Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1905-02-11
CIIAPTER X.

Mothers are usually ambitious Cor the
social success of their daughters and So,
weeks later, when | confded to mine my
intention of going to the Biennial, and
the fact that her daughter was down on
the programme for a paper, she was
proudly sympathetic and denied herself
new spring clothes to add to my ward
robe. We agreed to say nothing to Joe
until the last moment, and it required no
little management to get my outfit ready
for the notable event. But my husband
was always liberal with money, and,
with my mothers help and Mrs. Parsons
taste in selecting. | was soon provided
with prettier clothing than ever before.
You're really very we'll dressed now,
was Mrs. Parsons comment. You've
developed wonderfully this past winter, if
you'll pardon my frankness, And now,
may l make another suggestion?"
Certainly; anything" / answered.
For its your advice and influence that
have developed me-if l am developed, >
added meellly. although not without
certain inward reservations.
well, then, my dear, Just drop that
awful Kansas name. Mrs. Joseph is COM
mon, not to say plebeian; Mrs. Johna-
phene is impossible. Mrs, Johnnie Hen
ming is childish: one imagines it to be
your husbands name, and he a sallow
callow youth But Mrs. lucknow. that
has some style to it, Call yourself
Jackie, or Mrs. Jack That just suits
you"
liked the suggestion and said so.
There are noted society leaders in
Boston and New York known as Mrs.
Jack" she went on. Why not in Chi
cago?"
[ could not suppress n thrill of fat
tered pride which nearly suffocated me,
and she saw it, | do not know to this
day whether she said those things mere
ly to tlatter me, or to further her own
ends by making me her abject slave, or
yet, whether it was because she honestly
liked me. Perhaps little of all these
reasons entered into her calculations
But from that hour | was known by the
name. And when the newspapers of
Omaha sent on, weeks in advance of the
Biennial for my photographs and some
account of my humble career, | sat for
my photograph in evening dress, and Min
nie Morrison, my newspaper friend sent
back a glowing story regarding the am
tt@liN v, ItiG -ilStOI anu NtGOul ptlSADiEtlH
of the "well-known social favorite and
wife of one of Chicago'5 capitalists, Mrs
Jack Henning." 1t was fortunate for me
that the real masculine head of my fam
lily did not read the Omaha papers.
Those who think the real excitement
of Biennial begins with the opening ex-
ercises have never known the delight of
being one of the hundreds Of women who
Journey to the great convention of clubs
by special train One of the unforget-
able mornings Of my life was that when
l slipped quietly off for Omaha, leaving
my mother in charge of the house, and
giving the babies a hurried good bye.
Joe had gone early TO business. He sci.
dom took the trouble now TO say good
bye to me. and / had not deemed it wise
to make this morning different from an
other hv insisting on an affectionate
farewell; for | had not enlightened him
as to my plans, and when Mrs. Parsons
reported having met him the week before
and spoken Of my going to the Biennial
as a matter OF course, and he had an
swered, she isn't going You're mis-
taken. madam" ] had felt it incumbent
upon me to evolve some sbrewd method
OF outwitting him. ! was fully deter
mined TO 60, let it cost what it would in
the way Of family peace.
TO BE CONTINUED