The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-12-21
TIE DAILY
HORT STORY
The 90 Order Changeth.
q JANE osaoRN:. =

ekX5 IOU may be only a poor ty-
ptsfS" SNUG it'll Aunt Caro-
line had told her niece Ba-
Won are Ia1y-or are entitled to call
yourself0 one 90 long as you don't do
any things that are unworthy Of a
real lady,"
Amt Caroline had never done any OF
those things: IN fact, she had worked
at rather irving odds for the last ten
years IN the uptown nat where she
kent house for her own four sons and
)ldaughtsrs and her niece Babette-
Ana they had al remained ladies'
he ana her daughter and the niece.
ID the three boys had. so far as the
bod motke:. knew, remained perfect
sentlemcn-in spite Of the three
lights up and the dingy. bare, painted
;aIis Of the kitchen where Caroltne'3
tork never seemed to be done. and in
bite Of the debts there had been to
Jay after the husbands long Illness.
1 On the pazlor table there was copy
weTIkDown book on so-caled so
raj usage, and although the chapter
d caUdle parties and the advice the
ritter oe tho book gave on chow to
let when meeting the English royal
amily," and how to write to the Arch
bishop o6 Canterbury had been OF little
cal use to Caroline, she found much
1f it immensely helpful to her in her
ask.
The fact was that Caroline had. as
she said, seen very much better days
N the wears when she and her cousin.
8abette's notheT-for Babette was not
real nfece-had. for one brief season.
sied In q society that never found
-. vs.
Then came the marriage Of Caroline
nd Babette's mother and the death Of
9th Babette's parents, the death Of
saroline's husband, the bringing up of
he FIVE children in the ways of gen
le-folk, snd then, a year ago. Babet-
e,s engagement to Caroline's eldest
on-who, to be sure, was only a sort
pf third cousin.
The courtship was conducted alonS
ines that would have been approved
9tf even by the author OF that book on
social decorum on Caroline's parlor Ia
PIE. The young people. reminded thar
was not well bred to so to the the
TER unchaPeroned, never went to the
movies on a Saturday night without
Caroline IN tow, though poor Caroline
sometimes endured all kinds OF tor
nent Tearing that she was a hinder
nee 70 their good time. And Caroline
m9mbered that when Babette's moth
and she had been engaged they had
permttted their lovers more than
neagerest kisses, and those on the
lgagements are sometimes broken.
had been told, and a real LADY,
would never cease regretting the fact
she had ever allowed any more pas
slonate salute from a man who did
4ot become her husband. o Caroline
had told Babette and her son and,
hough they had been engaged year.
Nhere was but one salute a day and
Inat very dCccrously upon the cheek.
When the first Christmas of their
engagement came about Caroline had
reminded he- children that "weIl-bre6
engaged people did not give personal
presents The young man, besides
ne engagement ring, should give
1othtng but flowers, books md can
1ys. Her own. husband had given her
copy OF Tennyson's poems ON the
fstmaS they were engaged. and the
fnyson now reposed beneath the
book on good form on the parIor
BE had given her roses on all holt
lays and candies every weekend.
There was no reason, Caroline said.
Why her son should not do as much
1or Babette.. He could afford it. for
ne was now getting a generous salary.
BabetSe didn't often protest. but she
vas practical BIT OF girl, and when
she might ksve been making a coIIec.
ton OF useful household things given
her by her husbnd-to-be-as other
girls che knew did-she took small
pleasure in the little bunch OF roses
:hes fad91 on her bureau after every
holiday nor In the candies that she
shared with her cousins every week.
rom her own slender earnings sheI
night hav9 bought things that would
TentGAliy have helped feather the nestl
90, but Caroline assured her that
&oald not have been in good form
Inc Ereat authority especially eau
toned youns women against giving
anything OF personal or intimate ma.
lure to their 4iances
Books, desk accessories. accessories
% Sport-a riding crop, or somethinsl
. TIA tsort were the things suggested.
And as CSroline's eldest son. stephen,
1ad no desk save the Office one het
oiled at eight hours day. and lcnewl
40 sports save struSsliiy with the i
crowds on his daily trip to ana from
nat oRice, Babetts choice was limit.
4dto books.
BE liked the Stevenson and the Kip. /
ing she had given him, but how much |
ooner they could have been married |
instead CT those books she could
9esSel glvon Eim something that would |
ofor the little 1at-chairs and tables, !
q 8 rug, perhaps!
ut vas three weeks before Christmas
nd. Babette and Stephen had each Sc.
sretl decided to linger after office
1e1fs 20 make the Christmas :pur-
sllases. Uaknown to each other they
sre both part Of the great thronS
t sWarmed one OF the department
res not far from their places Of
erk AT the door OF the store Babet
g had received a little hoIly-decked
ID, and on It we're words somethinsl
Ne this:
The patriotic gffe this year Is the