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Show ;Glni:f Ell by Ethel Hueston Illustrations by Irwin Myers Ooprrltkt, by Bobba M.rrlll Oa. WNU Sarrlc I : 1 CHAPTER I There art two whole columns on the disarmament conference all fig-area, fig-area, and quotations, and simply tremendous tre-mendous big words." said Ginger Ella In a discouraged tone. "Oh, here's a little bit of a column about the Elks' May day fete end beauty pageant" She settled berself to read with a smog little flounce of eagerness. "Ion may skip that." said her father. fa-ther. "We know all about the beauty pageant," , . . . Bis daughter sighed resignedly. "I suppose you want Lloyd George and the Communists, although It does not look very churchy to me." She read patiently. In a low clear voice, paragraph after paragraph, sitting sit-ting on the couch beside the reading lamp, little, eager and slim with eyes that Just would wander, despite her best and most daughterly Intentions, Inten-tions, from the stupid newsprint to the simply fascinating goings-on in the opposite corner of the wide room. and a half Including favors for the ladles, an elaborate buffet supper at ten o'clock, and participation In the beauty pageant In spite of tbelr con fldence In Marjory's outstanding beauty, two dollars and a half for admission to a May day fete did not fall within the scope of a parsonage budget But the good fairy who watches over youthful beauty did not fall them. . On the twenty-flfih day of April, Eddy Jackson walked up the narrow flagstone path to the parsonage. Mar Jory was tying In the hammock, faat asleep, her magazine fallen to the floor at ber side. Eddy Jackson, coming com-ing thus upon beauty unaware, was stricken momentarily dumb In lis presence, and stared at ber In such rapt awe that Marjory awakened In some confusion. "Gee. Margie, but you're easy to look at" be said admiringly. "Why don't you go after the Elks' prize J It's fifty dollars In geld. And there's sinuously about before the mirrors, preening herself pleasantly to their flattering reflections, and to tbe mora flattering eyes of ber sisters. Ginger giggled. "Father, yoo ought to see ber. Really yoa ought She Is so unaffected right now Just like dower turning to the sun. The tow siren of a motor sounded outside. A flash of light leaped to Marjory's eyes, a quick flush to ber cheeks. "It's Eddy," she whispered. "Sit down everybody, and look natural. Don't stand about gaping " Suiting action to ter words. Marjory Mar-jory dropped gracefully Into a chair and toyed with the golden chain wltb an air of utmost Indifference. The others, quickly, with more or less of grace, draped themselves about the room. Ginger turning ber back to tbem all and to the door, burying herself In the details of the buffet supper. "Ion see. father." she hissed scornfully. scorn-fully. "Ton see? The whole family Is man-mad, simply man-mad. Except Ex-cept yon and me. Disgusting, that's what It Is, simply disgusting. Natural Nat-ural as a flower humph I Ton dont see the flowers flying off their stalks when a boy-friend bumble bee breezes In." "Lo everybody," called Eddy's pleasant voice from the piazza. "Door's open rm coming In. Oh, good evening, Mr. Tolllver, bow are you? Good evening. Miss Jenkins. Gee. Marge, I pity the Judges. I only hope they live to deliver the prize." "Why, Eddy, how nice you look," said Helen warmly. "Yes, thanks, I suppose I do. The white carnation was mother's Idea, and I feel Just like a banker. She says it Is not often a mere hay rube farmer has a chance to step out with a Blue Ribbon, su she dolled me up. Hello, Ginger." Ginger had not so much as lifted her eyes from the paper, "Oh, bello, Eddy," she said coldly. But this coldness on her part was merely assumed on principle, to show ber disgust for the man madness with which her sisters were afflicted. In her heart she wss fond of Eddy Jackson. Jack-son. "On, you're all right are youT That's a relief. I thought you'd been suddenly struck deaf, dumb and er uh " He floundered awkwardly away from the tender subject of blindness. "It must be time to start" said Helen, her eyes on the clock. 8he bad told Professor Langley not to come until eight-thirty a late hour for callers la Red Thrush, but she was determined to do her sisterly duty to Marjory before abandoning berself to personal pleasure. les, I think it Is." agreed Eddy. "It seems they check the beauties at the door, at eight I think. I should have brought a truck to carry borne the prizes, but" "Oh, nonsense." laughed Marjory. "Tou know I haven't a chance In the world, against all those lovely girls, sod all those lovely gowns" "Huh," sniffed Ginger scornfully, under her breath. "You'd never think we'd spent that fifty dollars in our minds five days ago." The girls followed them to the door as they went out smiling admiration at Marjory admiration, encouragement encourage-ment and hope. ' ' "Shall I bring you a sandwich In my pocket Ginger! Or would you rainer bave an aspic?" Eddy called to her. . where Marjory, the pretty twin. lovelier love-lier than any picture, stood on a low stool, Ilka a goddess lifted up. with ber bevy of worshipers at her feet, while down on their knees before her, were Miriam, the brainy twin, and Helen, who was quite old and engaged to be married, and Miss Jenkins-clipping Jenkins-clipping stray threads here and there, tucking, patting and pulling, in a vain endeavor to add greater charm to ber girlish beauty. But although Ginger's eyes would wander, the memory of her father, sitting still and limp, so patient In the big chair at ber aide, bis kind eyes closely bandaged, quickly brought her own straying orbs back to the onerous news. By rights. It was Miriam's Job to read the papers to ber father. But Miriam, being a twin to Marjory, would naturally wish to assist In preparing ber to win the Elks' club beauty prize. "'And this in spite of the frank warning of President Coolldge that the United States will regard any such move with extreme disfavor,'" finished Ginger, with