Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-03-07

| 1t, but simply thought 1t, wondering
| ~, as she looked over at the splendid
| addressed young woman still talking
| with SO much earnestness with Mr..
| Morton And as she looked she could
DOT help a feeling of jealousy at the
thought of this proud, hands ONE girl
with her secure social position.
Mrs. Dillingham; was moving away.
Barbara suddenly reproached herself
with a lack of courtesy.
81 want to thank you, Mrs. Dilling-
/ ham. I appreciate your-your-
/ treatment of me-
| you didn't expect it, Ell? But Mrs.
Vane and I are eccentrics. You
won't find any others here. We ex-
| haust the material. There's a good
! deal of nonsense about money and
position. But fanily-that's another
thing. Princes have had to cook.
| Look at King Alfred. And he made
bad job of it, too. I'm sure you do
better than he did. Don't forget
you're Dillingham;" And she left
Barbara alone again.
In a few minutes Mrs. Vane found
| her.
care you enjoying it?" she asked.
eyes, I've had an interesting time
so far" Barbara answered, truth
fully.
81 just saw Mrs. Dillingham; talk
! ing to you. What did she say?''
Barbara told her briefly.
'Umph! She's of good blood. We
don't agree in theology, but I like
her for her good sense in other
things. But, as she says, there are
| not many others like US. Let me in
| troduce Mr.. Somers, and Miss Wilkes
and Mrs. Rowland. Excuse me.
must go to Mr.. Morton. I can't let
Miss Dillingham; monopolize him all
| the evening"
The new group to which Barbara
had been introduced regarded her
variously. Mr.. Somers remarked that
it was a warm evening. Mrs. Row
land nodded and said nothing, and
presently turned to speak to some
one else. Miss Wilkes coldly stared
at Barbara, and in answer to Bar
bara's remark about some feature of
| the gathering she said: eyes," and,
as young man went by, she turned
her back directly on Barbara and be-
gan chatting volubly to the young
man. Barbara remembered at that
| instant that Miss Wilkes was one of
| the young women Mrs. Ward had in
| PRODUCED her to the last Sunday
| morning she was at church. The
Wilkes family sat directly in front of
| the Wards.
There was no one left but Mr..
| Somers; and he was saying, as Bar
bara recovered from Miss Wilkes di-
| rect snubbing: Have you met that
| Miss Clark that Mrs. Vane has invited
here tonight? They say she's
mighty interesting girl, and she
| works uot, too. Some people think
Mrs. Vane carries things too far to
invite hired girls to her house. That's
one of the things that makes it in
teresting to come here. You never
| know who's going to be here Like
kind of a grab-bag, you know. Don't
know whether you're going to grab
bag Of peanuts or a blank. Lots of
blanks In society, don't you think?"
ST don't know; I haven't been out
| very much" replied Barbara, demure-
ly. She looked at Mr.. Somers with
interest. He was a tall young man in
a regulation dress suit, and there was
| a look of good nature about him that
Barbara rather liked.
'Well, I should like to meet that
| Miss Clark. She's probably more in
teresting than most of the society
girls. Do you know her? Do you see
her anywhere?'
''I'm Miss Clark said Barbara, and
at the sudden look of surprise on Mr..
Somers' face she burst out laughing,
| and he finally joined her feebly.
''The joke is on me, of course. But
I never heard your name. Why don't
| people speak up when they introduce
| folks these occasions? It might
save trouble occasionally. Do you
| recollect if [ said anything in front
| of your face that I might have said
| behind your back?"
you said I was an Interesting
GIRL" replied Barbara, still laughing
| at Mr.. Somers, who mopped perspira-
ton plentifully.
'WeI, you are; at least, so far"
said Mr.. Somers, looking at Barbara
doubtfully. He seemed embarrassed,
as if he did not know just what to
| talk about; and Barbara, who was
perfectly self-possessed, helped him
| out by asking him to tell her who
different people were.
Mr.. Somers, who evidently went
out great deal, eagerly took advan-
tage of the opening to give Barbara
several biographical sketches.
THAT old lady over there is Mrs.
Reed. She's the richest woman in
| Crawford. That young man leaning
on the piano is Judge Wallace's son.
He's good-looking and knows it, That
little thin lady in the blue dress,
| falling with Mrs. Dillingham;, is the
most interesting person in the house,
present company excepted. Her hus
band lost every cent she had in the
| tonaz mines out in Arizona last year