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Show prrr zzzzz z zz zz The Powder Blue Dress SSS fl ! I ! izzzzzzzz z zz- : i A MY Morton surveyed herself critically in the - mirror. She nodded ' with satisfaction. The dress still fitted, all right.' The material had been too good to be allowed to go to waste. The dress had originally been a plain, out-of-date powder blue affair Amy had acquired on a memorable summer she had fallen in love with Greg. Amy sighed and fingered the soft material reminiscently. Handsome, dashing Greg. He had been the idol of the resort and Amy had flattered stop trying to prejudice me against men. You're just that way because you were disappointed once ! And I don't see you're any the happier hap-pier for it you're nothing but a poor old spinster with a martyr complex." She burst into tears. "The reason we quarrelled was because I refused to go to the veterans' dance with him. He thought it was your fault that you had induced me to refuse. I told him off and now I wonder if it was worth it!" Amy stared as the girl ran into her own room and slammed the door. About an hour later, she knocked knock-ed on Anne's door. Before Amy had a chance to speak, Anne said, "Amy, please try to forgive me. I really didn't mean any of the things I said. It's just that " Amy's face softened and she finished "That you love him so very much?" The younger girl nodded wordlessly. "Then why did you refuse him?" "Because," explained Anr.e miserably, miser-ably, "I haven't a thing I can wear to a dance like that." Amy bit her lip. Anne's wardrobe was indeed skimpy. Her small salary, sal-ary, together with the high cost of living, had made frivolities almost impossible. "Anne," she said, "call Johnny up and tell him you've changed your mind." liipt "Why can't you give Johnny a break stop trying to prejudice me against men?" demanded Anne. herself that she, a plain, white collar col-lar girl, had succeeded in captivating captivat-ing him.-Now she laughed bitterly. Sure, it must have been fun to bring the stars to a young girls' eyes and then ditch her. Well, men were poison to her now. Amy thought of her younger sister, sis-ter, Anne. Anne was a little blonde with the characteristics that Amy so achingly lacked. Young, soft, vulnerable. vul-nerable. Amy studied her own face in the glass. Work and disappointment disappoint-ment had set her features in austere rigidity. Her lips were thin and stern, her jaw firmly molded. It svas hard to believe she had ever seen young. Yet somehow, in this dress . . . Amy's thought was Interrupted Inter-rupted as the front door slammed below and Anne called up. Anne walked wearily in. At once she noticed the dress. "Oh, Amy, where did you get that," she asked. "I I picked it up some years ago. A foolish extravagance I've regret-.ted regret-.ted ever since." "But, Amy, why haven't you ever worn it? It's such a perfectly beautiful beau-tiful shade of blue and you couldn't touch material like that today at any price." Amy changed the subject. "You look worried, Anne." "It it's Johnny." . Amy's lips tightened, as she picked pick-ed up the newspaper her sister had brought in. "That one! Has he been seeing some other girl?" Anne managed a weak smile. "No. We've Just had another quarrel." "Well, Anne, someday you'll learn that men aren't worth the trouble. Lord knows I've always tried to tell you that. To them a woman is merely a toy; something to play with and then throw aside when th novelty has worn off. Johnny Wilson is no exception. It's best you rid yourself of him now rather than let yourself in for humiliation and heartbreak." Anne faced her sister angrily. "Why can't you give Johnny a break The girl raised her tearful face from the pillow. Amy snapped, "Everything's going to be all right." She added softly, "I promise you that, dear?" The next day, while Anne was at work, Amy phoned the office that she had a bad cold, then stayed in her room the entire day. When Anne arrived home, Amy shooed her into the bathroom, to a fragrant tub. Amy imperatively shushed her. While Anne was taking her bath, Amy laid a dress across the girl's ' bed. Anne came bursting out and hugged her ecstatically. "Oh, Amy!" "How could you do it?" "If you cry your eyes are going to get red and that young whelp will think I've been beating you." Amy managed, her own eyes filling with tears. She held the girl away to get a better look. Amy's dress was hardly recognizable. The hem had been shortened. There was fine lace at the throat and sleeves and a gold belt. The girl's golden hair and blue eyes made the perfect setting. The doorbell rang. Amy said, quickly, "That's Johnny; I'll let him in. Straighten your lipstick. I promise prom-ise not to devour the lad." And she hurried downstairs. It was evident that Johnny was surprised to see her, and even more surprised at the friendly welcome. The' two were chatting like old friends when Anne descended. It was then that Amy found her reward re-ward in the face of Johnny as he stared at the apparition that was to be his for the evening. Amy admonished, ad-monished, "You'll take good care of her, won't you, Johnny?" Johnny took her hand. "You bet IH take care of her, Amy." Turning to include the girl at "his side, he added tenderly, "For the rest of her life, if she'll let me." Amy didn't think she could stand it a moment longer, the two of them there together; to-gether; Johnny's face and Anne's shi)ng eyes. Back in her room, Amy caught a glimpse of her face in the pier glass. "Why, I'm not so old," she thought, staring at her bright eyes and the newly softened lines of her lips. "I'm not old at all." |