Evening star., 1920-02-08


Almost before Sadie knew 1t little
Mrs. Annis had started to edge into
the social doings Of the neighborhood
Not that she tried to make any
splurge on her own hook, or pulled
any Of the usual climber stunts. but
she was such a cheerful. perky little
party. and nodded so pleasant to
everybody somehow she begun to be
asked around. For one thing, the
ladies found that she was more or
less Of a bridge whist shark. Where
she could have picked up that butter
ny trick In her busy young life was
something Of q mystery until she ad-
mitted to Sadie that she'd been TAX
ing a course Of lessons from profes-
sional in town. payin' for 'em with
expert corset advice that had turned
an almost hopeless figure into a styl-
ish stout. Also she'd read books on
the subject and had spent hours and
hours layin' out dummy hands and
playin' 'em.
See how she worked it? First she finds
what 1t Is most Of the women are inter-
ested in, and then she goes after that
one thing. Even that doesn't satisfy
her. though. She discovers that lot Of
evenin' bridge parties are being held
and that there's quite scarcity OF male
partners. So Victor is put through
course Of sprouts. BY that time. too.
Victor is willin' to tackle almost any
thing she sizes him onto. What II the
extent Of his previous card playin' had
been California Jack or an occasional
stab at Shoemaker's LOO? He had to
learn what 1t meant when his partner
doubled ono no-trump. how to read a
high-low discard and the need Of bid
ding to the score. expect 1t took him
more'n a week or SO to sop up all the
fine points. but he got there.
What was the really big part Of this
act Of Mrs. Annis' was displayin' Victor
party clothes. expect she did her best.
and that's sayin' good deal. but the
effect was more or less surprisin'. May
be you've seen men who just didn't seem
to be built for wearin' . soup and fish
outfit. Victor was like that. ! remem
ber a circus act once where a clown led
in a giraffe whose front end had been
draped in q Tuxedo and hard-boiled
shirt Somehow couldn't think Of any
thing else whenever saw Victor Annis
costumed for crashin' into society. The
coat sasged away from his long neck
like horse collar. his bony wrists stuck
out from the sleeves and the trousers
legs hung in limp folds away from the
yawnin cavern where his vest bulged
out from his shirt bosom. Sort Of gave
you tn idea that he was fallin' apart or
something. And tho resigned look Of
patient distress on victor's rugged face
made you almost sure that the worst
was about to happen.
Still, she kept him at it. He was
dragged out on an average Of two nights
week to mingie with the flower and
chivairy Of Rockhursts smartest set.
The other men sympathised with him,
and suppose the ladies' finally got used
to him. never heard him complain but
once, and then he confded to me that
sittin' for three hours cramped up at a
card table was awful hard on tho legs.
But I Judge that he wasn't what you
might call q social success.
So when Mrs. Annis lets out this moan
about gettin' Victor where he Is my feel
in's on the subject are kind Of mixed.
"Only imasine!" she goes on. "vie-
tor working in 4 meat MARKET
Settled on that, have you?" I asks
him.
He mods. ''Pm sorry. on Moliie's ac-
count" says he. but I've got to do
something. They keep the bank too hot,
and the air gets bad. The doctor must
know. He said it was only q spot, up
in one corner. but II would grow worse
it | didn't change | misht learn Ia