Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 86, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 January 1918 — Make Believe [ARTICLE]

Make Believe

The girl In the tight little hat bbA’ the draped veil restrained a frown «f annoyance when In tripping down the station steps, she overtook the youag woman in the large picture hat Md imitation ermine. “Why, Jessie!” cried the girl In the big hat, as the other attempted to go past. “How mean It was that I didn't know you were on this train 1 I; haven’t seen you for ages I Are you shopping?” “Well, yes,” admitted the girl with the draped veil falling into step. ‘Tin so busy there days I had to drop a dozen things to come downtown! But one does have to have clothes —such a nuisance!” “That’s the way I feel about It,” ad* mltted the other. “I’m looking for a dress myself. Where are you going to look first?” “Oh, in all those exclusive shops,” the girl in the small hat rejoined with o tiny judder. “I simply c»n«» staH(r the places where they have no Indlvldv uality and where, when you do find something, you meet sixteen other women with the same thing on l I cannot be happy in a gown unless It is for me alone —Arthur thinks I have the most distinctive style—■” The other girl gave a shriek. “Ar» you still going with Arthur Dfirkwater?” she cried. “My goodness l t should think you’d get tired waiting and hoping—” “I am not in such a hurry to marry as you seem to be," tartly said the girl In the small hat. “Poor Arthur! Ha told me all about how he had to stop calling on you because you so evidently were trying to rush him into a propos—•” “I’m going to try the shops first, too,” hastily Interrupted the young woman in the big hat, quite as though the other had not spoken. “I want something out of the ordinary." “It is simply Impossible to buy a serge dress that is presentable under fifty dollars,” said the girl in the small hat. “I want something terribly simple and yet distinguished looking—” “I know precisely what I want,"' broke in her friend in the big hat. “I saw one in Mme. Pheleepe’s window— In that terribly exclusive little arcade you know —and it was only sixty dollars and looked worth a hundred, an<X it had—” “Mme. Croops, whfere i go mostly," languidly broke in the girl with the small hat, “never exhibits her frocks in a window; mercy, no! You’d never know there were dresses for sale just looking in ! She has the most wonderfully exclusive clients —” “Mme. Pheleepe makes a special study of me,” confided her friend, sweetly. “She says she is always delighted when she finds some one who needs an individual style and can wear it 1 I’ve heard that your Mme. Croops buys lots of her things at sales and Just marks them up—” The girl In the small Hat laughed amusedly. “I suppose her enemies in business tell all sorts of things,” she remarked. “She Is making such a marvelous success I might as well sen what she has In evening gowns while I’m there, I suppose. I want something in tulle and silver —just a little simple dance frock for about eighty or ninety. But I must get the serge today.” “I may get a satin frock instead of a serge,” chimed in the girl with the big hat. “Serge really is frightfully common. “I suppose because It is cheaper than satin. A severe black satin frock has such an ajr and I can carry off those strictly tailored things. But I won’t touch a satin under four dollars a yard—l hate those sleazy cheap ones!” “Oil, dear me!” cried the girl in the small hat, stopping short. “I’m so sorry! I’ve just remembered I’ve got to call at the optician’s for mother’s glasses —and I did want you to go with me to Mme. Croops! No, dear, I wouldn’t dream of having you stop with me, because there’s no tellinghow long I’ll have to wait!” “Maybe it’s just as well,” sighed the girl In the big hat and imitation ermine, prettily. “I must run right around and see about those opera tickets before It’s too late! I’m just as disappointed as I can be! I wanted you to see the lovely things at Mme. Pheleepe’s!” Ten minutes later the girl in the small hat and the girl in the big one hated each other for life with a deadly hatred. For they met in a frenzied search through the racks of sls serge dresses in a basement sale. —Chicago Dally News.