The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1918-09-14
Settling
Beatrice
@SD
By S. 3. HAcKLEY

per Syndicate.)
Responsibility for Beatrice's set
Element is rendering me absolutely dis
traught, Doris. Living in little place
like this with so few social equals is
enough to drive one wild"
Mrs. Eileen Campbell, wife of the
lime manufacturer at BardStown, roll
ed her china-blue eyes deprecatively.
'If it weren't that Frank is making
money hand over fist as he calls it,
here, simply could not endure it."
Mrs. Carter, wife of the rOad-build-
Ing contractor nodded appreciatively.
"That's what 1 tell Gene. How long
are you going to stay in New York
with the Macons. Eileen?"
"Oh, two weeks, probably. Now that
Bee leaves tomorrow with Alethea Nc
Cue for the house-party, / feel safe
about her. Alethea has been begging
me to let her stay on with them
through the summer. Sammy" she
lowered her voice, Sammy is going to
be therew
"How very opportunew commented
Mrs. Carter.
Beatrice, an involuntary listener,
with her piquant face, her characterize
mouth and blue eyes, both dOlorous
and indignant, hastily left the library.
Her father, serious-looking man with
red hair, met her in the hall. "Oh,
daddy, LET me stay home with you
while mother is away" she whispered.
II want to SOL"
'YOur mother would have a fit If you
missed that McCue blowout, sweet
heart. We can't go against her in this,
1 guess. It's late-you'd better run
away to your bed. But wait, Kitten,
here's check I promised Pryor. Adj
dress it to him, and drop it in the box,
will you?"
After an interminable time, it seemed
to Beatrice, she heard her parents go
to their sleeping rooms, but sleep
would not come to her. She arose
finally and drew on her dressing gown.
81 wish I could tell daddy!" she
thought as she went to her writing
desk. "Tll write to Louie-he can't
help me, but I've got to tell somebody
now!"
"Bardstown N. c., August 2, 1915.
CDR. Louis M. Acheson, Pendleton,
Oregon" she wrote at the top of her
page.
"Dear, Dear Louie-I promised you
I'd tell you the minute found the
prince, but couldn't, though it's been
four months. I was too happy, for
little while, and since-oh, LOuie-Pve
got to tell somebody my troubles, Or
I'll burst,
81 guess I've told you in this tiny old
place, there's AGO. only here It's
So mostly the Macon family scions.
The Macon father was an old scoun-
drel U'm quoting daddy, but he
owned the big resort hotel here and
nearly everything else. Mrs. Atlee
Jeffers and Mrs. Felix Landrith, two
of the daughters, live here. Mrs. Land
nth married an old, old man, some
thing like Maharajah for wealth Che
must have been a beast, judging by
her unhappy face), and she's got reg
ular castle overlooking the town.
"Well, mother considers them, and
her very special Mrs. Doris Carter, and
a few others, her social equals. /
wouldn't say 1t to anybody but you,
Louie, but you know it already; moth
er and her friends just live for dane
ing and entertaining, and clothes
nothing else! Daddy told her yester-
day their chief occupation as he sees
1t is the 'ornamentation of the chariots
that carry them through this little arc
In the circle of being!
"But because the Macon scions are
sort Of patrons of Arland, the little
-. church here, and attend services
once in blue moon, mother does, too,
and I've been attending the Arland
Sunday school, and other services
right along, without protest from
her. Early this spring, Mr.. Lowrie,
the old pastor, died and the board
that pays the minister's small salary,
sent Glenn Pryor. He isn't exclusive,
and just 'churchy,' like Mr.. Lowrie.
He wants to help everybody and every
thing, and he makes friends with all
the poor and neglected. He's started
a branch of the Good Citizens league,
and now you can't find a rusty tin
can or homeless cat in the town. He
doesn't trouble himself so much about
the So except that he calls on them
and Is pleasant to them.
"And he's started a Young Folks
circle for Wednesday evenings that
does things like singing to sick folks,
and the Jail folks, and the county In
drmary folks. I knew he was the
'prince" the first time heard him
speak. OF course, he didn't know
right off was the princess" but he
came to know. Uouie, I'm like daddy
Il love people, just because they're
people), and he liked my way, I know,
for he-he'd got so his eyes were glst.
when they turned to me! And I was
happy.
"Then the first of July the season
opened at the hotel, and they begun
those Wednesday and Saturday night
dances. The first Wednesday night we
were to go after the circle met to
sing for old Mrs. Hilbert (she'd been
on her death-0ed for a month";, and I'd
rpouofcnd har I'd cipU on old oil hol.