Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-23

Gus inclusion. Poverty alone. we may
say, enforces the rules of exact social
differentiation: there has never been In
America any society so scrupulous. proud
and sensitive as that of the southern
cavaliers when they threw off their armor
and returned to their despoiled estates.
1t did not seem possible during these
bountiful years that the wolf would ever
yelp in the steep canyons of the greater
city, or that steel. iron and coal could
ever less magically change to gold. 1t
was, indeed. inconceivable that the pros
porous citizens would not forever disport
themselves in the glittering hotels of New
York and go on discovering, like SO many
Coumbuses, the delights of London and
Paris. Nowhere were these Midases more
in evidence than on the transatlantic
steamers, where their millions were COM
puted in awed whispers by fess-favored
travellers, and the stewards danced with
unwonted alacrity in the confident nope
of largess.
Its our American habit Col. Craig
hill was saying-"and not a bad trait, to
believe our own state and our own city
and our own quarter Of the block where
we live the most ideal place in the world.
And this Adelaide. is home!'
Mrs Blair flung off her wraps in the
hall and went to the dining room to in
terview the maid about breakfast. she
arranged with her own hands the roses
she had sent for this first table, and, this
accomplished to her satisfaction. she
peered into the cabinet that held the best
of her mothers Sevres with a lingering
regret that she had not made way with
it while there was yet time: for Mrs.
Blair was emnently human, and women
are never so weak as before the tempta-
ton to loot. She heard her fathers voice
above describing to his wife the character
of the upper chambers. and she joined
Wayne in the library. where he stood in
the bay window looking out upon the
MI NJ manieS
Well" she exclaimed. with half sigh,
"the worst is over
You've done bully. Fanny. You've
risen to the OCCASION.
oh it might be worse! 1t might be
infinitely worse. What do you think of
herr"
"Oh she's not. bad. 1 should call her a
pretty woman.
well. she doesn't seem to have much
to say"
She remarked quite distinctly that she
liked summer better than winter. and
thought she did we'll TO get that in.
We'll, she was nice to the children
anyhow" sighed Mrs. Blair, not needing
him.
moment Mrs. Craighill entered at her nus
bands side.
Il hope we haven't kept you waiting.
It's so good of you to stop"
breakfast is served always at
O'clock" Mrs Blair explained as they
moved toward the dining room. Il was
driven from my home by that rule.
Father would never yield fifteen minutes
even when 1 had been dancing all night.
Wayne drew back the chair for the new
mistress of the house and then sat down
opposite his sister at the round table. All
contributed a few commonplace to the
first difficult moments at the table. and
Mrs. Blair took advantage of the oppor-
tunity to scrutinize the newcomer more
closely. Mrs. Craighill was pretty, I'M
denably that but it was a prettiness
without distinction: ii lay in the general
effect. and in her ready smile rather than
in particular features. Her hands were
not to Mrs Rlairs liking: they were a
trfie too broad. but even this was mini
mized by the woman's graceful use OF
them. The appearance of the coffee.
which was made in q device that Wayne
had set over to domestic use from the
club brought him into the talk with his
personal apologies for the absence of the
silver breakfast service.
THAT machine isn't so formidable as it
looks. 1t is warranted not to blow up.
But / advise you against its product.
Adelaide: the brew is as fierce as I've and
will shatter the strongest nerves Father
requires water in his-about 100 per cent.
Please don't feel obliged to use that trap
If you don't like it
He had spoken her name easily. and as
he mentioned it she lifted her head from
the cups and smiled a him with little
nod. Mrs. Blair. observant of everything,
could not. in spite of the th-flowing
talk. forget the waste areas of her ig-
norance of this woman, who had slipped
unchallenged into her mothers old place
at the table and whom she and Wayne
We're endeavoring to please. This last
point touched her humor: that they, with
their prior claims upon their father and
the house. should be trying to impress
the new wife favorably was to Fanny
Blair's mind decidedly funny.
Il suppose our severest winter weather
will hardly equal the cold you have been
used to in Vermont" she remarked, STIR
ring her cup.
1T gets very cold there. but it is 'brac-
ing and wholesome, replied Adelaide.
meeting, Fanny's gaze. But 1 have hard
ly been there since l grew up. Mamma
found she couldn't stand the climate
about the time I needed some schooling,
so we went abroad, and you know how
easy it is to stay on once YOU are over
there Our home in Vermont was at Bur-
know. on the lakeland the
winds do come bowling terribly down
from Canada. It is lovely in summer,