The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-02-11
BY LAWRENCE ALFRED CLAY.
copyright, 1911, by Associated Lit
n,-nrv prexsl

(Copyright, 1911, by Associated Lit
erary Press.)
1t was a matter of. wonder that
such an ambitious, aggressive mother
as Mrs. Kent should have such a de-
mure daughter as Estelle. Yes, the
mother was very aggressive. and the
daughter was very. very demure.
That was an opposite other mothers
could not help but remark.
At seventeen Miss Estelle was sent
to vassar. She might have preferred
another school, but her mother said
vassar, and that settled that. Mrs.
Kent was O. widow with an income
none too large. but she had plans and
schemes far ahead.
At eighteen and nineteen Miss Es-
telle was stiif acquiring knowledge.
but at twenty she had finished. she
had had vacations. OF course. ana
there had been no change in her de-
mureness. She was given thrae or
four days in which to draw her breath
after getting home for good. and then
her mother called her to her side and
said:
.sEsteile, you are now twenty years
DID,"
Yes. mamma"
xou Shouiu DC thiHhihs VI mathi-
mony."
4 am, mamma"
"Yon have Q handsome face and q
good education. ana you ought to
marry WELL"
so should. mamma"
But the trouble is." continued the
mother, that there are no eligible
young men around here. That ID.
none but could support you In the
style you deserve" 4
Not one. mamma"
But there Is . gentleman, after all
"a middle-agad gentieman--A man
of wealth who has been attracted to
you. He has seen you on various
occasions during your vacations. and
has become smittcn. He was here
the other day to ask the privilege Of
calling on YOU"
Yes, mamma"
And / granted II. Esteiie, you III
least know Of Mr.. Hendsrson----the
gentleman who owns the Golden
Brewery
IL have heard st said that he Ia all
of forty-eight years old. and dyes his
whiskers. Those innuendoes are al
ways thrown out against the rich.
He In fat man and baldheaded. but
you don't think that counts against
him. do your
'sOf course not. mamma"
Fat can be reduced and bald
heads covered with wigs. Mr. Hen
derson may not be as well educated
as some. but he's thorough bust
ness man. ! thought you might be
pre3ndiced against him because he is
a brewer
'0h, no mamma"
OF course he doesn; rinse out the
kegs and bottles and refill them
again, nor does he drive one of his
wagons. He stays In the ONCE 1ad
counts the cash. And another thing.
dear. people don't look upon the
brewery business as they once did.
tonic
Yes mamma" was the sams de-
mure and dnsiful reply.
Mr. Henderson viii probably can
within day or two. He has pur-
chased a beautiful auto, and as soon
rs he can find a chauffeur TO run /,
we are to 60 for ride. I knew yeu
would think as | do ABOUT this mat
ter. hut still want TO praise you for
your good common sense"
Thanks, mamma."
Mrs. Kent smiled with satisfacti IN.
She Rugged herself In her compla-
cency. Che believed the match as
good as made. Within a radius Of
ten miles Of her were a hundred
other mothers who could have told
her that II was the demure Young
lady to have an eye on. but the can-
ton would have done no good That
same evening a letter was mailed TO
somebody up the State which con-
tanned the following sentence:
Come at once and hire TO him as
a chauffeur. You know how TO run
an auto. Wen plan the rest after
you get here"
Miss Demure was planning a lit
tie. scheme, nc was yea, mamma =
to everything. and mamma thought
a girl twenty years old
MIR. Henderson called. Tea. he was
short and fat and pudgy. He wore q
wig and looked his age. no matter
what Il was. No. he vs. not an eSll-