New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-20

= "a
Camilla sar 1T her desk asserting and arranging the
cards II her many visitors. recording engagements ami
Obligations. When jeff had LETT for me West she had
plunged into the social whirlpool with O. desperation
born " desire forget and as she Went out there had
come bitter pleasure in the knowledge that after all
She had been able 90 her way N New Ork against
all odds PEOPLE sought her now not because She was
pr0tgce IF Mrs WorthingtOn Rumsen or because She
the wife II the rich Mr. Wray bur because she was
herself
The dangers that threatened no longer caused her any
lisrav: for ambition 0bsessed her II was an appetite
thar had grown great with feeding, AMI she let II take
her where u would. There not an nour oi the cay
when She was not busy. In the mornings with her notes
and her shopping IN the afternoons with luncheons,
teas and other smart functions al night with dinners
the heater or The opera, and the cllendaret canoes
There were few opportunities Tor heT ~ De alone ana
the thought ri reconciliation with her husband Whlch
had al one time seemed possible, had been reegated 20
her mental iustbn IN company with an assorted lot OF
youthful ideals that She had found II necessary 10 d-s
card
She could not remember the day when She had not
been socially ambitious. Five months ago, before she
and left had qua--elci there had been time when She
was willing give up the world and 60 back win nm
She had been less ambitious al mat moment NAN ever
before n her lire. Il he had taken lcr with MN lAen
there might still have been time ~ repair their damages
and begin lie on a basis OF real understanding. FOR
brief time She had a1hOred me new HE ne mad t0und
for her had hated herself for The thing mat she really
was social climber DaraI, 100 good tor her old &C
Cuantances not good enough for her new ones, crea
-ure with q mission Of Intrusion beng neither
fish flesh nor good red herring and yet perhaps
something II al three. Bur that period OF mental
probation had passed She no longer telt That she
was climbing There were many broken rungs below
her On the social ladder but those above were sound
and her head was among clouds tinted with PINK ana
amber.
S,,, was the magic of success She lived in an at
rosphere If SOFT exctemenr and pieasurabe exhllara
tons VI compliments and OF hattery, Ot Voets and
roses Bridge lessons had improved ler game, but she
still discovered that the amounts she could lose III
week were rather appalling. Checks for large sums
came regularly from the West. and snc spent them
little -aekessv convinced that she was Obeyng 10 the
letter her husband injunction 20 strengt hen their social
1ostior no matter what the cost She had written 20
left twice IN The first week after ms departure asking
She could not follow him 90 Mesa City Ills replies mad
been brief and unnecessarily offensive; ~ that ,housh
his image 'OOme3 large al times pride refused iGTtAer
advances. Cortland Bent had been with her conunu-
lv and II course people Were talking. She heaTd mat
from Mrs. Rumsen who II the course u morning Oh
casual "n0therng had spoken 10 Camilla with cLaIac-
teristic freedom. -
II Know there's no harm in his attentions, Child She
said, cas- least So Tar as YOU re concerned gu nave a.
ways struck me AS being sing-arly capable u looking
after Yourself. and " course Corr old enough 20 Know
what he about Bur never does one any good 70 De
talked about especially "a woman VINO mas neF way 70
make in the world. There IS a simplicity almost rus,lC
IN the way YOU TWO young people allow yourselves 20 DC
discovered In public paces-Vmch 10 III ancient PM
o,gpbe~ Ike myself carries complete CONVICTION 81 IN
1orance But others may not be- So discerning. II you
were ugly lctormcG, % Wouln make the aIslleSI
'itfarerce what YOU dds but being handsome YOU are
on -ral and every pretty woman N society IS on the
Jury Vi court that conv,cts N cr-lnstantia evidence
alone
Camilla thanked her preceptOrtor -ae warning aware
ga, ~ ,1,,l..r- sense Of shock al the revelation. She
seemed 10 have reached point IN her mad naiuauon
with he where warnings made no impression upon neT
She had not seen Corr Bent Tor several days now and
while she experienced vague sens II loss III DIS al
enc. (which had NOT been explained. she so busy
that She had not found time even 20 -nayzelt.
A BELATED cold season had SCI in. season Of snow
~ and Ice. and fashionable New Workers. ID a Dria
.-l,,. ~ ,,7ir-r,r-sut engagements hukei for the
week end ~ their country places 10 ENJOY few days 81
old fashioned winter weather. The Billy H4Vllands