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♦ T By Virginia T. Van De Water. CHAPTER XIII. G ORDON CRAIG had been away from New York for a week when Mary Danforth received her first letter from him. She had stipulated before he went that he should not write often, as she want ed "time to think." "I must see whether I miss you when you are irrevocably out of sight," she had said. “Do not write oftener than once a fortnight.” In commanding this she had obeyed her head rather than her heart. She would not yield easily to any desire to keep in touch with this man whom she was beginning to love. If she really cared for him, her affection would exist no matter how long his silence; if her liking was but a pass ing fancy, absence and non-commu nication would prove this fact. Yet, in spite of her interdict, she found herself wondering how soon Craig would write. She almost hoped he would disobey her orders. Mary Sat Sewing. It was Friday afternoon and Mary sat sewing, allowing herself to do this because there were no lessons to be prepared for the next day. She was embroidering a collar to be worn with her graduation gown, and her fingers plied the needle swiftly and deftly while her thoughts flew ahead to the day on which she should first wear this bit of finery. Would Craig surely come on for her commence ment? Would she see him in the au dience, and, if so, would she be ner vous? She hoped not. She also hoped that she would look so well on that occasion that the man would find her very fair and lovable. The arrival of the postman at an apartment house and the distribution of the letters by the hallboy are by no means closely connected, so Mary was surprised when soon after the whistle had shrilled below Jennie appeared with a letter and a small parcel. ‘‘A registered package for you. Miss Mary," she explained, "and will you please sign for it, the carrier says? And here’s two letters that the hallboy just brought up." Mary signed the registry card, re turned it to Jennie, and, with an in different manner, laid the letters upon the table at her side. She would not let the maid suspect how her heart had leaped at sight of the San An tonio postmark. The other letter was a simple note of invitation from a schoolmate, but, when Jennie had closed the door behind her, Mary forced herself to open this first. She did this as small children, confronted by two articles of food which must be eaten, dispose first of that which they care least for, saving, as they say, “the best for the last.” It is doubtful if the recipient gave much thought to her schoolmate’s invita tion, yet she replaced it carefully in its envelope after reading it. Then she took up her Western letter, and, with her embroidery scissors, opened it. She found an almost agreeable self-torture in making herself per form all these details slowly. But when the sheet was opened, her eyes devoured the contents ea gerly. It was not a long letter, and the girl read and j*e-read it. “I Must Tell You.” “Dearest," it ran, "I may call you that because you are that to me, and my calling you by a title which be longs to you does not commit you to anything, does it? I had a comfort able journey home—that is, a phys ically comfortable Journey. But when I remembered that I was stead ily drawing away from, instead of going toward you, I found it hard not to get out and take a return train to New York. "Come to think of it, it seems to me that you told me I must not write to you about my love for you, but 1 must do it just this once. I am send ing by registered mail something that belongs to you. It is the same quar ter that you lent me on that blessed evening on which I first saw you, dear. You remember 1 had to take it back after returning it to you, for your mother insisted that it was mine, not yours. Well, I am now returning it to its real owner. Forgive me for making it into a little souvenir in stead of leaving it as it was when I received it. Perhaps you may think it worth wearing on your bangle, or with some of the jingling things girls fasten on their chains. As long as you feel there is any chance of your some day loving me, please keep this. If you ever decide to have nothing to do with such an unworthy person as myself, you need not write me to that effect, but just return the trinket to me. and I will know the sad truth that would change my whole life. Then my heart will never be a real heart again, but a lump of lead." Little Else to Letter. There was little else to the letter except the signature, prefaced by oth er sentiments as seemingly foolish to the "wise and prudent” as all the rest of the epistle would have ap peared. But the reader was only a young and trustful girl. Her lips were smiling happily and her fingers trembling slightly as she unfastened the tiny registered par cel. Upon a layer of cotton lay the coin, glistening brightly, and look ing like a new bit of silver. It had been polished smooth and on one side of it were Mary’s initials—"M. D."