toward his fiancee.
"Good evening"" Alice responded
coldly.
ard like you to meet very cele-
brated lady," Henry went on.
"YOu've read lots about her, no
doubt. for her name is in all the
magazines. Women are blessing
cher in every part Of the globe for
ifhe good service she is performing
for them. Alice, this is Silvia
.Hall, the inventor and manufac-
afurer of the famous 'Carmine
5Cream,' that has banished age for