The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-11-08
THE INNER CIRCLE
By PERCEVAL SUGHRUE


 of every social circle are those who have neither place, nor reputation in that circle-those who are pariSlls- social out-casts as far as that circke is concerned. Kitty. Robeson's circle had it's own black sheep. who were adroitly lodged by those who knew them.
 The Chandlers and the Joslins, not Knowing the social ground them selves, were not prepared to recog- nize those undesirables, who lost no time in attaching themselves to the establishments of the respective fam flies, for the sake of the wealth with which both families were plentifullv endowed.
 Muriel Chandler f1attered herself with the obseQueious attentions tall hatchet-faced son of a fared arlsto- cracy, who boasted the name of Hon. Joseph Dyke, and who wan I-:7lI1iarIy known among the men of the set as The Knight" Joseph's liabilities all ways overbalanced his assets, al- though he took good care to receive the wherewithal to line his nest from his profession which, if strictly anal yzed, proved to be that of threading the labyrinths of the social n1azes for the newly-rich who could not find
 
 have been the architect of DuPoint Circle he knew so well.
 His ally was his sister Jeanette I who had successfully launched many 1 a fair though uneducated girl upon l the festive sea in the capitol city. | The pair were of course well-known l for what they were, social parasites, 1 by all who had weathered more than one season in this particular set. The other newty-rich family, the | Joslins, who had taken under the wing a man who added two years | to 'HThe Knights forty, and. who
 had somewhat better taste and back | ground. Since, however, he wore his heart on his sleeve, and could not re- l sist the charm of the proverbial l "chicken'' he was with a good-na- l tured contempt dubbed Daddy" h. l deed his well-groomed appearance 1 was a matter of constant envy and | imitation among the younger and l lighter members of the set. 1 In the course of events, Daddy" 1 paid his respects to Kitty at an after
 noon tea. and Kitty incidentally men, , toned his new friends.
 i q can't help liking them awful
 ly wNe11,' he admitted, 'they've got q
 bunch of money, you know-and
 that's the main thing nowadays I've
 often wondered if I wouldn't have a
 barrel of money myself if I'd gone
 on the Street-been tipped off you know for a start Anyway, one thing I know, money has an irresistible
 attraction for me-"
 He raised his eyebrows and humor-
 ous chuckle at once explained and apolosized for his crass remark 1 "Well,'' Kitty interposed, "the Jos 1Tr@e
 aren't they?"
 They certainly are-won't you
 drop in some Tuesday afternoon and
 See for yourself? The music is choice you see l realize that that alone
 may induce you to venture. Need
 less to say, Mrs Joslin would be
 charmed to have you come"
 More for the sake of watching the
 growing antagonism of these two selt
 seeking women than for anything
 else, Kitty Robeson decided to at- i tend one of Mrs. Joslin's affairs Under the lash of Daddy's enthu.
 siasm many guests had gathered fo1
 the gorgeous repast that greeted Kit. ty on her first attendance at one ot Mrs. Joslins affairs. There was nc hint in the extravagant menu thar 1 over the length and breadth of the land housewives were cheerfully ad.
 herring to the regime of Mir. Hoover l Indeed quite the opposite impression prevailed. and Kitty Robeson felt no a little uncomfortable on perceiyins : through a half-drawn blind a half. crazed pinched face scowling with z threatening manner at the Haunted i luxury within the well-lighted man. sion.
 ) Mrs. Joslin's expressed opinion tai . lied onTFa play. She said. There's no use in ad ding to the general depression by per sonai gloominess, is there? My theory
 on the subject of deprivation caus ed by war is that we should all d, our best to disguise the situation ana go our own merry ways without an, more thought on the disagreeabI. side of the matter than Is possible I'm sure that you agree with me, anc
 hope that you will encourage m. with your presence on any Wednes day that you can arrange to do so. : Kitty -Robeson's gaze seemed a bi l distant as she absentmindedly replied ! that she would think about it. AS , 9 matter of fact she was meanwhil = wondering how the authorities woulc have acted had they seen this viola f ton of rationins.
 So the rivalry between the two up ! starts continued to the amusement o
 social Washington. who commente, on the pitifu1 docility of the two hus s bands. Indeed the chief end the, 8 served was to foot the bills of thei l l respective wives.
 :. The social ambition of at least on of the women was patiently success e ful-at least so thought Kitty as sh . gracefully swept through the irnpro f vised street of most elaborat s charity bazaar a few weeks later fo . here, opposite the~ booth of one 0 . Washington's acknowledged socia
 queens, was the Pavilion of Forum J. presided over by Mrs. Howard Chand |. Ter. Strangely enough at the very mo g ment when Kitty Robeson first rec t ognized the Seeress within the can
 vas shelter, another woman was alst y viewing it with surprise. She wa t none other than Selma Joslin, who's - expression of envy was easily discern = able to all who cared to glance a
 her.
 y Kitty's husband fairly chuckle' l. with appreciation at the humor 0 g the situation and instinctively rub s bing his palms together gleefully ven