The Marshall republican., 1913-01-03
X.L.BARNIS

WuOs uoxt 10 10 ana bhuTd, was tne
dandiest girl I over met; but he never
looked twice at any woman in his life
and was Just a dear TO all Of them. II
broke my heart to see him drifting.
I classed my golf fiends, bridge
tends. and so on. for quick consulta-
ton and studied II as hard az 10 ever
did her Practical Economy. I seeped
In 90 much about everything from ev-
erybody and everybody from ev.
erything that I was like a
spongs-squeeze me and I'd spout So
cial Information. I began to be able
to say casually. "oh, sixty millions"
and ceased to think I was playing a
part In q society play where there was
a French duke in the cast. I whirled
In the scheme OF things, marveling ev.
cry Instant that ! didn't fly of into
the air from tangential impetus.
A continual ho~use.party Of thirty
or more. made up Of a few human be-
inss. q great many snobs. and bril-
liantly topped OF with a duke. was q
s~tupendous thing. We rivaled Mrs.
Henry Dykeman In the brilliancy OF
our entertainments. and the Hemming.
ways In the novelty of theirs. Our mu.
sicales were characteristic, our teas
innovations. We instituted a cotillion
Saturday nights from which II was a
social crime to be absent. We gilt.
tered 80 we were besleged by more
newspaper men and women. much to
Mrs. Hazards secret disgust. but we
had TO pay the penalty OF the glitter.
The public may not have been inter
eated. but tho newspapers thought our
French duke was too important to be
hidden.
The only thing left to us Of our old
order was that early tennis OF mine
with Hap. and Mrs. Hazard behind the
coffce-pot every morning at eight
o'clock. In our own little breakfast
room where only the actual family and
myself we're present. II was the best
Of the day. the only time when We
could feel that our souls were our
OWL know that's the way ] felt
about II. Afterward Hap would 60 In.
TO town In the gray car TO sell real
estate and John Crowninshield to de-
fend. II that's what . lawyer does.
Then Mrs. Hazard would call the
cabinet to order--shs was secretary
OF stats-and ws'd begin. She would
grease the wheels Of tho establish.
mont, sort out who was coming and
who was going until the butterflies BE-
gan to nutter out at noontime, and
began on the peg Job. getting the golf
ers on the golf course. and the tennis
players on the tennis courts-sounds
easy. but left TO themselves tho tennis
players were Just 40 apt TO be on the
golf course. and Crouchy In conss
sueaos-arraaging motor parties. with
just the right people In . car. and get.
tfsg bridge games going whore the
bresss vas lively enough to keep cool
and not lively enough to blow the
cards away; filling In when anybody
needed IN extra 10 anything. Then
had TO manipulate the crowd for Q
swim OF . sell before We started in o.
the evening round.
Those were the ordinary days
when there was no grand a6air on
hand. Ikc0ISant- hsvs stood hrn
hadn't had nerves Of steel and the
constitution OF IN OF. But always
there was Mrs.. Hazard holding II on
that cAuchls Of hers. smiling approx.
al. Sometimes she would take me IN
her tat arms and pat my hair and
worry II I looked tired. She insisted
on my having . maid. although ] was
used 70 doing things for myself. but
didn't Always havs time TO turn
around and pick up the gown ! had
taken OF.
There was only one thing about my
Job I heartily dsiiksd. and that was
allius In at bridss With Natalie. We
always lost. although I didn't do %
badly whea ! played with any one
else. John Crovninshisld or Mrs. Cut
Ter. while His Grace and I won 20
much together We were . scandal In
the. house. I was afraid Of Natalie.
that was II; afraid Of her calm. droopy
stare and her awful civiiity. II she
1TnAI