— while on the reverse ^ide were the Initials of the sencier, “G. C." A tiny ring was at the top of the coin, by which It could be suspended from a chain or bracelet. From childhood Mary Danforth had worn about her neck a thin cha n and small locket given her by a iVative. This locket she removed and s ipped the coin in its place on the chain. She looked long at the initials, “G. C.,’’ then kissed them suddenly, and. as it ashamed of her action, quickly clasp ed the chain about her throat. Un fastening her collar, she slipped the chain and its new burden inside of the neck of her dress. “I wdll never return it," she said softly, her eyes shining. “I know now that I will never have to return it. And"—with a sudden blush, “when he comes again l shall tell him so," One Woman’s Story . * « Beauty « * Secrets for the Working Girl from Pretty Belle Baker. | BEHIND CLOSED DOORS One of the Greatest Mystery Stories Ever Written The Mistakes of Jennie R y HAL coffman Being a Series of Chapters in the Li/e of a Southern Girl in the Big City ,-.r.r"' ■ W-yy*K Vf Bv ANNA KATHARINE GREEN. constantly on the watch for signs of ., Miss Bells Baker. I F 1 were a little flve-dollar a week shop girl, and some all-the-com- forts-of-home luxurious society lady told me how r to acquire charm and loveliness, I might reflect that it is easy to be dainty and sweet when you have no handicap like hers. How ever, if a girl whose handicap was far greater than mine had ever been were to tell me how to be lovely on ray “five per," I think I would listen. So please hearken to Belle Baker, who started her career in a "ladies’ waist factory" when she was nine years old, and now—after a lapse of ten years, as the programs say—i* a popular vaudeville star who has just returned from a happy tour of the Orpheum circuit. Told of Her Voice. "They used to hide me in a box of waists when the inspector came around, and finally they were afraid to keep me at the factory,” said the dark-eyed Belle. “So I had to leave and find work in another factory, for I was the oldest of six children and we were poor in a way you probably know nothing about. Factory after factory dismissed me because they were afraid to keep a child so young in their employ. I'tried selling lem onade and newspapers—but 1 did have to work so hard and made so little money, that I finally went to a music hall and offered my services free if they would just give me a chance to sing. “I calmly told them that I had a beautiful voice, and my self-confi dence must have impressed them, for they tried me and then gave me the princely salary of three dollars a week. In three years I worked up to fifteen—and so I can talk to wage earners on their own levels, even though the last three years have brought me far more prosperity than I ever dreamed was possible in my early days. “I still have to make a study of how to induce money to go a long way, for I have an invalid mother and her three children out in the country. They look to me for everything—and so I am ready to talk about how to look as well as po&sible on as little money as possible. “Now, I think that cheap little dresses may be just as sweet as most expensive things. And if you are clever at copying, you may go and look in the Fifth avenue windows quite free of charge, and copy a forty- dollar hat for four dollars. I know', for I have done it—and still do it now and then. ‘‘Learn to observe finely dressed women—and then in simple materials copy whatever of their costume will he in good taste for your station in life. But the giri on a small salary who wants to have all the things hef wealthy sisters have will often look so overdressed as to bring a question of her respectability—and she won’t save. And the poor girl must culti vate the habit of saving—or when ever she thinks about the possible rainy day. why, then unbecoming worry wrinkles will come. “A poor girl who wants to look well must patronize East Side tailors and bring them Fifth avenue ideas, and must pick up bargain basement silk stockings of the boot hose variety at 12 1-2 cents a pair if she wants to weqr silk hosiery. Beauty Hints. "I believe the poor girl's greatest help toward beauty is health. Milk and a sandwich for lunch instead of doughnuts and pie and chocolate edaire—more fruit and less sweets, and plenty of baths. Why, I myself think two or three a day are not too many in the hot summer days. But a