New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1906-11-28
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The Social Objections to
Mrs. Trip

/ [OriginaLl
Mrs. Muggledon Mason was one OF
the elite of Groveton. There were
disadvantages to be overcome in at
tanning and maintaining this position
but Mrs. Mason possessed the especial
faculties required to overcome them
For instance, her husband was horse
trader-a horse trader on large scale
to be sure, but still a horse trader,
When the wife Of a wholesale grocer
threw this in the face of Mrs. Mason.
that lady retorted: my husband buys
and sells horses; your husband buys
and sells molasses. What's the differ
ence?"
one evening on the train from the
city where Mrs. Mason had been shop
ping she was talking to Mrs. Edwards,
also a member CT the smart set of
Groveton. Mrs. Edwards was not only
wealthy, but her family had been
wealthy before her for a hundred
years. Mrs. Mason appreciated. this
and proposed to ingratiate herself with
the highborn dame by a bit of social
conservatism.
There are some of our set" said
Mrs. MasOn-her voice was loud and
harsh-"Who are constantly upholding
some one trying to get in with us who
doesn't belong with us. Several of our
best ladies are visiting with that young
Mrs. Trip, whose efforts to appear re-
spectacle are absurd. At the Airing
TONS reception she wore a dress that
l recognized as having once belonged
to Mrs. Chesborough. Shed so chang
ed and improved it that one would
have scarcely recognized it. Not that
would deny such people a place
among us, provided they can live as
we do, but they can't. Besides, Mrs.
Trip doesn't give very satisfactory
account OF her husbands continued
absence. Land knows whether she's
married at all or not"
behlnd the two ladies sat man in
broad brimmed hat and wooden shirt
under coat much the worse for wear.
but his features belied his costume:
Notwithstanding an appearance Of
hard work they were intellectual,
MOL Hogan, believe" he said.
bending forward and looking Mrs.
Mason in the eye as she turned. with
face alternately white and scarlet.
l. L don't know you," she said. draw
ing away with poorly assumed hauteur-
Nevertheless you have served me
with antelope steak and flapjacks in
Grlndstone. But see you are chang
ed. l heard you had married Mug
Mason, that he drove a lot of horses
east just in time to fill big order for
the government before the Spanish
war and that he has been making
money in horsefesh ever since"
81. Mrs. Mason was taken fat aback.
she made several efforts to clear her
self from the mans imputations and
nnally muttered that he had got her
mixed with some one else. Then she
turned her back on him and said to
Mrs: Edwards:
He is some enemy who has an oh
)ect' but can't guess what it u.s."
Inc train was at the moment stop
ping at station. The two ladies'
al1shted, each taking her carriage to
her home.
Mrs. Atwater, one of the ladies' who
mad been helping Mrs. Trip in her
Efforts to keep up position to which
sne mad been born, gave a ball. Mrs.
Mason was there, and Mrs. Trip was
there. Mrs. Trip startled the assem-
ply by entering dressed in gown
fresh from the hands Of its maker bnt
MS was not the most surprising fea-
:ure about Mrs. Trips entrance. She
eaned on the arm Of a gentleman I'M
Known to the Grovetonians, whom she
Introduced as her husband. AS the
couple made their way to speak. to the
hostess every eye in the room was
eveled at them.
Where did she get that dress7
Where on earth has the man been9
wonder II it's another case Of get rich
lulck!' were some of the questions
ne guests asked Of each other.
AS Mr.. and Mrs. Trip walked away
rom the hostess they met Mr.. and
hrs. Mason walking up to her.
Hello, Masonw
Mason stared at the speaker for some
aoments, then, making a virtue Of ne
essity, said:
Hello, Mr.. Trip! What are YOU do
lg here?'
The cut-off's finished. Civil enoi-
GERS are no longer wanted. You didn't
nlsh the dirt moving you undertook.
i'd you?"
No." stammered Mason 81 didn't"
Mrs. Mason, who by this time recog-
lied under his evening dress the rough
>Oklng man who had spoken to her in
1e car, pulled her husband on.
Goodness gracious, is that Mr.. Tripp.
no had charge Of the cut-off?'
Yes, and, besides being engineer in
alef. he took big contract. I had
subcontract under him to remove
llllion yards Of dirt I found I had
id too low and left the territory,
There was brief pause at the end
which the wife said: /,
Hes the man told you about who !
new me when [ slung hash in Grind
.one. | see it all now. / was oh ;
IFfInO tn hiS vr-;fo Lo;