Show MISS LAURAS LAURA'S CONFESSION CO By Helena Davis Laura was as only 1 11 U years cars old hut being 1 n a capable lo girl hey hel mother decided de tie- to I leave ve her In charge o of th the house during a part of or the summer Vacation va vacation va- va cation for Cor being 1 in bad bati health herself her her- 1 self she lIe needed lIed a rest re from household household household house house- hold cares carl anti and feeling so confident of her little daughters daughter's trustworthiness she mule made all necessary fir arrangements an anti and the second week of or the vacation fI season a on found her off lT to visit old friends while Laura eager agel for her mothers mother's pleasure s stepped pied right willingly wil wll- ly Into the place lilace of housekeeper and ministered to the needs of or her father and young 1 brother rother NeIL Ned Everything went vent on swimmingly giving you ou Iho tho little birthday present 1 I purchased before leaving and anti which I untie hope will please my little laughter daughter the phone Tried getting you ou over ovel while ago but cook cool sal said you were out otil I seeing about your fanc fancy costume I hope you OU get something unique and amI lovingly Hastily Father ratler Laura returned to her room In n o quandary Now what should she do tiC about earli her grandmothers grandmother's wedding wadding gown own on the evening of or lu r part parly Her lIeI papa whoso whose advice sh shi had determined to ask was on the and II It train speeding westward would be LIe impossible to reach rach him b by letter an and receive a reply before befort her birthday which was now Just three days off olT Also It would be lie impossible im im- possible to write her mamma requestIng request request- tIn t- t In lug Ing her hel con consent to wear the lie gown and receive an answer In time to have ha another another another an an- other costume made matle in tho event ol or her refusal Well WelI theres there's hut ono one thing to donow do tic now and that Is 13 to wear ma's mas wedding gown I 1 shall be vcr ver I- I G r. H s i. i 1 t l t. t t careful of It I cannot understand meet with mumma's mammas mamma's mum main how it could possibly 1 mas ma's Hut But she reassured h herself herself- or tried t Laura V-Laura kept recalling to careful her hm mother r mind how luo- howery very ery was uan of tn the d lear dear ar old wedding gown own nl never anyone to tn handle It avo s-avo h when whon once once cacti year eal she took aired and sunned It and wrapped J It In lii fre fresh h paper paIr r. r The i Fht evening of the party camp came anti and anda antia lad of or Lauras Laura's moth- moth a neighbor r lady on one frs acted as us s chaperon Th Tile The CUl of the lie young guests were Iol hoth artistic and antl unique following t styles of If the long ago Hut But not I I IM II 1 I j 47 t T u lid Then hc lie lifted tho the heavy and anti Lauras Laura's Cath father father- I wrote the most Haltering letters to hl hia wife about Lauras Laura's wonderful management of or ortho tho ho homo home and antl Ij J lg so much pleased with his industrious and willing daughter tho- tho lI man promised to Lo give gl her part parly m l her fifteenth birthday birthday birth birth- day which event ent would woul take tale place the lath lath- part of or Junc June For days a s 's l preceding i the party parly Laura was very ery with tho the preparations for or the he affair as was to be ba given gi on quite an Laura Luuru had ha taken several o of hi young oung friends Into her confidence coundon u ll had hael asked for Cor Cr l them as us to the tho character tho the assume for she sho very er much v the tho function to 1 bo 0 out ortho of or the tho ordinary o v nut have o a fancy dress party one friend had asked Tho Iho sug sug- NU suggestion g was ns Just tho the thing and Invitations otis were sent out accordingly And the then It was wag that Laura 1 began egan i What hat l t t plan Illan about her costume she wear wear Suddenly an Idea hIen to lit her I Il 1 but almost as us quickly l she shook Ii her er h head cad and said No no mi I r must not hot wear vear that that But lint late lato that afternoon when sh slit she went to tu her dressmaker and found It Impossible o to get a costume made malic before bemI be be- fore fire mI the