The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-06-26
The Euening Story
Shifting the Scenery.
(Bv Catherine Cranmer.O

the pillows on the cTeIOnIle-CONcTeu
couch in her mothers bedroom, and
pulled off her long gloves with Ian
guild jerks.
Surely you don't mean that Mrs
Masons at home was anything but a
success 90 Her mothers response was
both a 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 detail
in the stage setting for some woman
ambitious to put over on her gullible
guests either her money or her brains
or her marriageable daughters.
You surprise me, Betty. Ambi-
tious Mrs. Barnes frowned at Betty's
social heresy and placed the last in
visible hairpin in her waved masses
of iron gray hair. wen have to set
our own stage soon, for we have such
an accumulation of Obligations that
we shall be compelled to give an at
home before we leave for the sum-
mer."
Then let's have it over as soon as
possible was Bettys quick response
After ALL the florist and the caterer
are the ones who really put 1t over,
while we stand in the foyer, as 1t
were, and take up the tickets and turn
the audience loose to find seats ana
eats wherever it can
You're desperately disappointing,
Betty Another frown accompanied
this remonstrance from Mrs. Barnes.
when you could have been the sea-
sons social sensation, you've cooily
rebuffed the social leaders and have
actually appeared bored with the at
tentions of the most eligible men in
town. Keep up such conduct another
season and you'll be worse than
stage fixture; you'll be forced clear
out of the wings
Then perhaps I'll knock up an
acquaintance with the stage hands or
the newspaper reporters or somebody
else who can be spontaneous and in
teresting." This rejoinder touched the
spark that sent her mothers anger
into a flame.
please don't remind me of your
scandalous conduct at the Lafayette
club dinner dance. 1 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 impairment young scrub re-
porter
Cub reporter mother" corrected
Betty, land that very story promoted
him from the cub class
And while three other debutantes
walk off with the biggest catches of
the season, you, suppose, waste your
time dreaming about impossible young
upstairs whose audacity is their only
passport into society"
while 1 don't consider my time
wasted this winter, I'd consider my
I
man whose only passport into society
or elsewhere is his bank account or
lot of priggish ancestors"
I'VE will not discuss this matter
now Mrs. Barnes eXuded finality
in her tone and manner. THE Mark
hams are dining with US this evening.
1 shall expect you to be decently cor
dial Having given the last impa-
tient pat to her jetted velvet bodice.
the matron swept from the room and
| down stairs -t.....
Betty sat for few minutes just as
her mother left her. Smiles. half
dreamy. half mischievous. played
about her pretty mouth and in her
brown eyes. Presently she got up and
did a sprightly, but silent. skirt dance
! into her own room. But no evidence
| of this suppressed hilarity could be
seen half an hour later when she
emerged in a pale pink dinner gown
and went down to greet the arriving
Markhams.
BY the time the second course was
served, Mrs Markham produced her
conversational trump-the latest
| book.
Have you read that piece of eff
frontery. 'Maneuvering fer First
Place'?'' Her question included
everybody at the table.
Mrs. Barnes plea5ed such a busy
week with club committees that she
| had not even heard CT the book, Betty
| offered a meek affirmative and Mr.
| Barnes surprised them all with his
reply.
Il read it yesterday on the train
! coming from Chicago he said when
1 found that Betty had put it in my
travelling bag along with my favorite
cory of Hazlitt, I felt like spanking
her, but I'll have to confess that the
audacious title page carried me right
into the first chaptei. and that carried
me on through the hook"
We'll. don't you think it the most
audacious slap at society ina ginable?"
Mrs. Markham's Indignation was deep
and digcified.
! Frankly said Mr.. Barnes, with a
smile, Il thought it was a pretty good
hit at us for allowing ourselves to put
too much stress on non-essentials'
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"
Doubtless some disgruntled climb
ers who failed to arrive shifted Mrs.
Barnes, and Mrs. Markham instantly
agreed with her.
Not a bit of it, said Mr. Markham.
It's not malicious but it hits a lot
of US right between the eyes. I'm glad
I've got enough sense of humor to take
| it like a man so far as it hits me-
The talk drifted to other subjects
and just as the dinner was over a teIe-
phone message summoned the Mark
hams home on account of an accident
to one of the children; SO the bridge
game that invaria bly, 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 dinner.
IF every one else is reading this
suppose I'll have to read it, too" she
began, but the next instant stiffened,
for in the doorway appeared Rarna by
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 decidedly
pale. Immediately after the first for