The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1917-06-22

happened in June, just before the
wedding )and talked the matter over
with Violet Williamson on the way
home, afterward.
John said once" observed Violet,
shat If we had to live in that house,
he'd either go out and buy a plush
Morrfs-chair from feather-your-nest
Saltzman's, and a golden-oak side
board, or else run amuck."
Frederick grinned, but was sure 1t
wouldn't affect Rodney that way.
AS for Rose, she thought Rose would
like it-for while, anyway. But this
wasn't the point. "I'm so-foolish
about old Rodney, that can't be sure
haven't-well, caught being mad
about Rose from him. 1t all depends,
you see, on whether Rose is going to
| be hit this winter or not. If she
| doesn't-go (and it all depends on her;
Rodney won't be much help, why, hav-
ing house like that might be pretty
sad. So, if you're true friend, you'll
tell me what you think"
'What I really think" said Violet
"of course suppose I'd say this any
way, but I do honestly mean it's
that she'll be what John calls a
Knockout She's so perfectly simple.
She's never-don't you know-being
anything. She just is. And she
thinks we're all so wonderful that she'll
make everybody feel warm and nice
inside, and they'll be sure to like her."
"She's got a real eye for clothes,
too" said Frederick. "We've been
shopping. Well, then, I'm going to tell
Rodney to go ahead and take the
house."
Rose was consulted about 1t, of
course, though consulted is perhaps
not the right word to use. She was
taken to see it, anyway, and asked If
she liked it-a question in the nature
Of the superfiuous. One might as well
have asked Cinderella if she liked the |
gown the fairy godmother had pro-
vided her with for the princes ball.
1t didn't occur to her to ask how |
much the rent would be, nor would
the fact have had any value for her
as an illuminant, because she would
have had no idea whether six thou
sand dollars was a half or a hun
dredth of her future husbands income.
The new house was just part, as
so many of the other things that had
happened to her since that night when
Rodney had sent her flowers and taken
her to the theater and two restaurants
In Martins biggest limousine had been
parts, of breath-arresting fairy story.
The conclusion Frederick and Violet
had come to about her chance for
social success, was amply justified by
the event, and it is probable that
Violet had put her finger upon the
handspring Of it. So it fell out that
what with the Junior league, the wOm-
EMS auxiliary boards Of one or two Of
he more respectable charities, the
Thursday club and the Whiflers (this
vas the smallest and smartest organf-
;ation Of the LOTT, fifteen or twenty
'oung women supposed to combine and
econcile social and intellectual brill
fancy on even terms. What with all
his, her days were quite as full as
|
ley dined and went to the opera and
aid fabulous prices to queer profess
ionals, to keep themselves abreast
f the minute in all the new dances.
Portia had been quite right in say
lg that she never had to do anything;
he rallying of all her forces under
he spur of necessity was an expert
nee she had never undergone. And G
was also true that her mother, and
,r that matter, Portia herself, had ~
ooiled Der a lot-had run about do
lg little things for her, come in
nd shut down her windows in the CT
orning,. and opened the register, and, m
i any sort of excuse, on a Saturday st
orning, for example; had brought her CO
sr breakfast on a tray. 81
But these things had been favors,
1T services-never to be asked for, vi
course, and always to be accepted m
little alphabetically. She had never hs
fore known what it was really to be ca
rived. Sc
IT haven't" Rose told Rodney one su
orning, "a single, blessed mortal ca
ing to do all day." Some fixture FIR
heduled for that morning had been an
,ved, she went on to explain, and be
eanor Randolph was feeling seedy tn
d had called OF a little luncheon tn
d matinee party. In