Middletown transcript., 1914-11-21
CHATTER XVII.
PsyInq the Price.

With all their money and all Mrs.
Brands charm the Brands were not
within the inner circle Of New York
society. Just what the circle Is, Is
hard to say. Those who try to define
it are generally those who know little
about it, or who at least are not part
of it. The circle is composed of many
segments. There are times when these
segments vie with others so that it Is
difficult to tell where the one begins
and the other ends. But the bounda-
ries are there, and, generally speaking.
they may be determined by the hori-
zontal and vertical lines New York
has grown vertically; its skyscrapers
stand as monuments to millions, but
from the Battery to- the Bronx 1t
measures the same number; Of feet and
inches as in the day of Peter Stuy-
vesant, and it is the landholders Of
New York that dominate the circle
Within its circumference there have
been many eneroachments. Savants
are welcomed, toasted and forgotten.
Marriage and intermarriage have
brought many newcomers; million
aires and billionaires have been toler-
ated, but the oligarchy remains.
The Brands had neither antecedents
nor matrimony as passports. Brands
wife had beauty, culture, wealth; all
the reciprocal means that society
loves, but she lacked incentive and
ambition. Her nearest approach to
the inner circle was the Long Island
hunting set. She was an ardent horse
woman and rode and drove admirably.
She had been received by some very
smart people Of the younger set in
the hunts at Hampstead and Meadow
brook and If she had pursued these ac-
quaintances, might have found an en-
tering wedge to the sacred sphere.
But the Brands lived on Little Rock
Bay and it was something Of a hard
ship for Mrs. Brand to shift her
mounts from her stable half way
across the island. An ambitious wom-
an would not let such a little matter
as that stand in the way of social pre-
ferment, but she found the effort irk-
some. She entered few Of her favor
ties In the horse show, but more from
pride for her horses than in social
quest. In fact, Mrs. Brand was not
society mad. She courted comfort
and liked her own amusements.
When Jane came upon the scene the
situation changed. What Mrs. Brand
lacked in way of aspirations. Jane sup
piled, and what young Mrs. Reynolds
lacked in matter of means was amply
furnished by her new friend. And
Jane wanted all or nothing. She craved
not only entree to the circle, but ad-
mittance to its most sacred confines
She urged Mrs. Brand to seek every.
possible avenue Of approach to social
recognition and influenced her to at
tempt lavish entertainments. Brand
was agreeable enough. He rather en-
joyed the energy and zeal that Mrs.
Reynolds displayed and approved Of
the effect it had on his wife. He as
sisted with supply of unlimited cash.
James only sesame to her goal was
through her friend and by the means
of her own personal attraction. She
made the most of the latter and the
bills from her modiste and milliner
caused Bob many a misgiving, despite
the abandon with which he made and
spent his money. He liked to see his
wife look as good as the best and he
plunged harder and deeper so that he
could crafty her every wish without
the semblance Of question Economy
was word that he had banished for
ever and If their house had permitted
it he would have urged her to attempt
some of the prodigious affairs that she
shared at the Brands.
Yet while Reynolds INDUCED and
encouraged his wife he found himself
often assuming care free spirit that
he did not feel. There came moments
when the false glamor Of his life palled
and he gave way to deepest melan-
choly. More and more he resorted to
the bracing influence Of stimuIants
and a cessation from this practise only
accentuated his morbidness.
For long time he kept the real
state Of his mind from Jane and the
necessity for the deception carried him
farther and farther away from her. In
this life of wealth and gaiety the words
Of Brand now came home to him with
poignant sting. He was, indeed, on the
outside looking in. He saw his wife,
through his apostasy, mount higher to
the goal of her ambition while he sank
lower and lower The metamorphosis
Of soul began to take on physical ex-
preston. The candor Of his express
sion changed to cunning and craftiness
and an inherent frankness Of manner
gave way to constraint. At the club
the change became noticeable. His
evenings there were not Of the CON
yiyial sort as before. He sought only
one form Of amusement gambling. He
played heavily and lost oftener than