Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-05-28
MISCELLANEOUS.
Mrs. Movers Reception.
A SOCIETY REPORTERS STORY

1t was midnight, and few of the
boys employed on onthereportorial staff
were sitting around telling stories,
until the rest of the fellows had fin
ished the copy and were ready to go
to lunch. The conversation drifted
to some of the experieces the BOYS
had had in securing exclusive stories,
and how, in many instances, duty
oVercame all other scruples, and a
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:
:" 1 will tell you one of my expe-
riences in that line, which would
have made most elegant story, but
would have ruined woman socially
and probably wrecked her whole
life. One afternoon, some time ago
my assignments were unusually
heavy, and / was fastening from
one place to another, while my pad
OF paper was rapidly filling with
news for the morning paper. 1t was
about five O'Clock, and / had one
more place to go to, and that was a re-
ception given by Mrs. Thrane Mower
at her beautiful home on the swell
street of our city. AS I was ascend
ing the steps the door was opened by
colored servant, and 1 entered.-
The rooms were entirely deserted,
and l thought probably some mis-
take had occurred, and that no re-
ception was to be given. I was
greeted with the odor of flowers,
with which the house was redolent,
and then noticed the arrangement
of the furniture and saw that guests
were expected. 1 gave my card
to the servant, and asked him to
give it to Mrs. Mower, and say that
| would only detain her a moment.
When he returned he said that
Mrs. Mower would see me in her
private sitting-room upstairs. fol-
lowed him down the long hallway,
whose polished floor was covered
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 l entered / knew
that something was wrong, and
eagerly wished there might be, so
that could have good story. Mrs.
Mower, arrayed in an elegant gown
of shin mering white satin, embroid-
cred 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 diamonds she wore.
She tried to appear at ease, and when
1 entered she motioned me to a chair
while she seated herself on q divan.
II was an effort for her to remain
quiet, for her foot was beating ner-
vous tattoo, and she was tearing her
delicate lace handkerchief to shreds.
Impatiently she said:
What is 1t you wish p
Have you not issued cards for q
reception to be given between the
hours Of four and six O'Clock ?"
She tremblingly bowed her head
In the affirmative.
Where are your guests p / in
quired.
She pointed to heap of letters
that were nearly all the same size,
and 1t could easily be told that they
were regrets. / was determined to
get at the bottom of this strange
freak of society, and still / was
touched by the despair of that beau
tiful woman. She looked at me ap-
pealingly and said:
4 know you are wondering what
Ia the cause of this, and that you, as
a newspaper representative, will find
out the reason, and my name will be
on everybOdy's lips before twenty.
four hours have passed. The only
reason I wished to see you was tC
plead with you to be merciful.
have no one to turn to. The three
ladies who we're going to assist me
in receiving are my guests from Ou
of the city, and know they are to
gether discussing me, and wondering
why society has suddenly turned {
cold shoulder to me. / have no ont
to sympathiZe with me; no frien(
In this whole world. The 400 are al
your friends when the horizon i
glorified with the light of the sun
but the moment the sun Is hiddel
under the clouds society turns he
back. Alas my sun is concealed
and / am an Outcast from society,"
Boys, you all have sort of con
tempt for society women and thei
ambition. So have I, but / fel
sorry for that beautiful woman, VIII
lived only for society, who probabl
had never done deed Of kindnes
In her life, and argued with my