The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1919-06-19
The Old Order
Changeth
00
BY JANE OSBORN


I NfUns tiAAtf stuut tbiDiiHt buu tttb bNf
niece Babette. but don't forget thai
yor are IA lady--or are entitled 10 call
youreIf one so long as you don't do
any things that are unworthy OF real
lady"
Aunt Caroline had never done any
Of those things: In fact. she had work
ed at rather trying odds for the
last ten years In the uptown fiat where
she kept house for her own four
sons and daughters and her niece
Babette.
| And they had all remained ladies'
she and her daughter and the niece,
aud the three boys had. so far as the
mother knew. remained perfect gen
tlemen"--in spite OF the three flights
up and the dIngy, bare, painted walls
of the kitchen where Caroline's work
never seemed TO be done, and In spite
Of the debts there had been to pay
after the husbands long illness.
On the parlor table there was a copy
OF a well-kn0wn book on so-called So
cial usage. aud although the chapter
on caudle parties and the advice the
writer OF the book gave on "hOw to
act when meeting the English royal
family" and how to write to the
archbishop of Canterbury had been Of
little real use to Caroline. she found
much OF 1t immensely helpful to her
in her task.
The fact was that Caroline had, as
she said, seen very much better days
in the years when she and her cousin,
Babette's mother-for Babette was
not real niece-had, for one brief
season mingled In a society that never
found its way to Caroline's poor lit
tie widows fiat.
Then came the marriages OF Caro-
line and Babette's mother and the
death of both Babette's parents. the
death of Carolne's husband the bring
Ing up Of the five children in the ways
Of gentlefolk, and then. year ago. Ba-
bette's engagement to Caroline's eldest
son--wb0. to be sure, was only sort
Of third cousin.
The courtship was conducted along
lines that would have been approved
by even the author of that book on
social deeorum on Caroline's parlor
table. The young people, reminded
that II was not well-bred to 60 to the
theater unchaperoned, never went to
the movies on "A Saturday night with
on Caroline in tow, though poor caro-.
line sometimes endured all kinds of
tor,lent fearing that she was a him
drance to their good time. And Caro-
Inc remembered that when Babette's
mother and she had been engaged they
had not permitted their lovers more
than the meagerest kisses, and those
on he cheek.
engagements are sometimes broken
they had been told, and real lady"
would never cease regretting the fact
If she had ever allowed any more pas
slonate salute from man who did not
become her husband. SO Caroline
had told Babette and her son and
though they had been engaged a year.
there was but one salute day, and
that very decorously upon the cheek.
When the first Christmas OF their
came about Caroline had
her children that "well.bred |
engaged people did not give personal |
presents" The young man. besides
he engagement ring, should give moth.
ng but flowers, books and candy" Her
,wn husband had given her n copy Of |
Tennyson's poems on the Christmas |
hey were engaged, and the Tennyson |
low reposed beneath the book on good |
'orm on the parlor table.
He had given her roses on all holi- |
lays and candies every week end. |
There was no reason, Caroline said,
shy her son should not do so much
or Babette. He could afford Il. for
le was now getting generous salary.
Babette didn't often protest, but she
vas practical bit Of girl, and when
he might have been making a collec.
ion Of useful household things given
Ter b, her husband-to-be-as other
iris she knew did--she took small
pleasure in the little bunch OF roses
hat faded on her bureau after every
Ioliday nor in the. candles that she
llared with her cousins every week.
nd.
From her own slender earnings she
night have bought things that would
reriually have helped feather the
est, too. but Caroline assured her
hat would not have been ia good
orm The great authority especially
autioned young women against Civ
az anything Of personal nature 70
heir fiCnces.
Eo6ks. desk accessories, accessories
sport--a riding crop. or something
that sort-were the things suggest
d. And as Caroline's eldest son.
tephen. had no desk save the ONCE
ne be toiled at eight hours q day.
nd knew no sports save struggling
18th the crowds on his daily trip to
nc from that once. Babette's choice
ms limited to books.
He liked the Stevenson and the Kip