The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1919-11-26
Best Laid
Plans
Upright. 1919. by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.)
By CONSTANCE scUDDER

\SVpJGIBut, lSlS, ny Iu0 mcclure MOVIE.
paper Syndicate.)
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 plat
mum monogram.
If 1t had been good form at the
time to incrust baby spoons with dia-
monds. Mrs. Wilson would have seen
to 1t that 1t had them. too. In suffi-
Gent 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 in our national and
private life that Is out Of whack just
now. 1t can be traced directly to the
late war.
Diana had been an obedient child
always. She had done just the proper
thing at the proper time and in the
manner in which she was hidden to
do it.
In her second year tout" 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
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 at 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 the social ladder
for her. She meant to use the ad-
vantage she had gained to boost her
offspring yet one rung 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 interested
In canteen work, so Diana's interest
in the work kept her from realizing
that the engagement was being
forced upon her.
Senator Brendon was a midd'e-aged
bachelor, a large, stupid man who
got by on his family name and a
pompous manner. He had money
but not enough, and was a gallant nd
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 nc
such talents.
To Diana the honor and glory OF
being a senator's wife made strong
appeal. But 1t was all an indefinite
thing-sOmething that couldn't come
to pass until the horrible war was
over. Meanwhile there were innumer
able "ham ands" to be prepared fol
Unsuitable young American appetites
DIANA busting. 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 Diana quite
overwhelmed with flattery and gal
lantry.
1t did occur to the prospective
bride to wonder a little that the WON
en- with whom she was working daily
were not more prOfuse In their con
gratulatiOns upon the announcement
of the engagement; but Diana pos
sessed no exaggerated idea of her owl
importance-and of course everybod.
was stepped through and through witt
the one idea.
Mrs. Barding-Scott. who belonged II
the first numeral column Of New
1OIh . AOul huuNACNs was WI MIL
alongside Diana in the canteen on
, day. She watched the girl for a Will
and then spoke. in her usual abrup
way. "Child. are you at all intereste'
in suffrage?"
"Why. I never thought much abou
H." answered Diana abstractedly.
"Would you like to come with m
to a meeting this afternoon?"
An Invitation from Mrs. Bardina
Scott was similar to that Of queer
One did not decline. When Diana ar
nounced to her maternal parent q
luncheon that Mrs. Barding-Scot
would call for her that afternoon
they were to attend a meeting In CON
pany-Mrs. Wilson was % overjoye
that she quite forgot to ask what tn
meeting was about.
But at that meeting the goose O
Mrs. Wilson's plans was cooked
beautiful brown. For two hours Dian
sat with burning cheeks and listene
to as thorough scarifying Of Senate
Brendon as the vocabularies of tn