daily bath and all the sensible food we can possibly afford, and a Jar i>f good cold cream to take the city dust out of the pores of her face are the 1> st beauty hints for the poor girl— or her rich sister—that I know’. “Don't envy the giri who has more than you—try to get happiness right at home by bringing it there, and do relax instead of rushing feverishly off to have a ’good time’ when you come home all tired from work. For if you look sweet and daintily clean and fresh and rested, you will have the best kind of good looks to help you on the ambition I share with all of you—to make good.” And this is pretty Belle Baker’s kindly message to all her little sis ters of toil. 1 JUST FOR GIRLS T O the girl in love, from Sunday to Sunday Is as long a time as that between her husband’s monthly pay checks after she has married. Tell a girl before her marriage that she is throwing herself away, and she is insulted. Tell her after mar riage that she might have done bet ter, and she is flattered. When the engagement is announc ed there is always some dear friend who says: "Well. I am glad she has got a man at last." A girl with a love affair that does not come out right usually makes the mistake of confiding in seven teen girl friends before she confides in her mother. The girl is thinking of marriage long before it has entered the man’s mind. After a girl is married the only time she is serenaded is when her husband is elected to office. In love affairs in fiction a girl is proud and high-spirited, and tells lover if he tires of her a hint will be enough. Unless sure of him she says, her chains w’ould gall her and she would throw his freedom at his feet. But somehow’, in real life, there is more about breach of prom ise suits. In the books, the bride’s old room is left as she walked out of it, ready for her should she ever return. In real life, her brothers and sisters have a quarrel over who is to get it the day her engagement is announced and one of them has moved in be fore the wedding party has reached the gate. There Is this difference between maidhenhood and matrimony: Th* 1 maiden expects her parents to save money, and finds after marriage tha; if eny is saved she must save it her self. When a girl is engaged she stops saying her prayers; but after she ha.- been married a time she begins agai;. , and- her fervor is doubled. Green.) TO-DAY’S INSTALLMENT. "I can bear anything." Hi» foot moved toward the edge of the step on which he stood. "Genevieve?" He had stopped again. “Yes," she murmured, w’earily. "Do you love me?" Her form, which up to that moment had held itself erect by the mere force of a will exerted to the utmost, suddenly yielded and expressed in every curve, a feminine softness. "With all my heart," she murmured "Then," said he, "I am content." And his foot parsed over the edge of the step. There was no further delay. In a moment they were at the foot of the stairs, and in another had entered the parlor under the gaze of five hundred pairs of eyes. As they did so a mur mur expressive of something more than admiration arose behind them, and Dr. Cameron, tortured by anxiety, cast an other look at his bride. She was pale and her eyes were surrounded by great circles, but it was a woman who moved beside him, and a determined woman, too, and the change brought comfort to his heart and made the rest of his walk down the room less of an ordeal than their entrance had been. The clergyman was an old man and had doubtless married a thousand cou ples. To him there was nothing strange in a pallid and weary-looking bride, and a nervous, ^deeply excited bridegroom. He gave them a benevolent glance, lift ed his hook and began the service. But there were some persons present, rela tives and friends of the contracting par ties, who felt there was something un usual in the affair, and craned their necks to get a glimpse of the bride's face, wholly forgetful of the splendor of her jewels, and the priceless lace of her veil, which, under ofner circumstances, would have attracted all their attention The bride, however, did not lift her eyes and when she spoke in answer to the minister’s questions, the reply she gave was uttered in a voice so low that no one heard it but the bridegroom and the minister. But this is not unusual with brides, and the ceremony proceeded, and the time came for p.acing the ring on her finger. A Bad Position. But here a difficulty arose. For soma reason best known to herself, Miss Gretorex had preferred to be married without bridesmaids. There was, there fore. no one at hand to assist her In taking off her glove, nnd hor own agi tation making her ureqral to the task, she found herself obliged, a .'ter an in