The midland journal., 1914-11-13
CHAPTER XVIII.
Paying the Prlce.

With all their money and ali Mira.
Brands charm the Brands were not
within the inner circle OF New York
society. Just what the circle is. Is
bard to say. Those who try TO define
4 arc generally those who know little
about 1t. or who at least are not part
q It. The circle is composed Of many
eegments. There are times when these
Negmenfs vie with others so that it is
difficult to tell where the one begins
and the other ends. But the bounda-
Ties arc there. and, generally speaking.
they may be determined by the hori-
Ecntal and vertical lines. New York
has grown vertically; it's skyscrapers
stand as monuments to millions, but
from the Battery to the Bronx it
measures the same number of feet and.
inches rs in the day of Peter Stuy-s
vesanf, and It is the landholders Of
New York that dominate the circle.
Within its circumference there have
been many encroachments. Sayants
arc 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 IL she had pursued these ac-
Quaintances, might have found>an en-
teFfng wedge to the sacred sphere.
But the Brands lived on Little Rock
Bay and It was something OF q hard.
snip for Mrs. Brand to shift her
mounts from her stable half way
ACROSS the island. An ambitious WON
an would not let<such little matter
ns that stand in the way Of social pre-
Serment, but she found the effort irk-
some. She entered few Of her favor
istes 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
hacked 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-
imittance to It's most sacred confines.
iGhs urged Mrs. Brand to seek every
possible avenue Of approach to social
recognition and Influenced her to at
tempt lavish entertainments. Brand
twaa agreeable enough. He rather en-
5uyed the energy and seal that Mrs.
Reynolds displayed and approved Of
the effect It had on his wife. He as
sisted with q supply Of unlimited cash.
James only sesame TO her goal waa
through her friend and By the means
Of her own personal attraction. she
made the most Of the latter and the
hills from her mOdiste and mllliner
caused Bob many misgiving. despite
the abandon with which he made and
spent his money. He liked TO see his
wife look as good a. the best and he
plnnged harder and deeper so that he
eOuld crafty her every wish without
the sembIance OF question. Economy
was q word that he had banished for
ever and II their house had permitted
it he would have urged her to attempt
some Of the Drodigious affairs that she
shared at the Brands.
Yet while Reynolds INDUCED and
encouraged his wife he found himself
often assuming care free spirit that
Ae did mot feel There came moments
when the false glaInor of his life palled
Mnd he gave, way to deepest melan-
eholy. More and more he resorted to
ne bracing influence OF stimuIants
end . cessation from this practise only
Acesntrated his morhidness.
ECR q long time he kept the real
gsate Of his mind from Jane and the
Ascsssity for the deception carried him
hatAer and farther away from her. In