Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1919-12-19
Best Laid
Plans
copyright. 1919. hr the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate
b. CONSTANCE SCUDDER

piaha hSon wasn't born with q
| SILVER spoon IN her uluuth. Nolhinr
:" ordinary ever happened TO Diana
Every one has silver spoons uowa..ays
J Di:tnnS had been gold. with n plat.
| mum monogram
IL II had been good form at the
time to incrust baby spoons with nia,
m"ndS. Mrs. Wilson would have Seer,
t" 1t that il had them. too. in suiii.
Gent number and OF the FIRST water.
Mrs. !. IienShaw Wilson had more
money than brains: bur ~ do the lady
! justice We must suggest the thought
| that even Solomon would have been
hard put To II. had his wisdom been
| forced to stand the same comparison.
NJ any rate Sli" possessed gray MAJ
ter in sufficient quantity TO enable her
TO have her own way about things rs
! rule. This story has to do with one
/ great exception. Ard, of course. like
everything else in our national and
private life that is out of whack Jus;
now. 1t eau he traced directly to the
! late war
Diana had been an obedient child
| always. Sh" had done Just the proper
thing ut the proper time and I'm the
manner In which she was hidden to
do IL.
| 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 SUI
pervision of the morals of our army
and navy. Diana chose the canteen
rs 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 ut that time
planning for the prelude to the great
event In her daughters life Mrs. VII
son had married for money. 1t had
been high step up the social ladder
for her. She meant to use the adj
, vantage she had gained to boost her
offspring yet one runS higher.
Senator Brendon was the star TO
which Mrs. Wilson had hitched her
wagon. and Diana's beauty and
wealth constituted the motive power
which were to land her in the posi-
ton coveted for her by her mother.
Just as Mrs. Wilson's absorption in
her plans blinded her to the risks in
| allowing Diana to become interest 81
In cau:cen work. so Diana'S interest
| in The work kept her from rcaliZiu.:
that the engagement! was bein:.
forced upon her
Senator Brendon was 'mIdd.e-a-ed
| bachelor. a large. stupid man WhO
| got by on his family name and Il
! pomlOus ,nanncr. He had money
! but not enough, aud was galIaE: adj
| nirer Of the weaker sex" For him.
| competent women. women who dis
| played executive ability outside their
own homes. did moi exist. Mrs. VII
son assured hiin that Diana had no
| such talents.
10 Diana the homer and glory OF
being senator's wife made a strong
i appeal. But II WIS ali All indefinite
thins--some,hiDg' that 'conldn't cone
| To pass until the horrible war VAS
| over. Meanwhile there were innnmfr-
able ham 8nds'' to he prepared for
! Unsuitable young American appeiites.
Diana. hustling around in immaculate
apron and cap. was thoroughly happy.
| The senator rarely appeared in per
! son he was too busy in Washington.
His infrequcnt visits left DIANA quite
| overwhelmed with fiattery and gal
| lantry.
1t did occur 10 IN" prospective
bride to wonder n little that the WON
ell with whom she was working daily
were not more profuSe in their con-
gratulations upon the announcement
| Of the engagement: but Diana pos
Seseed no exaggerated idea Of her own
| iInportance--an1 of course everybody
was STEPPED through and through with
! the one idea.
Mrs. Barding-ScOtt, who belonged in
| the first nuneral column Of New
! York's four hundred. was working
alongside Diana in the canteen one
: and then spoke, in her usual abrupt
way, Child. arc you nj All Interested
IN SUFFRAGE"
"Why. ! never thought much about
it." answered DIANA abstractcdly.
! Nvould you like TO come with INC
to meeting this aftcrnoon?'
An invitation from Mrs. harding.
| Scott was similar 80 thar OF q queen
One did not decline. when Diana an
nounccd to her maternal parent al
luncheon That. Mrs. Bnrding- Scott
would call for her that afternoon.
they were 10 attend a meeting in com
pany--Mrs. Wilson was so OverjoycC
that she quite forgot 10 ask what the
meeting was about.
But NJ that meeting the goose Of
Mrs. Wilson's plans was cooked &
! hnnniifnl brown For two hours Dinni