Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-01-13
Losing the
Social Instinct

when You renowned the rriy0iities or
life"
when I-er-what?" gasped the
matron with auburn hair, as she
dropped an extra lump of sugar into
her callers tea and set The cup down
hurriedly.
well, why not?" inquired young
Mrs Allison. That will Go. dear
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 | am getting rat and
stoIid or Is this your inimitabIe way
of criticislng my winter wardrobe?'
Young Mrs. Allison smiled inscruta.
bly,.
Celeste" said her hostess again,
sharply, IF YOU weren't my best
friend should call that a positive
grin"
Young Mrs. Allison continued to
, grin, happily. well, she said, after
selecting he thlnnest sandwich on The
tray and biting into IL with caution.
ITO begin with, you've moved 10 sub.
urb, haven't you?
"Um-mm: Is that all?"
"No, but that's one thing"
every well: what next"
"And you've stopped wearing false
hair"
why, yes, so | have" admitted the
hostess, TRANQUILITY. i got tired OF the
messy stuf, and when | happened 10
think 1t over | couldn't see any reason
why shouldn't let my hair stand Oh
its own merits.
Exactly" agreed young Mrs. Ali.
son. Thirdly. you've dropped The
bridge club"
The matron with auburn hair sighed.
"a had to-" she explained. And" she
added, with q sudden burst OF conf
dence, you've no idea. dearest, what
g relief il Is. For two years. once
week, I've hooked myself into my best
| clothes and sat all OF pleasant sun
ny afternoon In some ones stuHy
drawing room gambling for, let IL
| say. green sunshade that would
make me look, II won II. like horse
show poster. have partaken enGhu
siastically OF siruplike Ice creams and
oily salads forty-fige minutes before
dinner hour" She paused for breath
and smiled suddenly upon her caller.
] "lustead OF all that" she concluded,
II now repose in this easy chair win
| achieve the same anne effect upon my ap
petite. but are less strenuous"
Nonsense" said young Mrs. ALI
sou. "Yull'rc losing the social instinct.
| that's all! al *ubnrbdnites do. But,
as | remarked to begin with. you have
adopted the wise course.
she irowned thoushtfnlly, "hile her
hostess waited in silence.
".Sell?" her hostess demanded final
~.
IT'S very tragic" said yonng Mrs
Allison. "yuu know my Aunt Elvi
RAJ ...
The matron with auburn hair nod
ded. The poor woman who Was 90
i'll at your house last summer" she
said
Poor nothing" conlradicttd young
Mrs. Allison, .sternly. There's moth
ing tile matter with Aunt lIlvlra but
imaginary diseases. She's so grabbed
that her own children won't live with
her, aud she's SO rich that her other
relatives have to. She takes private
car down to Florida every winter and
/ had thought that Fred and could
make rather pleasant use Of IN lnvi.
tation to go with her this year. be.
cause Fred didn't get any vacation in
the summer.
We'll. my love, last week Saturday
positively dragged Fred home from
the Office 10 60 out to the Country
clnb with me in the afternoon. felt
that my system demanded the diver.
sion and / didn't want To go alone. 1t
WAS horri1. chilly trip and our sup.
per out there was miserable. When
We. got home this il the message writ
Ten on Aunt Elyira's visiting card that
met me in the hand Of the maid:
Dear Celeste--l'm sorry You
couldn't take time from your pursuit
OF pleasure to comfort my tired and
travel stained SELF Pm going over to
Cousin Emma's. Respectfully. A. E. "
Tue matron with auburn hair gasp
ed. .'But did you know she was com
1ng?" she asked.
oh, no" said young Mrs Allison,
eomposealy, mot having g sixth sense
for her arrivals In town. H's just
one OF her little eccentricities. that's
all! Cousin Emma goes to Floride
on Thursday" she added, sadly.
We'll, or all things!' cried ale ma
iron with auburn hair. sympathe!icall.
After you and Fred had II al
planned"
Well" admitted young Mrs. Al
lson. slowly. "as mater OF fact,