Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-13

to me today. Nothing will ever happen to me
again"
She remained standing in silence. thinking it
over her expression holding. and then as she
passed through the doO- she repeated her words
as if to herself, aghaSt:
Nothing will ever happen to me again!"
But by o'clccl, in the afternoon Mrs. Mont
rose had been restored to her usual state Of
mind. She had sought three so,aces-the min
istrations of her favorite Beaute Salon, food in
her favorte restaurant and the society of her
most crnging poor relation-and they had not
failed her.
She decided now to spend an hour at Valerl-
tines She did not need new clothes but she
needed the atmosphere exuded by the woman
and her establishment Valentine, French
American woman Of lean middle age was the
clevereSt OF her keen and canny tribe. She
made q specially of catering to women Of MRS.
Montrose's type. and to that end she engaged
saleswomen who were not markedly young.
slim or lovely.
The red-headed girl known to the trade as
Miss Yvonne had always caused Valentine .
faint uneasiness because she was short of Is,
thin to the point of transparency and narrowly
grazed the borderline of beauty, but she had
an inspired tact with difficult customers which
made her Indispensable
She came forward at once to greet Mrs.
white face Miss Yvonne had what might
almost be termed bedside manner with her
customers. and Mrs. Montrose leaned back lux
uriously in her chair.
II was hoping Madame would come in today"
the warm young voice said purringly You
remember. Miss Iris? spoke to you this morn
ing about that little orchid chiffon velvet and
said 1t would be perfect for Mrs. Montrose."
Perfectly" Miss Iris played up.
AErS Moptroso Thought IL daar NJ than
but they disclaimed any credit. Miss Yvonne
might bring the little orchid thing. Mrs. Mont
rose sank back in her chair and accepted .
thimbleful of pale but pungent tea and silver
of toast from yelow-hair girl in gay print
slip.
HALF an hour went by deliciously-so de-
liciously that she did not mark the growing
strangeness in the manner of the young woman
who was bringing little mauve satin things and
little smoke crepe things and clever little tulle
trifies in negligee-they were all little" things
always at Valentines. Miss Yvonne'S dollhouse
pallor had been invaded by two feverish crimson
spots on her cheekbones and her gray-green
eyes had grown bright and her voice was getting
shrill
Very conservatvely priced at three and
quarter" she said. and when her customer
repeated It languidly after her, agreeing the
salesperson emitted a sudden little yelp which
was startling in that low-toned, heavily padded
room. Very conservatively priced at three and
a quarter" said Miss Yvonne again in n loud
and piercing tone.
Miss Iris Fastening to her side, felt certain
that her fellow-vorSer had been overcome by .
sudden pain.
Not So 25" continued Miss Yvonne shrily,
'but $325-for four yards of velvet and 10
inches of fur and half an hours smocking!"
''Yvonne! Hush You mustn't"
But the sharp voice did not cease. And the
little mauve satin at two and half and the
smoky crepe at only hundred and seventy
Northumberland the little negligee positively
thrown in at inety-eight-and how much was
the wrap the little informal evening throw for
Florida nights? -Four and three-quarters, wasn't
Continued on Eighteenth P00e