The Tomahawk., 1919-11-27
Best Laid
Plans
BycoNsrANcE scyDDERe.; :,
Copyright, 1919 by tho Mcclure News
paper ~synd!cate.)

Copyright 1919. BY the Mcclure News
paper synd!cate>
Diana Wilson wasn't born with a
silver spoon in her mouth. Nothing
so ordinary ever happened to Diana.
Every one has silver spoons nowadays
Diana's had been gold, with a plat
1num monogram:
If it had been. good, form at the
time to incrust baby spoons with dia-.
inonds. Mrs. Wilson would have seen
to It that: 1t had them, too, in sufti-
cient number and of the first water =
Mrs. ]. Henshaw Wilson had. more
money than brains; but to do the lady
justice we must suggest the thought
that even Solomon would have been
hard put to. it. had. his wisdom been
forced to stand the same comparison.
At any rate she possessed gray mat
ter in sufficient quantity to enable her:
to have her own way about things. as
rule This story has to do with one
great exception. And, of course, like
everything else ID our national and
private-life that is out Of whack just
now, it can be traced directly to the
late war. ,
Diana had been an. obedient child
always She had done just the proper
thing ut the proper time and fn the
manner In which she was hidden to
do it.
In her second year "out" the society
world threw into, the discard the mad
pursuit of pleasure and turned fever
ishly to the rolling of bandages. the
frying of "ham and," and personal su-
pervision of the morals OF. our army
and navy. Diana chose the canteen
as her medium Of serving.
Mrs. Wilson did not force Diana to
give up the canteen idea for two rea'
sons. First, some of "our very best
people, were going into 1t. Second.
she was very busy just Mt that time
planning for the prelude to the great
event in her daughters life. Mrs. Will
son had married for money. 1t had
been {, high step up tile socinl ladder
for her. She meant to use the adj
vantage she had. gained to boost her
offspring yet one rung higher.
Senator Brendon was the star to
which Mrs. Wilson had hitcled her
wagon,. and Diana's beauty and
wealth constituted the motive power
which we're to land her in the posi-
ton coveted for her by her another.
., Just rs Mrs. Wilson's absorption ~
her plans blinded her to the risks In
allowing Diana to become interested
in canteen work, so Diana's interest
in the work kept her from, realizints
that the engagement was being
forced upon her.
Senator Brendon was a midd'e-aged
bachelor, a large, stupid man, WHO
cot by on his family name and
pompous manner. He had money
but not enough. and was a gallant I'D
mirer of the weaker SEX" For him.
competent women, women who dis-
played executive ability outside their
own homes, did not exist. Mrs. VIII
son assured him that Diana had no
such talents.
To Diana the honor and glory of
being a seniors wife made strong
appeal. But it was all an indefinite
that couldn't come
to pass until the horrible war was
over. Meanwhile there were innuiner1
able "ham ands' to be prepared for
insatiable young. American appetites.
Diana, bustling around in immaculate
apron and cap, was" thoroughly happy.
The senator rarely appeared In per-
son: he was too busy in Washington,
His infrequent visits left Dfana quite
overwhelmed with fiattery and gal
inntry.
It did occur to the prospective
bride to wonder little that the wom-
en- with whom she was working daily
were not more profuse in their com
cratulations upon, the announcement
of the engagement; but Diana pos
sessed no exaggerated idea of her own
importance--and Of course everybody
was stepped through and through with
the one idea. .
Mrs. Barding-Scott who belonged In
the first numeral column OF New
York's four hundred. was working
alongside Diana in the cantecn one
day. She watched the girl for n while
and then spoke, in her usual abrupt
way, ."Child. are, you at all Interested
in sufirage?" ...... ..-.. =.
"Why, I never thought much about
IT," answered Diana abstractctliy.
"Would you like to come with me
to meeting this. afternoon?" ~- % -.
An Invitation from Mrs. Rarding-
Scott was similar to that Of a queen.
One did not Decline When Diana an
nounced to her maternal parent at
luncheon that Mrs. Bartling-ScOtt
would call for her that afternoon
they were to attend meeting in COM
pany-Mrs. Wilson was so Overjoycd.
that she quite forgot to ask what the
meeti q was about.
puS of that meeting the goOSe OF