The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1920-08-06
A SILENT
PROPAGANDA
BY OTILLIA F. PFEIFFER

Copyright. 1929. Western Newspaper Union)
mansion Of the town in Alton Ter
race. Her sister, Mrs. Ernest Parks,
more humbly resided In a modest Lit.
tie cottage In Arbor Place. The for.
mer conceived herself to be the social
queen Of Brampton. The latter was
content to be able to clothe herself
and her family respectfully and pay
the household bills when due.
The Browns lived high through the
sufferance of Miss Althea Driscell.
their niece, and floated along on cred
It. All Brampton knew the circum.
stances Of their rise in the world So
cially. brother OF, Mrs. Brown and
| Mrs. Parks had died leaving q fine
home and quite fortune to an or
| phan daughter. He had appointed Mr.,
Brown executor of the estate and. on
account of his sister, very liberal
| compensation for his services as
| guardian of Althea. The sequence
| was that the Browns moved from
modest quarters into the DriscOll man.
| sion rent free, and were lavish in
expenditures, as they all came out OF
| the estate.
At once Mrs. Brown began to boon
forth as a devotee of fashion and so
ciety. She grouped about her a spe-
cial clique feted and Toasted them and
the humble Parks family, not being
| considered eligible for admission to
the charmed circle, were practically
ignored.
Not that they minded 1t much, for
they were not Of the kind that FAINT.
ed in false colors. Then, besides, they
had the love and confidence Of Althea
She was bright, heartsOms girl, and
very soon saw through the thin veneer
of her guardians. They had tried iD
vain to induce her to treat the Parks
people as interiors, but nothing could
spoil her. There was scarcely day
that she did not pass part Of it in
the company of her favorite aunt and
her little ones.
For two years Althea had been
! away at q select seminary, and this
gave the Browns an opportunity tC
spread out more than ever. Their
guardianship was nearly at an end,
according to the terms Of the will, and
those who professed to know limited
that Jason Brown was growing quite
reckless In his use Of the Driscoll re
sources. One day fine looking, gen.
tlemanly appearing young man came
to Brampton whose evident good
breeding and courteous ways commend
ed him on sight as ian eligible" by the
Brown set. 1t was reported that he
was sent on the mission of looking up
some law matters. He lived at the
best hotel and had an automobile, but
made the mistake of his life, as Mrs
Brown gave it out, by taking up with
the Parks people. Once he was seen
taking the tired-out Mrs. Parks and
the children out for a regular airing,
he fell many degrees in the favor OF
the social queen of Brampton.
"a very presentable young man." OBJ.
served that critical lady to her close
friends" and l understand he comes
from creditable family; but we must
draw the line strictly"
"Why, what do you mean?" was in
Quired.
''He seems to favor the Parks con
tingent OF course, they are my rela
tives, but they do not belong in oui
class. Mr.. Throop seems to enjoy
their company and that Of their kind
and l have cancelled an invitation te
him to my next reception, not carin.
to take any risks"
"Oh. dear, no! Selectness in every
thing, dear Mrs. Brown" was sub
mitted, and to others, when inquiries
were made concerning the newcomer
Mrs. Brown simply looked mysterious
and shrugged her shoulders. This was
the cue to her servile followers, anf
Sidney Throop was ignored purely
through q systematic propaganda Of
silence.
II think 1t your duty, Jason, to probe
and resent the mysterious operations
of this young man." observed Mrs
Brown to her husband. "What bust
ness he has looking into our affairs?'
"T'll give him a piece of my mind. >
was the rejoinder. and the next day
Sidney Throop, doing some writing a
desk in his attorneys office. wa.
confronted by jason Brown with this
words:
"rve come to find out why you ar,
making inquiries about my private af
fairs"
Throop arose and closed the ofic,
door. ITO save you trouble, If yor
must know" he answered, shave been
acting in behalf Of your niece. who