The age-herald., 1900-12-09

<S nobody worked any to speak of, yet everyone seemed to have about what they wanted, and or the whole life was pleasant. Belmont was a staid place. It never moved and the people regulated their life to that of the town. It was use less to put on airs, for every inhabitant was a walking social Bradstreet, and knew the ins and outs of all their neighbors' af- fairs, financial, domestic and social Only newcomers made this mistake, not know ing the town, but they soon got over it, and settled down to the routine established by custom from time immemorial.
 Among Belmont's social leaders were the Hazletons. who were one of the oldest fam flies, and as far as they dared. tried to lead in all things. Every community suf- fers from a family of this kind Of course they were not popular, but there was no one thing that people could take hold of to call them to account. They were eminently respectable, tiresome and stupid.
 Then there was the artist. the doctor and Hhe speculator, and among the feminine contingent Aunt Mary was first in age, first in war and first in the hearts of her countrywomen-for the men unanimously and fervently dislil0ed her. There was Miss Ridgeway, Miss Byron, Mrs. Kellogg and Mrs. Kellogg's husband. Not that this was the entire population of Belmont-far from it. There was the Bell crowd and their set. but they were secondary considera- tion. They lacked Individuality as was in- dicated by the rest of Belmont referring to them crowd The real people of Bel mont were the ones mentioned. There s.-l,A shooting stars in the social Armament, who came and went. The others were fixed permanent and luminous.
 Not having any money the men of the community were supposed to work. Some of them got to their offices as Carly as oclock-but this was exceptional. The reg ular hour was 10; then followed few busy moments in reading the paper, and possibly some unfortunate would have something to do which kept him employed an hour or so. Usually, however, the rush was over by Il, and then the artist and the doctor, or the doctor and the speculator, or possibly all threeTwould saunter forth and walk up and down Lawrence street, where usually at this hour Miss Byron, Miss Ridgeway Mrs. Kellogg would be found shopping. Theen all of Belmont would congregate on the sidewalk, and little social reception would ensue. Someone would finally sug gest soda water at Schweitze's. "No," one of the ladies would exclaim, don't let's go there--the Bell crowd just went in a few moments ago." Then Boman's, the rival soda man, would be proposed, and forth with the party would proceed to Romans. where ices and sodas would consume an otherwise uneventful part of the day and under whose stimulating influence Mrs. Kellogg would make some of her brightest speeches.
 There are always dull natures in the world which can never appreciate the charms of society. Often they are mated by some strange perversity of fate with natures adapted to shine in the social world Such was the case of Mrs. Kel- logg's husband. When the days work was over with the artist, the speculator and the doctor and the cheerful hour of Il o'clock found all of Belmont at Schwietze's or Be- mans, Mrs. Kellogg's husband was still sitting in his office reading letters and dlc- tating to a stenographer whose red eyes and stringy hair would have made bronze goddess turn pale with horror He was never missed. In fact, his room was rather more desired than his company. Not but what he was "all right" he could not have been one Of Belmonts select nor Mrs. Kel- loggs husband if he had not been. But he was simply one of those unfortunate mor- tals who only have sense enough to make money. and this was fault that his wife very kindly overlooked.
 These reunions were seldom joined by any of the Hazletons One of this family had married a girl identified with the Bell crowd, and noblesse oblige rather compell- ed them to take up with and take up for the Bells.
 Aunt Mary belonged to- neither set, but was the terror of both-that is, so far as the men were concerned. She Loyalty fought the battles of the women, and did not hesitate to express her mind as to this young mans behavior and that ones at tention to Mrs. So-and-So. Naturally these remarks were unpleasant, as the artist and the financier could testify. As for the doc tor, Aunt Mary, when she spoke of him, held up her hands in holy horror.
 She was privileged character, however, both as to age social position and wealth, for she was one of the few persons in Bel mont who lived on their income instead of living on some one else's
 By far the pleasantest time of the social life was after tea. Belmont, It is needless to say, was a Southern town, and during the long summer evenings it Uas the cus- tom or the arrfsr, tne doctor and the spec ulator to meet at Mrs. Kelogg's, where there was always warm welcome to be found. and where usually. Miss Byron would sing while the artist played an ac- compartment on the guitar, or Miss Ridge way, who also happened to be there, would play on the plano. Always there was Mrs. Kellogg, who knew better, perhaps, than anyone in the world just how to entertain, and who, when the conversation lulled gen. orally had delightful punch to serve or some new stunt" she called it, to test the physical powers of her guests MT.