The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1912-08-29
What Other
People Do

uO' w OSCu o. stllAlOuS W S0S you
ever since I first heard about your
friends the Diapers.
Woman in Gray--Please do not call
them my friends. l think so much of
that word that hate to hear it used
in such connection. Wasn't it dread.
full? You know, they say that he spec.
nlated terribly! And really believe
she knew all about it all the time.
Would you believe it? She is such
smiling I creature! Here's Mrs.
Prentice.
Mrs. Prentice-How do you both do?
My only reason for coming to teas
like this is to get a 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 bit. I've
said SO 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 mill
lions of dollars, even to dear friends
! like you. Her hats!
Woman in Brown never knew her.
but when moved into this neighbour.
hood first 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
thinks Is becoming, that's all, and it's;
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 a wagonload of rub-
Dish out of their basement alone. They
didn't pretend to clean things up. The
janitor told me he never had so much
work. He wouldn't come up and do
anything for me until I offered him
double the usual amount because he
was so 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, a flower
PVT anu q 1OI vi SluCI 1uSy
were both Of them so extravaganza!
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? I
WAS wondering. y
Mrs. Prentice-She said so. That's
ell I know about it.
Woman in Gray-You can't tell by
what people say about themselves.
isn't she just back from the west?
Reno or somewhere?
Mira Prentice-She has a niece out
west whom she was visiting, so 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 dreadl
full? That makes me think. l saw
Miss Lane downtown Monday. She al
ways goes down bargain days, you
know. She was in the tea room. I,
couldn't see that she had anything but!
toast and tea, so wondered whether
she had lost her position again. She
said that she had headache.
Woman in Brown-No, she resigned
this time. She's going to be married.
Mrs. Prentice-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
pm old quarrel. suppose she thinks
he's better than nothing now. Do try
pne Of these little cakes. They are;
positively the worst tasting things I
ever knew. ,
Woman in Blue-They never have
anything very good to eat here. It
isn't worth coming far for. You'll no
tice that every body here has come
from just around the neighborhood.
Woman in Gray-She calls it neigh.
borhood party. 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 so dreadfully awkward?
Mrs. Prentice-That makes me think
Of your aunt.
Woman in Gray-My aunt is not
awkward. I assure you she is quite
graceful.
Mrs. Prentice-Oh. my dear, you
misunderstood me. I meant the shawl
that woman over there is wearing
white crepe, isn't it? What is your
aunt busy with now? She is always
doing something interesting.
Woman in Gray-She has been work
Ing on our family tree and has only
few more branches to look up. She
has been reading me some old letters
written from small towns over 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
critical! How they picked people to
pieces and criticised themi nreaGf,,ji