effectual effort to do so, to stretch out her hand for the ring, with the glove still on It. Dr. Cameron, feeing for her embarrassment, accepted ihi 1 situation with his usual sang froid. and holding the ring on the first joint-for it would not slip all the way down on a finger so protected—was on the point of utler- ing the sacred vow, lo love, cherish and protect her, when, through the hush of he moment, there came an interruption o startling and so wild that every head turned and more than one rosy cheek grew pale. It was a screrim, an unearthly and terrified scream! Com c from where? No one could tell. Speak ing of what? Fear, dismay, anguish - anything, everything that was out of ac cord with the scene it had so weirdly interrupted. Dr. Cameron, thinking of the ban shee’s warning, stretched out his arm to sustain his bride, whom this last and most fearful shock must surely rob of l strenth. But he soon found that she needed no assistance. Instead of suc cumbing to the general fright, she seemed to rise above it, and. oontiar' to every expectation of those about her. her head rose and her lip grew firm, till she grew absolutely masterful in her earnestness and determination. The minister caught her look, the bride groom the infection of her spirit, and the ceremony proceeded almost without the break of ever, a momentary hesi- ation. With the utterance of the ben- diction, a great sigh of relief rose from the vast assemblage, and upon he bride and groom turning to receive heir congratulations, no one marveled * observe her cheek so pale, or his brow so troubled, for the echo of that unexplained shriek was still ringing n his ears: and to superstitious minds, to no others, there was an omen in this weird interruption that was any thing but reassuring Mr. and Mrs. Gretorex alone preserv- | ed their usual impertubability. With smiling faces they greeted their child and shook hands with their new son- • in-law. Then as the wonder and dis I may about them took speech, and such phrases as “What do you think it was? I Did you ever hear anything like it?" I began to be whispered about, Mr. Gre- j torex stepped forward and remarked: "We have a servant who is subject to fits of nervous excitement. It was her voice you heard " And immediate- 15' the contenances of all brightened and the line of friends and acquain tances began to form and congratula tions were offered and the scene re gained its lost cheerfulness and bril liancy.. Only in two hearts the shadow yet rested, and upon two brows appre hension had set its seal too deeply for a word to drive it away. Dr. Cameron and his bride did not be lieve in the explanation which had been offered, and to one of them at least the future held terror which made the present ordeal of smiles, hows and mechanical hand shaking a tor ture which was only made endurable by the fear of rearousing suspicion in the breasts of the guests. And even this thought lost its sustaining power at last, and Dr. Cameron, who was turned and drew up a chair for her, saying. "You are overtaxing your strength. Take it easier, my darling" A smile, extraordinarily sweet, an swered this his first attempt at con jugal tenderness, but It soon flitted away, leaving her paler and more hol- low’-eyed than before. The Scream. "I cannot stand this long.’’ she mur mured. "I must know what that scream meant. Do . you think I could be excused from receiving any more congratulations? I want to go to my room." She paused with an irrepres sible shudder; then continued, "I must go to my room if only for a moment. I cannot breathe here." "There Is your mother," he rejoined, surprised and yet touched by her as pect of appeal. "She understands all these matters; let her manage it for you." And anxious to save his newly made wife all the effort he could, he leaned forward and touching Mrs. Gretorex on the arm. whispered: "Genevieve is really feeling quite ill. Is there no way of releasing her from all this nonesense? She wants to go to her room." The haughty mother surveyed her daughter in surprise. "What is the matter?" she asked. "You were well enough this after noon. “I know," responded her daughter with an effort; "but that Bcream.’’