The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1902-02-28
CHAPTER V.

| line test UnaC Barbara naQ pro-
posed to Mrs. Vane was not any.
thing very remarkable, either as a
| test or as an experiment. Mrs. Vane
was to invite several people to her
house some evening and invite Bar
bara with the rest, presenting her to
her guests and treating her in every
way like all the others. The curios-
| ity that Barbara felt was in reality
something in the nature of protest
against remark made by her moth
er that society would not accept, I'M
der any conditions, servant into it's
circle, and that not even Mrs. Vane
with all her wealth and eccentricity
and social standing could really do
anything to remove the barrier that
| other people would at once throw up
against her.
| No sooner had Barbara perceived
| that Mrs. Vane was perfectly willing
to do what she asked, and indeed
| looked forward to it with a kind of
peculiar zest, than she began to re-
| greet having asked her. Nothing would
be gained by it one way or the 9TH
er, she said to herself hesitatingly as
she pondered over it. What if she
should be welcomed for herself? That
would prove nothing and help moth
ing. She would go to Mrs. Vane next
day, and ask hex to forgive foolish
| impulse that had no good reason for
existing; and that would be the end
of it.
| But before she had found an after
noon to go and see Mrs. Vane that
energetic lady had invited her COM
pany, and it was too late. Barbara
said to herself that she would re-
fuse her own invitation and not go,
but Mrs. Vane next day wrote a char
acteristic note urging Barbara not to
disapoint her.
"You must not hesitate to come for
| fear of putting me in any awkward posi-
ton, my dear. 1 am independent of any
verdict of selfish society, and the few
| friends who do know and love will
own family. and you may be surprised at
/ some things yourself. For / have found
/ after a much longer life than yours that
| there Is still good deal of human kind
ness yet, even among people OF wealth
| and so-called fashion. On the whole, how
| ever, you will be doomed to meet with
what you undoubtedly expect. Wealth and
| family connections and, above ALL position
| are counted greatest in the kingdom of
| men. The time will come when the first
| shall be last and the last first; and. when
| that time comes, servant girls will be as
| good as dukes daughters and eat at the
| same banQuets. You are not willing to
wait until then; SO come to my feast and
| prepare to be overlooked. But don't stay
away for fear of hurting me. The only
| way you can hurt me is to misunderstood
| me. don't mind that from my enemies.
They don't know any better. Blu. my
dc f-s4
MRS vANE"
This letter put Barbara more or
less at her ease; and, when the night
of the gathering came. she went to
it quite self-possessed and prepared
for anything. The reality of it she
was not prepared for in the least,
and among all her experiences she
counted this the most remarkable.
1t was to be rather large gather
ing; and when Barbara arrived the
front rooms were quite well filed.
Mrs. Vane introduced her to three or
four ladies standingin the front hall.
One of them was "a young woman
about Barbara's age. elegantly
dressed and very distinguished lock-
ing, even to Barbara. Her name was
Miss Dillingham;.
"My mother was a Dillingham;
said Barbara, simply, as an opening
remark for conversation. =
Indeed. Your name is"
Miss Clark" said Barbara.
so, yes, Miss Clark. What branch
of the Dillinghams. may ask? The
Vermont Dnlinghams?"