Evening star., 1914-04-12
By A SOCIAL PROMOTER

often mentioned in company with the elect, for
ward and offered to bring her in Society She
firm believer in the tradition that girl must not be
seen at dance or a ball until she had been properly
presented at tea. Mary would have of that.
She followed the custom of the people who had taken
her up. 1t to be either big ball nothing How
ever, there was compromise winter in town.
1t was then that Mary played trump card, and per-
suaded her aunt to allow her to give hunt breakfast
at the town house. Such entertainment at such
place distinct novelty Mrs. Van Nostrand
sented but did not know into what devious path she
was being led She conservative person, and she
protested at the decorators and caterers taking charge
of her sacred dining hung with ancestral portraits
and turning it into vertable rathskeller. She had
suggested mild punch after special family brew
the liquid refreshment but of Marys friends had
other plans, and the old lady scandalized when
many baskets of champagne boxes of Scotch and other
sparkling and strong waters arrived.
1t was snowy January day, and there no end of
excitement in town when the cavalcade started from
the Riding Club, huntsmen in scarlet escorting the
drags, guards blowing hons the whole company troop
ing down Fifth-ave. in full cry. Crowds dense
around the old Van Nostrand mansion, and the police
had to be called in 1t ripping success according
to Society Old Lady Van Nostrand fled the house
when the affair flood tide and the rousng chorus
of Drink Puppy Drink and the clnking of glasses
shook the very raers of her profaned homestead She
never forgot it. and left Mary out of her will but the
breakfast the talk of the winter. Mary then
to Aiken the guest of the most ultrafashionable
woman in that ultrafashionable community.
FEW people knew Mark Middleton except that he
bachelor, wonderfully successful man who
had made large fortune cotton in the South and
had come to New York and opened banking business.
He also bought show place the Meadowbrook
Club and was said to have had wonderful chef, and
stable filled with booded horses. He appeared at all
the Long Island sporting events but people avoided
him. He knew of his country neighbors, and he
belonged to of the clubs. He spoke with strong
foreign accent and reported that Middleton was
not his
There indeed sensation that spring the races,
where Society gathers nasse, when the Middleton
drag with its gtterng silver harness and its snowy
accouterments appeared. There was Mary Van Nos
trand the box seat beside Mark Middleton with the
impecunious Murdocks, couple who would go any,
where for dinner, chaperons Marys new hunting
set friends indignant. 1t looked if she had
undertaken to get social recognition for Middleton
Mary enjoyed the situation keenly, and added another
surprise by bringing Middleton from box box and
introducing him as her afianced husband. No knew
where she had met him that she had known him.
But he rich, and people began that with his
money Mary could become power. Meadowbrook
captuated. Later Mark got into some of the clubs;
voted good fellow, but something of gded pill.
After the Middletons married they went abroad
for long honeymoon. When they returned Society
expected much of them, Mark Middleton anlbi-
tious generous worshped his wife, and would have spent
fortune on her. But Mary always kept her friends
guessing and she delighted in doing the unexpected
The Allddletons settled down in a small house
side street and gave modest dinners There neat
brougham. Mary's gowns were perfect; but she made
simplicity fad. Her jewels were few. She made such
frequent of the boxes of her friends the Metro
politan that she chrstened the cuckoo. If it had
not been known that Middleton immensely rich
and had the faculty of doubling peoples fortunes fear
that Mary would have lost her popularity. And grad
uay Society began to see less of him. He seemed i'll at
at Marys dinners, and after awhile began to abb
sent himself from them, refusing invitations. Mary
great deal alone, and each year would make
long visits to Europe while he remained in America.