Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1909-02-12
A Social Skirmish.


from a leadership of a 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 a directress in
numberless women's societies, it was
no easy matter for her to get away
from the incessant calls that were
made upon her. After considering
many plans she selected a small sum-
mer inn in the mountains, where she
engaged a room for $12 a week and
registered as plain Mrs. Jones.
Now, Mrs. Jones had heard that In
these summer hotels the guests meet
and intermingle for a 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 at the inn a week 1t was appar-
ent that the social features of the place
were under the direction of a small
clique managed by a certain Mrs. Dole.
In other words, Mrs. Dole ran the So
cial part as the landlady ran the board
and lodging.
Mrs. F~ordyce-Jones, who had long
been hunting for q new sensation, had
suddenly found M Hiding from in
vitations of the most refined people
who were loath to accept the ire
grets," she was astounded at the dis
covery that she was tabooed by those
who had neither blood, exceptional
breeding nor money. 1t 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
Effectiveness. Here were people social
" her interiors as well as in other
respects who had no use for her.
Mrs. Jones determined to capture
the clique, not by making herself
knOWu, uOl ny 1IOWAlhB uDOh hCt
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 indif-
ference, pervaded the women AS soon
as Mrs. Jones discovered that she was
making no Roadway 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
-+icularL
had beer told again and again that the
reason of her social prominence was
her personal loneliness. Why did not
that loneliness 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 fiatterers; 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 n 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-
tending to read a novel, but in reality
thinking upon the lesson OF her life.
Was she not when at home playing
the part played by Mrs. DoleP she
was Obliged to admit that she was,
though in a different way. She had a
kindly word and a smile for every
one. AS to her invitations and those
she accepted, she acted as she had a
good right To act-upon her W sweet
will. She had never known any other
surroundings than those of wealth and
refinement; therefore she felt assured
she could not possibly be a snob. She
thought much upon reforms she would
like to make on her return, but they
did not upon consideration seem prac-
ticable.
One morning near the end of August,
when the denizens of the hotel. the
elect and the ordinary, were summing
themselves on the piazza, a carriage
resplendent with varnish and gold
plate, the door emblazoned with a coat
of arms-the Fordyce-Jones arms
driver and footman on the box in ma
room colored livery and white silk
stockings. drove up to the unpreten-
tious stone whereon guests and bag
gage arrived and departed. Every
woman sat UP and stared. No n
was In the carriage. so it was probable
that SEINE one was going in 1t. Who
could 1t be? Presently Mrs. Jones In
a simple travelling costume came out
of the inn with the landlady, to whom
she gave a kiss at parting. entered the
% rfio 90 md was driven AWAY.