The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1903-12-19
A WOMAN AT THE
BOTTOM
BY PERCY CHAMBERLAIN
oaPgEIghl. d. y nally - FL. %


M EVER were the spacious parlors Of
the Vanderhohs more brilliant, nor
never had they held a gayer throng. To
look upon the gorgeous assemblage no
one outside the charmed circle Of the
-Four Hundred would suspect that it had
been a BLACK Friday" on Wall street
1t was useless to designate which parttc-
ular Black Friday there have been 30
many OF them and all SO much alike
that It really makes no difference which
particular year it was,
Ii is a fact, however, that beneath the
immaculate shirt bosoms Of the male sec
ton Of the guests there were many leaden
hearts and many more sick with ap-
prehension and mad with the necessity
of acting a part in the passing show
when wild to be spending the golden
moments alone with figures and plans
for the feared tomorrow. But 1t was
necessary above all things to appear
calm and unpertUrbed and so the even
ing was rather gayer than usual because
forced gayety is always more emphatic
and aggressive than the real sort.
In the conservatory apart from the
feverish life Of the parlors, two young
people were engaged in earnest
conversation. One was beautiful girI
with reddish, auburn hair, features like
a Greek goddess and a figure to rave
over. The other was manly yOunl
fellow in his early twenties, well Sc
up, fine looking and with that pertec
carriage which betokens the gentleman
horn.
Edith, the young man was saying
II have been very foolish. In the hop
Of making fortune sufficient to war
rant our marriage / have lost every. dol
lar Of my patrimony. / am PRACTICAL,
penniless. The Wall street fever was to-
much for me. / did not intend to-bu
have succumbed. have no right t
hold YOU to your promise longer. re
lease you-GOd knows what it costs m
to say it, but / release you"
The clear laugh Of the girl interrupt
ed him. Don't be melodramatic, Gerald
plesse." :" she said, Il don't know any
thing about your horrid business, and
never knew anybody IN our set to starvi
I told you that loved yoiS,, and Will
don't anticipate taking H hing {
anything Of that sort, thinKa q q
along without all the luXuries vs.
been accustomed to-.
The face Of the youth brlghtene'
Heaven knows, Edith, you are the OF
goal for which am aiming and Il yc
feel that way an the rest is not worth
pieayune. But understand, have sQual
dered my patrimony and all can on
you & what / can Garland that Is q
more than the average bank clerk"
"You foolish hoy, she replied, I ha'
something and both 81 us have CONNIE
tions. We viii get along all right. No
run along. I am engaged for this dance
He led her back to the bali room
diant and fortified against the struge
30 knew was coming. During the eve
ing he looked up his friend Vernon Mo
dyke 81 the same set and driven fro
the same necessity that faced hint
necessity of one born To the -Four Hu
dred, but left with small patrimony--
face the world, % SO out and labor
the world OF commercialism, his iriei
and companion since boyhoed and n'
his colleague in the great brokera
ONCE Oh Durand, Durand 6 Durand.
Vern." he said e want to tell y
something. 50 there win be no char
for 8 mistake. have been 4 fool g
got caught in the slump, This aftarno