Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1920-04-08
A SOCIAL
ENIGMA
By oTILLIA F. PFEIFFER

that Mrs. Mary Bascom gave 10 her
histrionic friends. There were present
only the members of the Strollers
company, dramatic aggregation to
whom the buXom, happy souled Wild
ow had been mother nurse and bank
err From the gloomy Shakespearean
scholar, Macready Thearle, down to
the midget phenomenon, little Eva
Raymond, all we're present Dan
Merton the manager of the troupe, in
Guided.
They had comprised a happy fam
lily. sharing joys and sorrows alike.
The functions of Mrs. Bascom includ-
ed care for the wardrobes, and never
was there a niftier member and make
Shift artist who, over night, could
transform a royal robe into glow
ing garb for debutante She had
managed to keep her only child, VI
ola at fashionable school. No one
of the company had ever seen this
daughter until now
A wonderful thing had happened.
A distant relative Of Mrs. Bascom had
left her a large fortune. Among 9TH
er property was very handsome man
sion in a fashionable suburb Mrs.
Bascom decided to abandon the life
OF the road and give herself over to
the securing of social position for
Viola.
Intuitively the players recognized
that the days of good fellowship we're
past and gone as far as the Rascoms
were concerned. Dan Merton checked
the effusiyeness of Mrs. Bascom, when
that whole-sOuled lady invited all
these tried and true friends to visit
her regularly. In a neat after-dinner
speech he conhplimented her on her
coming into her own reward for kind
ly care to the friends who would miss
her as a mother, but who gloried In
seeing her shine in the circle she was
so fifty worthy Of She took each
aside In turn and pressed a little
roleaux into their palms.
"Some bonbons, dears," she ex-
planned but later they were revealed
as "A dozen or more twenty dollar gold
coins.
The only stranger in the group was
new recruit, a Mr. Evan BrooSes,
who had filed the place of a second
walking gentleman. He and Viola
were mutually attracted one to the
other. He was a reserved, courteous
young man, showing excellent breed
ing, and # was of him only the UNI
sophisticated Viola thought after
| wards.
Their new home was provided with
all that comfort or luxury could sug-
gest, but somehow the rumor had gone
out that they were obscure and of
the newly rich. 1t disturbed the
worthy play lady to be quite ignored
by the higher-ups, and when the sea-
son came on she decided to pass IL
| at fashionable summer resort.
The Strollers were taking their
usual summer rest at cheap resort,
| when old Dan broke in upon them
with a determined face.
People he said 81 have been
picking up some information concern
ing our dear old friend, Mrs. Bascom.
She is not altogether happy and I
want you all to unite with me in max
| ing her fully SO"
Count us in at once" directed the
| company tragedian loftily.
1--WE are all of one mind where dear
old mother Bascom is concerned" de-
clared Miss Lucill Sutherland. in
| geuue.
Draw near and hear the official
dictum !" sepulchrally intoned the
| Shakespearean scholar
Then some things began to happen
at Springville. One day magnificent
auto halted at the Bascom home, and
an equally magnificent lady alighted
and left card bearing a crest and a
| name that indicated foreign
countess at the least A few DAVIS
later the local newspapers announced
mat the son of an illustrious member
OF the Canadian parliament had come
to visit the Bascoms, had found them
absent and had doubtless later Joined
them at a fashionable summer resort
where the beautiful Miss Bascom was
the belle Of the season. The appear
ence of several others and the men
ton of the same in the paper began
to impress Springvlle with the con
Yiction that the BaScoms were some
body, after all
When Mrs. Bascom returned at the
end of the season She was agreeably
surprised 10 find herself the sought
after Of the town. Within few
months She was fully launched in the
social swim.
One day much TO the delight of
viola Evan Brookcs appeared He
t'fs Of leaving tho company ana then
revealed to Mrs. Bascom the clever
booming that had been done by the
various members Of the Strollers A
week later Viola came to her mother
blushing and timorous. confessinr an
engagement TO young Brookes. Mrs.
bascom looked serious.
After all the show those old friends
nave made Of our grand acouaint.
snces, she said, they win expecr =
hlgh and lofty fance, Viola but
haven't the heart to cross real love"