— “Pshaw! haven’t you heard Margaret cry out before? You are foolish to mind it; everything Is all right now.” “I know," was the low reply, "but— and here the young bride made an effort visible to all "I cannot be myself till I know that it was Mar garet who screamed. Send and see for me." The mother's lip curled, but she did not refuse her daughter's request. Beckoning a servant to her, she whis pered him an order and turned again to her guests. Mrs. Cameron endeav ored to do the same, but her smile had become ghastly and she committed more than one gaucherie. At length the servant not returning, she gave up all attempt to sustain her part, and sat literally shivering, her eye on the door by which the servant had disap peared as if upon his reappearance alone her life and reason depended. Dr. Cameron, who lost nothing of all this, even while endeavoring to cover up her abstraction by renewed atten tion to the guests crowding around them, was about to suggest the advisa bility of her following out her first im pulse and going to her room, when sud denly her whole bearing changed, and ►he rose with a hurried apology and hastened toward the door. Her husband followed, but her action was so quick and the throng so great that she es caped him for the moment, and he did rot see her again till she appeared on the stairs c-oing rapidly up. She was moving eagerly and showed no . signs of weakness, so he did not hasten, there being more than one of his particular friends In the way, ready with jest or congratulation to detain Mm. Some few minutes therefore had elapsed before he reached her door. It was closed and he knocked, expecting it to be opened immediately. But though he related his knock no an swer cam? from within, and irritated be yond measure by the succession of in comprehensible occurrences, he shook the handle of the door and spoke her name with decision. It had the desired effect, for in a mo ment the key was turned in the lock and the door oppned just wide enough to show her face. He was startled to perceive that the room behind her was perfectly dark. A Request. “I will be out in a moment," she de clared and smiled a hurried dismissal. But he was not going to face the crowd below again, so he did not turn at her bidding, but kept his place, which seeing, she stepped out Into the hall and said: “I am feeling better. If you will give me ten minutes more rest and quiet 1 think I shall he able to go downstairs again." Why did not Dr Cameron feel re lieved at this, especially as she was looking better? He could not tell. “Are you sure." he Inquired, "that you are best alone? Shall I not stay with you and take you down?" But her look trembled with an appeal so urgent, she soemd so anxious for solitude and repose that he had not the heart to urge his new claims upon her He, therefore, withdrew after a com forting word or two. determined to step into the room which he had occupied before the ceremony and there await her coming. But before he could reach its threshold he was stopped by the servant who had been sent by Mrs. Gretorex to make inquiries about Mar garet. "Oh, sir," inquired this man, “is Mrs. Cameron in her room? I want to tell her about Margaret." “And what have you to tell?” asked the doctor. “Nothing, sir, except that Margaret isn’t in the house at all. She went out after she. got her supper without ask ing leave of anyone, sir. I suppose she thought no one would miss her. But Mrs Fenton, the housekeeper, sir, sees everything and " To Be Continued To-morrow. “How dare yon, you beast!” CHAPTER XXII. T HE new place where Jennie worked was one of those, dingy offices you often see and wonder wliat the inhabitant does to make a living. The man Jennie worked for did a little of every thing from selling worthless mining stock to being an “ambulance chaser”—or commonly known as a shyster lawyer. Jennie 'didn’t seem to have much work to do and often wondered why the man hired her at all. I!ut after she lmd tx-en there a few days she began to understand the reason. The man hardly ever took his eyes off her. Even when Jennie would lie copying something on the typewriter, if she hap pened to look up suddenly she found the man al ways intently staring at her. Whenever he had anything to oxplnin to her he would lean over her chair a great deal closer than necessary and accidentally—QUITE accident ally—lay his hand on her shoulder. Jennie began to notice these things and would always try to keep the table or a chair between them when lie was in the ‘office. One day lie came tn and Jennie smelled liquor very strong about him, and liefore she realized it be had her In his onus trying to kiss her. Jennie struggled with all her might and dually dodged around the table out of Ills reach. "How dare you— you BEAST!" exclaimed Jennie. “Tha’s a’rlglit,” said the man, "the other girls that worked here liefore didn’t mind it when I kissed ’em.” —HAL COFFMAN. (To Be Continued.) , Habits of Speech Household Suggestions C ULTURE Is the result of the con stant choice of everything that makes life beautiful. In man ners, habits, thoughts, books, words or conversation the cultivated man or woman aims to choose the best, if one has been negligent