a flourish. "Here's a paragraph on Mussolini and God. In my opinion It would look a lot smarter If you took that lace off the shoulders entirely. Oh. excuse me, father, rm so sorry. Here's a paragraph para-graph on Mellon cutting the tax melon three hundred billions, no mil-linns mil-linns WalL It doesnt Interest us "Oh, Father, It Is Qlorlousl Mar-Jory Mar-Jory Honestly, Father, Marjory Is 8o Pretty It Doesn't 8em Possible." not a girl to Iowa can walk In the same block wltb you. Why, If 1 was a Judge, I wouldn't let anybody else enter the same contest wltb you. Oo on, try It, bet you, a dollar on It. and yoa can pay me out of the beauty prise." "Heavens, Eddy, what would (he members say If father sailed down to the Elks' club to enter his daughter In the beauty pageant r Eddy squared bis shoulders. "All right, I'll do It myself. Too and TU go. I'll get the tickets right now." And be turned himself about and marched straight down the flagstone path, entirely forgetting that be bad come with a message from his mother. In a household whose financial limits were as circumscribed aa those either way. Oh, here's lovely write-up write-up of the buffet supper that Is to be served at the Elks' club fete at ten o'clock bouillon, chicken sandwiches, tomato aspic" Reverend Mr. Tolllver smiled Indulgently. Indul-gently. He might not see, but what father but could feel the wandering eye and the truant thoughts of a sixteen-year-old daughter on the eve of a beauty pageant "Put the paper op now, Ellen. Too full of news Suppose you play little bright-eyes for me, Instead, and tell me what Is going on over there, with all that snipping of scissors, and on-Ing on-Ing and ah-lng." "Oh, father I" Ginger doubled herself her-self up rapturously, enfolding both ber slim knees In ber arms. "Oh, father, It Is glorious I Marjory honestly, hon-estly, fathor, Marjory Is so pretty It doesnt seem possible. Miss Jenkins la down on (he floor with Ova pins In ber mouth, and ber dress pulled up, over ber knees to keep from soiling It" Miss Jenkins, wltb guilty haste, covered cov-ered the offending members. "They weren't her best ones they bad lisle tops. But 1 saw a silk ruffle, ruf-fle, Just the same. Xcu're really missing miss-ing quite a lot, yon know," continued Ginger wickedly. "lou d better take those five pins out of your mouth, Jenky dear, if you're going to gasp tike that" of the parsonage, the Elks club beauty pageant was an event of no mean Import. The prise Itself was fifty dollars In gold, and there were additional trophies. Eves Mr. Tolllver, despite his seeming seem-ing Indifference, warmed slightly to the charm of fifty dollars In gold. Marjory slowly revolved for final approval. Ginger Ignored him. The three girls stood together In the doorway until, wltb a last farewell of the siren, the car disappeared down the quiet shady street. "A nice boy," said Helen quietly. But with a full view of the living room before her, ber quietness vanished. van-ished. "This place Is a sight," she said briskly. "Ginger, get the broom, and dust up that rug. Miriam, put away the thread and things." "But what difference this time of night" protested Ginger. "Horace will be here In ten minutes. Now straighten up for me, won't you, while I run up and straighten myself my-self r "Most disgusting Udng I ever saw. Man-mad. Simply man-mad. The whole gang of them. She uoesn't care If you sit In a dusty chair, father fa-ther she doesn't care If Miss Jenkins baa to look at a messy table and an untidy rug she doesnU cave If Miriam Mi-riam and I bave to associate wltb ber when ber nose Is shiny, bat a man I Oh, nor (TO BBS CONTINUED.) "There It is perfect another touch would be too much." Reverend Mr. Tolllver stood up, and put out his hand. "Come here. Mar gle Let me see If my pretty twin Is as pretty as I think." i She crossed te him quickly, a little pain rising In the white throat with tbe thought of bis helplessness, quick mist clouding tba lovely eyes. His hand gently followed the gold lace at her shoulder, fondled the soft curve of ber hair, fingered the slender chain. "It Is not Just prettlness,. my child," be said affectionately. "Ion are fragrant, frag-rant, and wholesome, and sweet. Thai la your beauty. Ton don't need artificial arti-ficial adorning. Tour loveliness Is like a flower's unaffected, una sumed, Just born there." Marjory, freed from bis band, moved Only Ellen dared to call tne sedate spinster "Jenky," and even she did It only In ber mora Irrepressible moments, mo-ments, when she wss most thoroughly a Ginger Ella. It was sixteen years ago, at (be birth of this same Ellen, that Miss Jenkins bad first come Into Intimate contact wltb the parsonage household, then In another pastorate. And upon tbelr later transference to other charges, she had arranged ber small matters and followed after them, living ber own life, keeping ber own small borne, teaching In tbe primary schools for a livelihood, but keeping In close and helpful touch wltb tbe Tolllver family, to which. In Its entirety, en-tirety, she bad given all tbe atored-up love of her lonely heart With Helen and wltb tba twins, she remained to the end firm and unyielding. But she was from tbe beginning surprisingly surpris-ingly pliable In tbe bands of tbe wbeedlesome Ellen.' "Well," Ginger went on, "she Is wearing Helen's engagement ring, and Miss Jenkins' old gold chain. Eddy's mother gave ber a perfectly splffy lace handkerchief, and she has on my stlk-to-the-top stockings that Mrs. Morris gave me." For five days, tbe modest Tolllver household bad simply fermented wltb excitement over the Elks' May day fete and beauty pageant. The Tol-livers, Tol-livers, without exception, knew thst Marjory was absolutely tbe prettiest thing in the Middle West. Many other residents of Red Thrush, Iowa, realized real-ized It also. But Just prettlness wss not enough to win this beauty prize. One required an admission ticket Tbe Elks' club was staging the event for the benefit of Us various charities, and the admission was two dollars |