Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1916-09-01
SHIFTING THE SCENERY
BY CATHERINE cRANMER.

Hs~~e~>>~~N~es>~~>>
Positively my last appearance this
season Mt stupid. sO-called at
hOme.'" Betty Barnes dropped among
the pillows on the cretOnne-cOvered
couch i'm her mothers bedroom, and
pulled off her long gloves with languid
jerks.
Surely you don't mean that Mrs.
Mnson's at home was anything but
a success?" Her mothers response
was both protest and an inquiry.
TOO successful" was Betty's bored
reply. That's one reason it was tire
some But I'm tired of being a detail
in the stage setting for some woman
ambitious to put over on her gullible
guests either her money or her brains
or her manageable daughters"
you're desperately disappointing.
Betty. Keep up such conduct anoth-
er season and you'll be worse than a
stage fixture; you'll be forced clear
out of the wings"
Then perhaps I'll strike up an &C
quaintance with the stage hands or the
newspaper reporters or somebody else
who can be spontaneous and interest
ing"
please don't remind me of your
scandalous conduct at the Lafayette
club dinner dance. should never get
over It if the Markhams and Browns
found out that it was you who gave
the information about their feud to
that impertinent young scrub repor-
err"
Cub reporter, mother" corrected
Betty. land that very story promoted
him from the cub class"
"We will not discuss this matter
now" Mrs. Barnes exuded finality In
her tone and manner. "The Markhams
are dining with us this evening. 1
shall expect you to be decently cor
dial"
BY the time the second course was
served, Mrs. Markham produced her
conversation trump-the latest book.
"Have you read that piece of eff
frontery, Maneuvering for First
Place'T
Mrs. Barnes pleaded such a busy
week with club committees that she
had not even heard of the book. Bet
ty offered a meek affirmative and Mr..
Barnes surprised them all with his
reply.
81 read it yesterday on the train
coming from Chicago" he said. "When
I found that Betty had put 1t in my
travelling bag along with my favorite
copy Of Hazlitt, 1 felt like spanking
her. but I'll have to confess that the
audacious title page carried me right
into the first chapter and that carried
me on through the book"
swell, don't you think it the most
audacious slap at society imaginable?'
Mrs. Markham's indignation was deep
and dignified.
Frankly" said Mr.. Barnes. with a
smile. II thought it was pretty good
hit at US for allowing ourselves to put
too much. stress on nonessentials."
"Who wrote it?" demanded Mrs.
Barnes, ready for hostilities.
Its anonymous. but supposed to
have been written by a group Of peo-
pie who style themselves the Social
Spy Squad"
The talk drifted to other subjects,
and Just as the dinner was over a
telephone message summoned the
Markhams home on account of an &C
cident to one Of the children; so the
bridge game that invariably followed
dinner had to be abandoned.
Mr.. Barnes resumed reading his I'M
finished evening paper, Betty busted
herself with some loose engravings
and Mrs. Barnes picked up the new
book that had been discussed at din
ner
"Tf everyone else is reading this
suppose I'll have to read 1t, too" she
began, but the next instant stiffened,
for in the doorway appeared Barnaby
Wood, whom she mentally termed the
upstart young scrub" reporter re-
ferred to in her conversation with
Betty before dinner. He looked tall
straight and assured. though decided
ly pale. Immediately after the first
formal greetings were over. he startled
them all by saying that before Mrs
Barnes began the book he and Betty
would like to make a confession.
"She has given me the right to call
her that" he said, as he approached
Betty's side, land we want to ask you
and Mr.. Barnes now to consent to our
marriage"
Mr.. Barnes stepped forward. Barna.
by faced him. and told Of his love fol
Betty and of his parentage and family
connections.
"And your means Of support?" asked
John Barnes.
"Why, daddy" broke in Betty. "oul
book is already in the fourteenth thou
sand, and the publishers say it will &c
to fifty within the month" Then. ir
confusion, she covered her blushlne
face with both her hands. but dropped
them as her father spoke.
81 never knew before that you were
the son Of the fellow I knew at col
lege as Squire John Wood but III
confess 1 did suspect you two Of be
ing accomplices in that 'Maneuverinf
for First Place Mother, shall we lei
this squad of spies escape and cas-
their lots together for life?"
"Only on condition that they keel
their crime a secret. and shift thu
scene Of future stories away from my
social set" Mrs. Barnes named bel
conditions In oil aori0usnpSS