The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-01-16
SHIFTING THE SCENERY
TT
BY CATHERINE CRANMER.

home" Betty Barnes dropped among
the pillows on. the cretonne-cOvered
couch in her mothers bedroom, and
pulled off her long gloves with languid
Jerks.
Surely you don't mean that Mrs.
Mason's at home was anything but
a success?" 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 manageable daughters"
you're desperately disappointing,
Betty. Keep up such conduct anoth-
er season and you'll be worse than
stage fixture; you'll be forced clear
out of the wings
"Then perhaps I'll strike up an ac
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. I 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"
eve will not discuss this matter
now" Mrs Barnes exuded finality in
her tone and manner. "The MarkhamS
are dining with US this evening. I
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'?"
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.
: Il read it yesterday on the train
! coming from Chicago" he said. 'When
/ found that Betty had put it in my
: travelling bag along With my favoritc
1 copy of Hazlitt. l felt like spanking
= her. but I'll have to confess that the
| audacious title page carried me right
5 into the first chapter and that carried
: me on through the book"
4 "WeI. don't you think it the most
audacious Slap at society imaginable?'
r Mrs. Markhams indignation was deep
: and dignified
? Frankly" said Mr.. Barnes, with q
0 smile. 81 thought it was a pretty good
hit at rs for allowing ourselves to put
4 too much stress on nonessentials."
t "Who wrote ft?" demanded Mrs
Barnes, ready for hostilities.
$ Its anonymous, but supposed tC
t have been written by group of PEG
: pie who style themselves the Soeia
Spy squad"
= The talk drifted to other subjects
and Just as the dinner was over ;
:, telephone message summoned thu
Il MarkhamS home on account of an &C
cident TO one of the children; so tn,
bridge game that invariably followed
dinner had to be abandoned.
, Mr. Barnes resumed reading his un
r finished evening paper, Betty busiet
j" herself with some loose engraving
a and Mrs. Barnes picked up the new
il book that had been discussed at din
IS ner.
o "If everyone else is reading this
e suppose I'll have to read it, too" sh
began but the next instant stiffeneG
r for in the doorway appeared Barnab,
h Wood. whom she mentally termed TIL
v upstart young "scrub" reporter re
o ferred to in her conversation wit
It Betty before dinner. He looked tai
ic straight and assured. though decided
h ~ pale. Immediately after the frs
T. formal greetings were over. he startle
4 them al by saying that before Mrs
ID Barnes began the book he and Bett
5 would like to make a confession.
$ ''She has given me the right to ca
her that" he said, as he approache
Bettys side land we want to ask 20
and Mr.. Barnes now to consent to on
= marriage"
= "And your means of support" aske
, John Barnes.
= "Why, daddy" broke in Betty, "ou
:. book is already in the fourteenth thol
:. sand. and the publishers say it will 9
= to fifty within the month" Then.
= confusion. she covered her blushin
- face with both her hands, but droppe
= them rs her father spoke.
- Il never knew before that you wei
~ the son of the fellow I knew at &C
- lege as Squire John Wood but I
- confess I did suspect you two of b
~ ing accomplices in that 'Maneuverir
for First Place Mother, shall we /
this squad of spies escape and ca
their lots together for life?"
"Only on condition that they ket
e their crime a secret, and shift Il
7ir scene of future stories away from n
T Il I