The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-04-22
BAD BETTE BENNETT.
BY HARRIET PRESCOTT spoFroRp

II
| There is no moral at all to what l
am going to tell you about Bette Ben
nett At least the real fact OF the
Ease is that it is all very immoral.
But that's neither here nor there.
had been watching the play some
time-I, generally looked upon by the
fortunate others as an old maiden
lady probably without experience, and
certainly without hope. The play
went on at the seaside; serious play,
Tor the stakes were high, high as when
some old eastern potentate risks his
lovely Circassian girl, body and soul
to his antagonist. The players were
not eastern potentates, but all the
the same, lovely girls, body and soul,
were the stakes. used to think OF it
when saw Laura Stockwood, that
stately beauty, and Jeanette Dean,
the dashing one, and Caro- and Elsa
and the rest. And among the rest
could one forget Betty Bennett? She
was not person who allowed herself
to be forgotten.
And yet you did not understand
what it all meant, this Juror about
her. She was not q beauty; she had
no accomplishments to speak OF; she
was not an heiress. But she had ev-
erything her own way the summer
through. Ii you had to describe her
you would say she was dark and
slender little person, with arch ways
and the gayest laugh in world; and
that would be all there was about it.
All there was about it? Oh, not in
the least! In the first place, there was
the readiest wit, the greatest good
nature, the most perfect grace. In the
next place, there were the most won.
derful toilettes. This morning robe
OF filmy blue India silk, garnished with
lace OF the same slight hue, and finished
with a collarette and chatelaine of
old carnelian beads, not to be bought
now for love or money; this bathing
dress of burlap dripping with rock.
crystals, and worn under a cloak of
white plush, thrown off at the right
moment for the wave; this distracting
dinner dress of white silk bound about
with autumn leaves, nothing but a
strip OF the bright vine making the
shoulder strap; and to-morrow's brav-
cry as fine as this, with soft, creamy
woods made softer with their edgings
of ostrich tips, cambrics sheer as boar
frosts. and covered with thread lace,
lustrous satins OF pale rose fitting per-
fectly the perfect shape, and dark vel
vets and tulles and gauzes; and now
IL brocade stiff with gold thread, such
as they might have worn IN the days
of M1dici; and now q black Spanish
lace. with high comb and mantilla
that, taken with her little foot, made
an Andalusian of her.
"Well," / said to her, after a week
OF so, as she rested by me moment,
sit must cost all of a fortune to dress
you. don't see where you get it,"
$50 it Does" she said, with encour-
aging frankness. s'Take my tollettes
and gloves and boots and folderols
and all, and the interest of it would
take care of one poor person for life.
Isn't it wicked?" and she looked at
me with an irresistible drollery.
ayes, l think it is" said /. For /
had known Miss Bette of old, and /
knew that if she got through this sum-
mer alive, she wouldn't have one pen
ny left:
"And the worst of it is" continued
she, shat when you think you have
enough for a queen. you find you've
only made beginning, and have to
keep ordering more from Pelisser and
from Bobinet and the others. 1t won't
do to be suspected OF any tarnish.
You must be fresh, or nothing. Why,
I'm in debt up to my eyes"
Bette, I don't know what you can
think of Yourself" ] said, in conster-
nation, "You have nothing to pay
with. It's dishonest; it's-it's swim
ding"
"No, it isn't. It's my business. If
l carry out my plans, my pin-money
next year will pay my debts"
"And if you don't?"
"Well, then, they can have the things
back"
Bethel
"To look out for that is more troub-
lie than can take, with all the rest
that / have. Pm in for it. I've got
to do it. And I've got to be sue
cess"
"Bettie, if people knew about you,
you'd be anything but success"
II don't intend they shall. And it g
| n ,,;k~r r. r co,,,t fr,,ct va, -
"You can-you can. don't APP
prove OF you, but l shan't hurt you.
If you were content to sit still, as lido
in one or two gowns, and see the show
go by"
"And let somebody else marry
Mr.. Dunrobin! No, thank you. I'm
mot content. But l shouldn't have
gone into all this extravagance-it
makes my very soul ache to
see those gowns-if were not obliged
to be all the time en- evidence"
IL don't really see the need of that.
II do. If you're to bea success. And
/ didn't come here to go.home again.
And / came here not only to rule this
summer, but TO have my rule remem-
bered in all summers to come"
"Noble anlbitionW
at isn't ambition, I tell you; it's
business"
"But, Bette, you're not a beauty
$50 much the more to my glory"
; "You ridiculous midget"
"She's little, but she's shrewd.' .
And off she sped as young Pennycastle
came along for an hour at tennis; and
/ saw her coming back in time, sur.
3 rounded by an awkward squad of the
young society men.
eyes, they are an awkward squad, y
she said, in answer to me by-and-by
"And stupid-stupid beyond any
thing!"
"The idea of takingso much trouble
Bette. to please them, then!"
"Tm not doing it to please them
the jackanapesl Yes, they are jacka,
napes! They don't know anything
but society small-talk and attitudes
They can dance-oh, how they car
dance! First one and then the other
till there are holes in the soles Of your
l r 4