Show the short long of it by DORA W elsa david daud was old enough to wear her skirts longer silo she wore them shorter for tt it war wab the fadhl n and oil so economical I 1 hobert corbin who occupied the large front room on the second floor of mrs airs beabes rooming house nt at tho the otliss end if t the long hall from elsas one could remember when tits sister had graduated from high school in the glory of i t long full train and the awe and admiration which it had find excited to li ills own small self flight then robert had decided that hla his wife should wear a train always til ways alas tor for ills his vow I 1 As his life lengthened skirts shortened yet he still dreamed of some day asking some girt girl it if he fie might buy her hei skirt material by the yard instead of by the inch ti there ere was one skirt in particular which elsa wore robert disliked it exceedingly abrl bright ht green plaid and with tt it site she carried a bright green leather ting bag surely money trusted to the keeping of such inch a purse was bound to lose all sense of responsibility and come popping gayly forth a at t tile the first silly inducement and then one day robert nobert corbin returning to his bis room at noon ran up tile stairs and stumbling on the top one dropped his key the hall in that particular fioti was dark he s truck a match and found the key w with ith little trouble it had fallen beside a bright green bag in ills his room with the door closed behind him robert eat with the bag on ills his knees it was shabby at the corners and the handia was worn from much contact with elsas fingers robert kobert felt a sudden impulse to kiss that worn spot find and was so embarrassed that he hei opened the clasp quite without meaning to dg so and beheld its contents two dimes one nickel a mirror and a powder puff I 1 fit cargo indeed for such a travesty of a purse I 1 ue would leave it with mrs airs deebe beebe no lie would knock on the girls door halfway down brought him within range of the landin land ladys dys strident voice which seemed to be always striving to attain the heights her stature lacked 1 I hope you find your bag miss bliss david dnald and the eight dollars you say was in it before saturday night or I 1 advise you to look for another room you cant hope so any more than I 1 mrs beebe it if there was a doubting thomas tone in the land ladys voice there was a rueful note in elsas night here robert corbin experienced his second impulse reg regarding aiding that green bag and yielded pausing long enough to take ake something front from ills his pocket and to fumble with the clasps lie continued on down the hall tills this Is 18 yours I 1 think miss bliss david visa telsa took tile the has bag and her voice said why thank you mr corban 1 11 kut t I 1 hir ifrey if rey eyes es seemed to say that out ou of a world filled with stupid and clumsy men lie he was the most clumsy and stupid of till all now that you hove have found your money perhaps you will be rood good enough to pay me shrilled mrs beebe and ris as belsit stood irresolute you dont suspect mr corbins honesty I 1 hope with a countenance devoid of all expression elsa opened the green bag and looked in without lifting her eyes she took out nut a ten dollar bill and handed it to the landlady lan llady meanwhile robert took tile the opportunity to go on ills his way that evening jas as robert corbin corhon sat in ills his comfortable shabby easy chall chali there came a knock and with a vision of an outrageous green skirt before ills his eyes ayea tile the occupant of the front room hastened to answer it but there stood tile the princess of his boy hood dreams I 1 A willowy gracious creature garbed in something soft tanil and clinging and silken and white whose indefinite folds folda concealed and revealed and which it if it did not terminate in an actual train at least touched or nearly touched tou clied the floor in spots may I 1 come in inand and explain and thank you asked elsa david as sho she er crossed ossed to the worn old easy chair which immediately took on the attributes of a throne finding roberts gaze somewhat disconcerting but betraying her embarrass embarrassment men t only by oin nn Inc increase rense of color the arl irl began ever since I 1 was a child and devoured fairy tales I 1 lave have lunged longed for a train but when I 1 grow grew up tip enough to wear one there any now they say long skirts are coming back into their heir own again I 1 saw this frock in a shop window and fell it took my last cent and I 1 threw my bag into that dark corner purposely so as to have n quarter way truthful excuse fot mrs airs beebe when she come tri alu dun me now manic you tor for coming to my rescue so gallan gallantly taj sir cor liln bin and think your our worst of me of OC course I 1 will var pay rou fou back bach ns As soo soon n ns as possible go out ont and ana pt on that gypsy rl rig it you expect me to scold you yot robert tongue ahll his eyes said plainly you 1 ou are beautiful in that gown like tile the I 1 dreamed of when I 1 was a little boy I 1 wonder could I 1 perhaps persuade you to make that old dream of mine come true ill do just as you wish answered elsa meekly and then as if reading his thoughts sho she fled down the hall ball urged by that prinie aal in that heeds not changing fash lans and efi endures dures through tb the e ages copyright |