The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-04-08
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NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
There are women who profess to alb
hor big teas and receptions. Possibly
they are sincere. Some times 1t is mere
affectation. To be sure one is apt to
meet persons upon whom one does not
call; the same may happen at church,
at funerals and weddings, or even at
carpet auctions and bargain sales. One
may feel that IL is not exclusive enough,
but then il is so hard to be truly ex-
elusive in this world. About the only
really exclusive place that I can call to
mind Just now is ones own grave but
there will be such long time to occu-
py that In proud and silent security
from undesirab BILE acqualntances that
one can really afford to attend big tea
now and then and rub shoulders against
warm, living bodies in their pretty
gowns and their spring hats. 1t is nice
to be exclusive but ii Is rather lonely.
The exclusive woman may excite envy
but she isn't likely TO be universally
loved. Rut then probably she prefers
to be envied.
But to return to the large reception.
1t il q noisy place Everybody talks
at once, eNeTyDOuy BSbS lutO lile VI usi
at the entrance of the dining room and
politely fights for the loaves and fishes
served up in the shape of ices and little
cakes. Every one takes the best UNI
brella and the likeliest pair of over
shoes when she leaves and goes home
without an appetite for dinner to the
infinite disgust of her husband. But
after all it has certain most commend
..lNI hnn NIB ft,1
things about yourself or other people
at a big tea. You are afraid to say
unkind things lest the wrong ears hear,
and so only the nice, pleasant compli-
mentary remarks are made and you go
away feeling complacent and satisfied
with yourself and rather glad you are
alive. You are civil to your enemy and
speak smlingly to the woman who in
duced the miliner to copy your new
hat, and accordingly entertain highly
virtuous opinion of yourself when If
you stay away because teas are so
common you know" you will probably
| before night-fall look out and see the
happy throngs passing in the sunshine
and grow to thinking about your
troubles and your worries which are so
much worse than other peoples troubles
the conclusion that life isn't so very de-
sirable and that not only your doll but
all the other beautiful dolls in the
world are stuffed with sawdust. If you
really do like to mngle with other nice
women and be pleasant and hear pleas
ant things about yourself, don't be
afraid to acknowledge the truth and
say that you like teas" as the term is
| understood in Cpra pfpn
People do such funny things at fires.
! Not long ago a residence on the bill
was being more or less devastated as
| to it's interior, and kindly hands were
| swiftly removing the furniture when
the house mistress suddenly remember
ed her jewels. Then she also remem-
bered the burglar fright which had per-
vaded the air all winter and how she
had diverted herself for months in
searching out new hiding places which
would puzzle the most enterprising bur-
glar. Then the realization that she
| couldn't remember the last place over
| whelmed her. Dear mel" she walled.
They aren't under the mattress for
John objected. l did put 'em in the re-
| frigerator one night, but the next day
| heard that my neighbours refrigerator
had been broken open and the Sunday
| turkey stolen, so l didn't put them
| there any more. Let me see' They
| aren't under the clock are they? No,
| somebody has taken the clock. They
| aren't in the hole in the table, where
John keeps his poker chips, because !
was afraid he might forget and put
| them up for an ante. Oh, dear! l do
| believe the last place l put them was
| the hollow in the back of McKinley'S
mead, that bronze bust, you know, on
| the library mantel" So a hastY hunt
was made for Mckinley and the lady
of the house was pacified when he
couldn't be found by the assurance that
probably some neighbor had taken him
and that her jewel case would be safe
as no Cne would think of looking in
that spot. Suddenly she cried: "Oh,
oh, l know where 1t is. l remember
now. The other night l took it out of
McKinley's head because the newspaper
said that the burglars always looked
in the bric-a-brac the first thing, and
I put the box in the attic back under
the caves"
| BY that time the attic was filled with
dense smoke. Two or three men rushed
up there and after almost Suffocating
and nearly rendering themselves glib
bering idiots for life by reason of re-
peated bumps on their heads from the
low rafters. they found the jewel case
and brought it to the owner. BY this
time she was on the verge of Mysteries
and after opening the box she eXclaim-
ed: "Oh my solitaire diamond ring
isn't here. 1t must have dropped out
in that corner of the attic" Then there
was another rescue expedition skyward
with repetition of the experience Of
the former party, but it proved fruit
less. After the blinded men had re-
turned the lady happened to look at her
hand and saw that she was wearing
the ring supposed to be missing.
A prominent citizen rushed into a
house where a fire was in progress the
other morning intent on assisting in
the removal of valuables. A handsome
table, on which stood what he hastily
decided to be vase, caught his atten-
tion, and he proceeded to run out with
the latter, noticing as he did so that