date dale of her party art the dress dress- maker and full her a assistants being so busy with other othel fancy ancy costumes for fOl the coming com corn lug ing event ent the thought which she had banished In the morning came back and antl this tune time instead u of shaking lie her heat head and saying Sl No No she he entertained entertained enter enter- the Idea and said Why Vh not Im I'm quite sure that mamma were ere she sho here would readily give o her consent conent Ill I'll be so careful that no accident can car possibly po sl bl happen So without going in quest of another another anther an an- other ther dressmaker Laura hurried home and an ran up u UI stairs to lo attic storeroom Of or course coure sh she said to tc herself I shall ask asic papas papa's advice 31 about doing this lint But Im I'm quite sure sur mamma would not not object Then she slit lifted the heavy lid of an In old fashioned cedar chest which had 1 belonged to lo her hei maternal grandmother and had belli h m that la lad lady wedding trousseau when she she was a fair fall young maiden of or 20 O Laura Lauia began hegan lifting out parcels done dent up Ut in Iii yellowed t Issue paper papel examining ing the contents of or each till tilt she sho came cameto cameto to the one evidently wanted This one she laid gently gentl to ono one side while she sho replaced i the others in the chest Then clo closing the lie lid iid she took look up tho lie parcel larcel and hurried hUl to her room Removing the he paper wrapper from front about the parcel it proved to be he a dainty dalny 1 but ut very V l heavy Y creamy satin gown of tho the fashion worn when her grandmother was us a maiden I Shaking out tho the ample amplo folds an and draperies Laura put It on and amI stepped in front Clont of the glass Mercy Merc how small dear bride she r r was when she was a said aliI looking at the tue snug fit of the gown on her liet- own tall supple figure figure- tall for 01 her years And Antl just think think think- this gown has never been worn vorn but hut once and then b by on her wedding day nut But Laura was called from rom Inspection Inspection tion lou of or herself In the quaint old wedding wed ved- ding gown to the hall hail door the tho bellof bell bellof bellof of which pealed peul ll sharply She found a messenger there hero with a note noto to o her from her father lathel It ran ran- Dear Girlie Girlie Ain Am off ott on the lie lieI I 1 I Jl p. p in m. train for fot L L- L In answer er to a whore wire who re regarding tho the possible sale of or my oil Interests there lucre Shall not nol return till business is completed and may ma not get back for Cor th the lie party which will bo Llo a great grat disappointment to I me nue But Dul I have hav left Instructions with Ne Ned about 0 one present save sa Laura wore a genuinely genuinely gen gen- aged gown an and she was the target for a admiring eyes the tha entire evening But nut something happened which and roused spoiled all her Pleasure an the tho voice o of her conscience which sh she had hat kept kelt silenced silenced- J Just a as a Jolly young gallant was about to hand a aclu clu glas s of or orange orang-e nectar to UN to the pretty CO cn coy maiden maldon whose escort he was nM Laura Lama standing near neal unintentionally stepped backward and struck her shoulder against t thi the uplifted d glass In inho tho ho youths youth's hand Then happened thu th ent which Laura had so NO carefully carefully care caro- fully rully guarded c against all owning c TUu Thu yellow lIow sweet liquid hewed all down her grandmothers grandmother's ran mothers mother's gown leaving an un u ly b sticky from toni the tho shoulder l' l pun tl to th r As AN soon as as ts Laura was ras alone In hire her own ro room she burst Into tears for foi 01 sho h knew she had committed a grievous wrong in iii wearing the precious precIou go gown goun n her mother had k kept pl so carefully put away But after her hor first fit of weeping And then the tho voice oleo of the tho deceiver never no whispered to lid her You need the accident for tor no noone noone noone M say a n won word woid about one will ever e know It happened re returned returned re- re Tho next week Lauras Laura's parents turned home borne and her mother was of or Lauras Laura's high in praise management