The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-08-15
What Other
People Do

! do? I've been SO anxious to see you
ever since first heard about your
friends the Diapers.
Woman in Gray-Please do not call
them my friends. think 30 much OF
that word that |. hate to hear 1t used
in such a connection. Wasn't 1t dread
full? You know. they say that he spec
ulated terribly And really believe
she knew all about 1t all the time.
Would you believe It? She is such
smiling creaturel Here's Mrs.
Prentice.
Mrs. Prentice-How do you both do?
My only reason for coming to teas
like this Is to get chance to see my
friends Nobody ever calls any more.
Or, at least, nobody ever comes to my
house. I'll wager a cooky that you
were talking about the Burrs. Do you
know, I'm not surprised a bit. I've
said 80 right along. Why, Mr.. Burr
used to sit on the porch without col
lar on! He did! You can ask any
body. And the tales they tell! Dear
me, wouldn't repeat them for mil
lions OF dollars, even to dear friends
like you. Her hats!
Woman In Brown never knew her.
but when l moved into this neighbor-
| hood first I was told about the woman
who wore the queer hats.
Woman In Blue-Oh, yes. indeed.
! Why, she never seems to consult the
fashions at all. Just wears what she
| lply 10 hannuatnn fhatfQ oil and ft'a
always the same sort of hat every sea-
son. don't wonder that her husband
got tired of her.
Woman in Gray-They say that
when the Diapers moved away you
could have taken wagonload OF rub
bish out of their basement alone. They
didn't pretend to clean things up. The
janitor told me he never had 30 much
work. He wouldn't come up and do
anything for me until offered him
double the usual amount because he
was 80 tired carting out the trash.
Woman In Brown-They threw away
such good things. too. My little boy
found lots Of things to play with there
an almost good egg beaten, flower
pot and lot of other things. They
were both OF them 80 extravagant!
Mrs. Prentice-Oh, dreadfully. But
even they did not hold a candle to
that young widow on our street, Mrs.
Duvall.
Woman in Blue-Is she a widow? !
was wondering.
Mrs. Prentice-She said 30. That's
all know about 1t.
Woman In Gray--You can't tell by
what people say about themselves.
Isn't she just back from the west
Reno or somewhere
Mrs. Prertice-She has a niece out
west whom she was visiting. 80 she
says
Woman in Brown-It must be con-
venient to have relatives all over the
country that way.
Woman In Blue-Aren't you dread
full? That makes me think. saw
Miss Lane downtown Monday. She al
ways goes down bargain days, you
know. She was in the tea room.
couldn't see that she had anything but
toast and tea. so I wondered whether
she had lost her position again. She
said that she had a headache.
Woman in Brownie, she resigned
this time. She's going to be married.
Mrs GPrentice-How romantic!
Woman In Brown-No. 1t isn't bit
romantic. It's a man she has known
for years and they're just making up
an old quarrel. I suppose she thinks
he's better than nothing now. Do try
one OF these little cakes. They are
positively tho worst tasting things
ever knew.
Woman in Blue-They never have
isn't worth coming far for. You'll no
tice that every body here has como
from just around the neighborhood.
Woman In Gray-She calls 1t a neigh
borhood party, I believe. Is that Miss
Vance over there? How thin she is!
Why hasn't somebody taught her to
hold her shoulders back so that she
won't look 80 dreadfully awkward?
Mrs. PrentAce-That makes me think
Of your aunt.
Woman in Gray-My aunt ia not
awkward. assure you she is quite
graceful
Mrs. Prentice-Oh. my dear, you
misunderstood me. meant the shawl
that woman over there is wearing
white crepe, isn't It? What ia your
aunt busy with now7 She IL always
doing something interesting.
Woman In Gray-She has been work
ing on our family tree and has only a
few more branches to look up. She
has been reading me some old letters
written from small towns over a hun
dred years ago.
Woman In Blue-They must be In
teresting.
Woman In Gray-They are. But you
have no idea how narrow people were
then.
Woman in Blue-They were dread
fully narrow. Yes. indeed. And so
petty!
Woman In Gray--Oh. yes. And so
criticall How they picked people to
pieces and criticised themi Dreadful
Woman in Brown---Oh. indeed. yes.
Nothing was too severe for people to
say behind other peoples backs.
Mrs. Prentice-Oh. my dears, aren't