Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1912-02-21
! osing the
Social Instinct


her callers tea and set the cup down
hurriedly.
"Well, why not?" inquired young
Mrs. Allison. ''That will do, dear. l
take only two Jumps, not the whole
bowlful."
Explain yourself, Celeste!" de-
manded the young matron with au-
burn hair, severely. "Has any one
been saying that l am getting fat and
stolid or is this your inimitable way
of criticising my winter WARDROBE"
Young Mrs. Allison smiled inscruta-
bly,.
Celeste" said her hostess again.
sharply, eff you weren't my best
friend I should call that a positive
grin"
Young Mrs. Allison continued to
grin, happily. well, she said, after
selecting the thinnest sandwich on the
tray and biting into it with caution
"to begin with, you've moved to sub
urb, haven't you?"
"Um-mm; is that all?"
''No, but that's one thing"
very Well, WnaC next!
Sand you've stopped wearing false
hair
"Why, yes, so I have" admitted the
hostess, TRANQUILITY. II got tired of the
messy stuff, and when l happened tc
/ think it over l couldn't see any reason
why I shouldn't let my hair stand on
it's own merits"
Exactly" agreed young Mrs. ALI
son. Thirdly, you've dropped the
bridge club"
The matron with auburn hair sighed
ct had to- she explained. And" she
added, with a sudden burst of conf
dence, you've no idea, dearest, what
a relief it is. For two years, once 9
week, I've hooked myself into my best
clothes and sat all of pleasant sun
ny afternoon in some ones stuffy
drawing room gambling for, let us
say, a green sunshade that would
make me look, if I won it, like horse
show poster. I have partaken enthu
oily salads forty-ive minutes before
dinner hour" She paused for breath
and smiled suddenly upon her caller
INSTEAD of all that" she concluded
81 now repose in this easy chair with
a book and box of chocolates, which
achieve the same effect upon my ap
petite, but are less strenuous"
Nonsense" said young Mrs. ALI
son. you're losing the social instinct
that's all! All suburbanites do. But
as I remarked to begin with, you hav.
adopted the wise course
She frowned thoughtfully, while he
hostess waited in silence.
"Well?" her hostess demanded, final
~.
TITS very tragic" said young Mrs
Allison. You know my Aunt Elvi
ra?"
The matron with auburn hair nod
ded. "The poor woman who was 81
i'll at your house last summer" sh
said
Poor nothing contradicted younI
Mrs. Allison, sternly. There's roth
ing the matter with Aunt Elvira blu
imaginary diseases. She's smcrabbe
that her own children won't live wit
her, and SHE'S SO rich that her othe
relatives have to. She takes privat
car down to Florida every winter an
l had thought that Fred and coul
make rather pleasant use Of an inv
! tation to go with her this year, be
cause Fred didn't get any vacation i
the summer.
We'll, my love, last week Saturda
[ positively dragged Fred home fror
the Office to go out to the Countr
club with me in the afternoon. | fel
that my system demanded the dive
sion and I didn't want to go alone. ]
J was a horrid, chilly trip and our SUI
I per out there was miserable. Whe
we got home this is the message wri
ten on Aunt Elyira's visiting card thu
met me in the hand of the maid:
Dear Celeste-Im sorry 70
. couldn't take time from your pursu
of pleasure to comfort my tired an
I travel stained SELF I'm going over |
y Cousin Emma's. Respectfully, A. E.
The matron with auburn hair gas
J. ed. But did you know she was cor
;. ing?" she asked.
s. "Oh, no. said young Mrs. Alliso
composedly, mot having a sixth sens
n for her arrivals in town. It's jul
= one of her little eccentricities. that
= ALL Cousin Emma goeA to EIorid
;. on Thursday" she added sadly.
- well, of all things!" cried the m
J. iron with auburn hair, sympatheticall
ID After you and Fred had it q
planned"
N WELL" admitted young Mrs. A
If lison, slowly, 'as mater of fac
J. Fred hadn't planned exactly. He seer
y ed positively to enjoy the situatio
), He said he had a picture of himse
II going, anyway. And he added that he
rather pound rocks than to go an
10 where with Aunt Elvira Good-b
| 81,