or of tho the house Why excellent she declared you are aro an Is 19 in iii better Everything housek housekeeper order than when 1 Ic left L nut But come our party part You sal said tell tIll mo me all about your to lo tell lell me mc that you Oll dl did you had much not write In your letter Then Laura sat nt down Own beside her mother and taking her hand han said that I 1 gave gae a afancy I old lold you OU mamma fanc fancy dress party hut but 1 did hl not tell teU you ou what I 1 wore Well VelI I hope you OU I Idid dear of or what will wit not Hot disapprove e did but hut I but I wove wore wedding gown Lauras Laura's exclaimed Oh laughter daughter mother molher her tone lone one of hurt hint surprise look on Then hen seeing lie tho wounded Lauras Laura's face she h hastened huton d to say SU Of or course dear leal If Ir you ou wore it without Injuring 11 it in iii any way why it is Js all ull allright right But had I known you meant to lo wear It I 1 greatly fear Cear I should have havo denied you ou the hue privilege lIege for I would have ha been Lleen afraid of sorTie some accident happening hap hap- pening to It It You Yuu know It Is one of or my most precious heirlooms But tell me ine Laura the lie gown was not torn nor soiled boiled wa It Laura Laum felt the blood filling her cheeks hut but tho the voice of that monster deception again whispered For answer an au- just show the gown all anti and your our mother need never know You Yuu shall shaH see ee for yourself mamma mamma mam main ma she cried and before her mother could detain her Laura was out of or the tho room like a n Hash running up Lip to tho the at at- at tic In a few Cew minutes she returned with ith the gown which sho she carefully carefully carefully care care- fully o ocr q cr er her mothers mother's lap hap Why h dear child said Ihu thu mother in a u. lono of mild reproach dont you ou know I 1 can lake alto your word You have ha never deceived mo mu In your our life and I feel so sure suro that you never nevel will ill But nut really dear the wearing of ot tIlt Iho gown seems to have done donI It good for foi It looks hooks cleaner cleaner cleaner-cleaner cleaner leanel of age- age when 1 I last folded folde l It than stain slain than awa away Since seeing it I um glad you wore It for lor the gown Is unhurt an and you en i cn-i joyed the evening in ii your yUU dear gr mothers molher's wedding goWn o Lauras Laura's mothers mother's words cut her bel to the quick and th th of old Judge Con Conscience spoke spoke- loudly homIly Do not begin begin begIn be be- gin to deceive in little things or or If will como O easy to lo do BO tue in 1 big things roll your mother the tho truth and keep leep your self respect Laura Laum dropp dropped tT tin on n her knees beside beldo lieu her mother an and ma made o a full confession bUC vert Ii even conr h nt ten ten- n- n of or forever l' l withholding withholding- tho ho truth of or the tho accI accident to the tho gown And half an hour hom later when her father camo caine camoin in he lie found mother un and dau daughter sitting sit sit- ting lug close in each others other's arms and How hoard heard Laura's Lauras mother mothel saying thankful I am nun to have such an honor- honor I Situ bho fount found a mo cr there lucre wit with ith Ii u II note noh and repentance was exhausted she bean began be be- be- be gan an to consider what should be done The stain m l must t not HOt be he allowed to re remain remain re- re main In iii the gown So on tho lie following followIng following follow follow- ing 1 day a Laura wrapped up Ul the tho satin gown gou n and carried it lo tO a CL cleaner Afew A Afew few days da s 's later she he called for Cor it It to find lind that thai the Iho stain hail had been so 80 nicely re removed removed re- re moved mo that no sign of It was no no- bie daughter one ono who will not de deceive deceive IC- IC mo nuo In Iho tho lie most trilling trifling matter This hour m my deep faith aUh In iii her has huas been strengthened for she was Vas In the tho clutches of or the tempter nn and broke bloke loose from his hula evil Influence Wo We all nU allare allare are tempted at times and an l It Jl requires a n firm bravo brave heart to always withstand tho the tempter l I My lithe girl has come cornu from the fire ilie unhurt |