The morning times., 1895-10-27
a Socially
Rep0rter's St0rq
,By Gertrude Hartfen.)

| employed ON the reportorial staff We're
| sitting around telling stories until the
| rest of the fellows had finished their copy
| and were ready TO go to luEch. The con-
| versation drifted to some of the cxpcr-
| fences the boys had had insecurins exclusive
| stories, and bow in many instances duty
| overcame all other scruples and story
was written with the hand and brain, while
| the heart cried: '-No-no." The society
| reporter had been listening attentively To
some of the experiences related, when he
| said:
81 win tell you one of my experiences in
| that line, which would have made a most
| elegant story, but would have ruined a
woman socially and probably wrecked her
whole life One afternoon, some time ago.
| my assignments Were unusually heavy, and
1 was fastening from one place to another,
while my pad of paper was rapidly filling
with news for the morning paper. 1t was
about 8 o'clock, and had ore more place
10 go, and that was a reception given by
Mrs. Thrane Mower, at her beautiful home
on the swell street Of our city. As l was
ascending the steps the door was opened by
a colored servant and / entered. The rooms
were entirely deserted, and thought prob
ably some mistake had occurred and that
there was no reception 10 be given. was
greeted with the odur offlowers, with which
the house was redolent, and then noticed
the arrangement of the furniture and saw
that guests were expected. gave my card
to the servant and asked him to give IL
10 Mrs. Mower, ard 10 say that l would
only detain her a moment.
when he returned he said that Mrs
Mower would see me in her private sitting
room up stairs l followed him do wn the
long hallway. whose polished floor was COW
cred with rich Oriental rugs, and then
mounted the stairs, the surface OF which
shone like glass. At the head of the stairs
was Mrs. Mowers room, and the moment
/ entered1 knew that something was wrong,
and j eagerly wished that there might be,
so that l could have good story. Mrs.
Mower, arrayed in an elegant gown Of
shimmering white satin, embroidered in
silver, was standing in the center of the
room. her face as white as her gown, and
her eyes shining as brightly as the dia-
monds she wore She tried to appear
III ease. and when entered she motioled
me to a chair, and she seated herself ON a
divan. 1t was an effort for her To remain
quiet, for her foot was beating n nervous
tattoo, and she was tearing her delicate
lace handkerchief to shreis Impatiently,
she said:
what is it you wish"
Have you mt issued cards for a re-
ception to be given between the hours of
and oclock?''
She tremblingly bowed her head in the
affirmative.
where are your guests" 1 inquired.
She pointed toa heap of letters that were
nearly all the same size, and it could easily
be .old that they were regrets 1 was de-
termined 10 get at the bottom of this
strange freak of society, and still / was
touched by the despair of that beautiful
woman She looked at me appealIngly,
and said:
II know you are wondering what Is the
cause OF this, and that you, as newspaper
representative, will find out the reason,
and my name VIII be on everybody's lips
before twenty-fOur hours have passed.
The only reason l wished to see you was to
plead with you to be merciful. have no
one to turn to. The three ladies who were
going to assist me IN receiving are my guests
from out of the city, and know they are
together discussing me and wondering why
society has suddenly turned cold shoulder
to me. / have no one to sympathize with
me; no friend in this whole world. The four
hundred are all your friends when the
horizon is glnrifed with the light of the sun,
but the moment the sun is hidden under
clouds society turns her back. Alas! my
sun is concealed, and am an outcast from
society"
Boys, you have all a sort of contempt
for society women and their ambition.
So have 1, but / felt sorry for that beauti-
full woman. who lived only for society, who
probably had never done a deed uf kindness
in her life, and 1 argued with myself
whether she would not be a better woman
if she had something toi,ve for pesices socia.
triumphs."
:. Tell me all about it, Mrs. Mower I
said, 'and / promise you that / will help
you in any way that l can. 1t is as you
say, il you won't tell me one of your invited
guests WILL"
II know it, she answered, land for that
reason 1 will tell you the truth. thought
that my position in society would warrant
me in many liberties that others would
not dare to take. Last summer, while in
Europe, 1 met handsome young man to
whom 1 became quite attached, and after
l returned home announced to Mfr. Mower
my intention of inviting him to visit us.
NV husband asked me what knew about
him, and told him knew nothing what
ever of him, but that he was travelling the
same as l was and that he came of good
family. / considered that quite sufficient
My husband and 1 never cross each other
and never quarrel. despatched my invita-
tien and he accepted with alacrity. arriving
q few days after his letter OF acceptance.
He went everywhere with me and, as you
know, hardly a week passed that did not
entertain for him, giving teas, dinners musi-
Gales, at homes and receptions in his
honor. OF course l could not explain to
my friends how had met him, and merely
said his family and mine had been friends
for years. He always seemed to have
plenty of money, and every day the most
exquisite flowers were placed there on
that table, and it needed no card to assure
me they were from Reginald Tborne.
Mornings we would drive ur go shopping or
calling, and sometimes remain at home
He said he W as passioEately fond rf fjewelry,
and would sit for huurs looking at my
Jewels. would bring my Jewel box In
and laugh at his Interest in my jewels.
I had several sets OF diamond: and rubies
that belonged tO my mother. The settings
were old fashioned and never We're them,
but thought that some day wruld havethe
stones reset.
..Tbes,, seemed In interest him Immensely,