The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1939-07-15
SHORT SHORT
STORY
Complete in This Issue

SOmPlSIe III HIS ISSUE
uriant tresses that hat was much
too small. A few days ago-even
yesterday-she would have bought
a different hat Today she hied to
the little barber shop which nestled
beneath the roof of this very build
ing, and came back bobbed! The
little hat fitted now, and she bought
it. Then sundry other purchases,
and Mary Ellen went home.
MARY Ellen!" shrilled her moth
er when she saw her hair.
MARY EIlen!" rumbled her faith
er when he saw her.
Keen-eyed Great-Aunt Matilda
came hobbling into the room on her
cane, looked at Mary Ellen, and
said never a word.
Like me, folks?" asked Mary FL
len.
They were sensible folks, her ia
Their and mother Already they had
resigned themselves to the inevita-
BILE.
cts the STYLE" allowed her moth
er.
could be worse" decided her
father.
"But why" came Aunt Matilda's
quavery voice, "did you do it?"
"Just tired of being sensible" ex-
planned Mary Ellen. "And tonight, :"
she glowed, 81 am going to ball"
"Reporting?" asked her mother.
Dancing" smiled Mary Ellen.
She went upstairs to put on the
, dress she had bought. She came
down. The room seemed suddenly
Illuminated. This sparkling girl with
sunsets glow in her eyes, in this
marvellous dress which seemed so
gloriously a part of her-was their
Mary Ellen. Her father and mother
rubbed their eyes. But they did not
say anything The whole of their
sensible lives had not given them
the right words to use for what they
were feeling now.
And then Mary Ellen flew for her
coat and hat, for the doorbeu was
ringing, and that meant John Ed
wards. John was a serious indi-
vidual who did statistical work for
the same paper for which Mary
Ellen reported. For years he had
been taking Mary Ellen to places
that she wanted to write up, and
while she would be busy taking
notes he would be just as busy think
ing of his statistics. He had a note
book and pencil with him with
which he intended to fill up the time
while waiting for Mary Ellen to
get ready. But finding she was
entirely ready he put back his note
book. They got into his car and
rode to the ball.
There he took his notebook out
again while waiting for Mary FL
len to lay aside her coat and hat.
She came to meet him-and the
notebook almost slipped from his
surprised hand There stood
a Mary Ellen he had never seen-an
exquisite Mary Ellen that seemed
to have dropped out of the sky,
and taken the sunrise tints along
with her as she passed.
Ready" asked Mary Ellen.
Ready for what?" inquired John
Edwards.
We're going to Dance" said
Mary Ellen.
She drew him out on the floor.
Unbidden his feet began to move.
Memories of boyhood dancing DAYS
came back to him. Mary Ellen and
John foated together in the dreamy
measures of the waltz. A delicious
sensation that even the most alb
sorbing statistics had never given
him came over him.
Mary Ellen tiptoed up the stairs
of her home. But in spite of her
endeavor not to wake anybody a
voice called out to her. 1t came
from Aunt Matilda's room, and Aunt
Matilda, propping herself on an ell
bow, was waiting for her.
Turn on the light" she COM
manded. "Well-" she scrutinized
Mary Ellen from head to foot
what have you been doing?"
''Why, you know" said Mary FL
len. Il went to the ball. / danced. "
"All that" said Aunt Matilda,
doesn't make you look the way you
are looking now. What else?"
Il got engaged" blushed Mary
Ellen, to John Edwards.
'Humph," from Aunt Matilda.
She looked approvingly at Mary FL
len. TIN glad" she said, that at
last NnLlln nnttinn 70 be snncihln -