The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-12-05
A Social Skirmish.

copyright, 1905 by American Press Asso-
ciation.l
Young Mrs. Fordyce-Jones. tired out
| from a leadership of winters social
| festivities, determined to rest for the
summer season. But how was she to
find a place OF rest? Heir to millions
that had been handed down to her
through several generations, prominent
not only socially, but as q directress In
numberless women's societies. 1t was
no easy matter for her to get away
from the incessant calls that were
made upon her. After considering
many plans she selected n small sum-
mer inn in the mountains. where she
engaged a room for $40 week and
registered as plain Mrs. Jones.
Now, Mrs Jones had heard that in
these summer hotels the guests meet
and intermingle for n season on terms
OF temporary equality, to separate at
the end of August and go to their
homes and accustomed associates. Sew
eral ladies nodded to her without in
PRODUCTION, SO she nodded, smiled and
often passed a pleasant word with
those she met.
But Mrs. Jones soon found that her
mods and smiles in some cases were not
returned in kind. Before she had
been ut the inn n week 1t was appar-
ent that the social features of the place
were under the direction Of a small
clique managed by n certain Mrs. Dole.
In other words, Mrs. Dole ran the So
cial part ms the landlady ran the board
and lodging.
Mrs Fordyce-Jones, who had long
been hunting for new sensation, had
suddenly found one. Hiding from in
vitations OF the most refined people
who were loath to accept the ere
grets," she was nstounded at the dis
covery that she was tabooed by those
who had neither blood, exceptional
breeding nor money. It was a great
shock to her amour propre. 1t set her
TO thinking. She had regarded the
welcomes that were given her by her
peers as coming from her natural at
tractiveness. Here were people social
ly her interiors as well as in other
respects who had no use for her.
Mrs. Jones determined to capture
! Ine tlluue, uOl DN htl SUI
known, not by frowning upon them,
but by her winning ways. She lay in
wait for some OF their husbands. and
the men became willing captives. But
the same reserve. the same icy indlf-
ference, pervaded the women. AS soon
as Mrs. Jones discovered that she was
making no headway In this direction
she desisted.
Mrs. Jones tried TO think that she
was enjoying the absurdity OF the sit
uation, but she was not. One might
expect that she would. These people
were nothing to her, and they were
making themselves ridiculous. But
the fact remained that at that par
ticular place she was snubbed. She
had been told again and again that the
reason of her social prominence was
her personal loveliness. Why did not
that loveliness give her the same ad-
vantage now? A tinge of color came
over her face as the fact forced Itself
upon her that in her own circle she
was surrounded by fatterers; that 1t
was not herself that society worshiped,
: but her power to help others onward
) and upward.
Nor did Mrs. Jones relish being
denied companionship, though she had
come to the inn to avoid companion
ship. The best people there were
made afraid of each other and her
by the clique. and she had nothing in
common with the palmer class to be
found at summer hotels. She there
; fore sat by herself on the piazza pre-
G tending to read novel, but in reality
thinking upon the lesson OF her life.
| Was she not when at home playing
the part played by Mrs. Dole? She
| was obliged to admit that she was,
| though in different way. She had q
. kindly word and n smile for every
one. AS to her invitations and those
e she accepted, she acted as she had a
!, good right to act-upon her own sweet
$ will She had never known any Other
i surroundings than those Of wealth and
e refinement; therefore she felt assured
= she could not possibly be n snob. She
d thought much upon reforms she would
/ like to make on her return. but they
Q did not upon consideration seem prac
/. ticable.
t One morning near the end of August
a when the denizens of the hotel, the
elect and the ordinary, were summing
themselves on the piazza, a carriage
resplendent with varnish and golC
plate, the door emblazoned with Goa
v OF arms-the Fordyce-Jones arms
driver and footman on the box in ma
Il room colored livery and white sill
IS stockings, drove up to the unpreten
5, tious stone whereon guests and bag
|. gage arrived and departed. Ever!
n woman sat up and stared. No ont
: was In the carriage, so 1t was probable
that some one was going in 1t, VIII
could 1t be? Presently Mrs. Jones II
simple travelling costume came on
~ of the Inn with the landlady, to whom
le she gave a kiss at parting, entered tn
t, carriage and was driven away
le There was CONSERVATION on the par
Of every woman of the clique. Wha
vi did It mean2 Who was Mrs. Jones
sp Did she own the equipage? What wa
N. ,,,oh nm ooninoga 1ninO nt nOint q