in these mat ters a new start may be made. It may be a surprise when we real ize how very limited is our vocabu lary and how we liave tyeen satisfied with it. A good vocabulary may be acquired by reading books which are worth reading, as well as by talking with those who express themselves in the speech of educated people. Thought is back of speech, and those who think accurately have a discrim inating sense of language and try to use the best word to say what is in their minds. It is neither pedantic nor is it af fected to use well chosen w’ords. It is not desirable to use long, difficult words. The simplest, most direct, most vigorous words are usually convinc ing. We may choose a descriptive or a beautiful word, expressing ourselves in clear, terse speech without using expletives or exaggerated terms which are weak and w ithout using in appropriate, ordinary language. The habit of using slang destroys the taste for good English. A slnng phrase may seem crisp or condense!, but it is not wit. Usually it Is coarse and cheap and may he compared to a counterfeit coin. If we were as anxious to add a descriptive or beau tiful word to our vocabulary as tc add the latest slang there might be hope for Improvement in our speech. We should be as careful to < hoose correct words as to be careful in dress. Women give much thought to the selection of becoming dress, vet there are many pretty, well-dressed women who seem unconscious that their attractiveness suffers an eclipse when they speak. The pleasing im pression they have made vanishes when the voice is harsh or naa.il, when words are clipped, or incorrect- lv pronounced, or grammatical mis takes are made. A gas range may be kept black Dy wringing out a sponge (kept solely for the purpose) in warm water and rubbing well with soap, washing the stove while it Is warm. If this is done just after the cooking is over, the stove may be kept black and free from grease spots. When cane-bottomed seats sag, sponge both sides of the cane w ith hot soapsuds in which a handful of salt has been dissolved, then stand the chair in the open air. Treated liko this, the seats will become as firm as when new’, shrinking into place. When rinsing flannels and woolens, it is best to do so in warm, soapy water, as pur*» w »rai water makes them hard: also, when hanging cur tains out to drv, hang them double as it makes them even and prevents them getting torn so easily. If you want to patch your window shades, don*t sew on the patches. In stead, paste them on with hot starch and press down with a warm iron. They will look neater than if sewn, because the stitches would be appar ent, whereas a pasted-on pqtch U aV* ways invisible. — - - 4. -.Ml KODAKS- u m ^ “^Eastman* First Class finishing and En larging. A complete stock dims, plates, papers, chemicals, etc. Special Mall Oroer Department for out-of-town customers. Send for Catalogue and Price List. A. K. HAWKESCO. Kodak Department | 14 Whitehall St. ATLANTA. GA. While on the Pacific Coast read the San Francisco Examiaer xmxi OeDcfie-Cooscrvaiory—Ga'nesvllle, Ga. A COLLEGE with u MHl-retlnnxm. BulMIng., 32: Grounds. 100 •oros; Lab. oratoriaw*: Librarj. WOO volume.; Mu^ura. Artronomic^ Obsenrau.iT. etc. Collegiate couree tmaorpaasad; Conaervatoir and School of Oratory utoi.H Stud err to. 606, from 28 eta tea: Faculty. 44. Unhampered by denominational control. Located among footbltle of Ae Blua Bldg* Mountain.. Best autborttiea agree this Ugh altitude moat beuettctpl to student* For U1 worsted gataloir. addree. Would You Buy a Motor Gar Without Ball Bearings? Or a racing sulky? Or a sewing machine? a watch without jewels? Or The L. C. Smith & Bros. Typewriter Co. has worked out the principle of ball bearings in the L. C. Smith & Bro«. typewriter. Every typebar is ball bear ing; the carriage and capital shift travel on ball bear ings and wherever friction would naturally develop, it is lessened t<f the vanishing point by ball bearings. This means, in a typewriter, greater speed, closer ad justments, and consequently, greater accuracy and neater typewritten work. This is only one of the reasons why the L. C. Smith & Bros, typewriter is worth more money than any other typewriter ever made. We can show you by aetaal demonstration how you can increase the efficiency of yen) stenographer and save your self time and money. Our Atlanta Branch Is located at 121 N. Pryor Street, and we will welcome a call at any time or we will send a representa tive to talk over your particular problems with you. Office help furniehed by our free employment bureau. Typewriters to rent at reasonable prices. L. C. SMITH & BROS. TYPEWRITER CO. 121 N. Pryor St., Atlanta, Ga. PHONE IVY 1940 r