The Washington times., 1921-03-24
BIRTHRIGHT
"A Fascinating Romance of Society In Which a
Poor Rich Girl Sponsors
Rich Poor Girl.

60, as Sne was 6ulklng this morning.
Il wish you'd give these notices
to the papers, Mr.. Palmer" Patri-
cia said In q businesslike tone.
"Pve said that Miss Beatrice Pal
mer will make her formal bow to
society at large tea early In the
New Year. That gives us time.
Now the next thing to arrange Ii
the Hutchinson portrait. think
he will do It."
II thought he was going awayY
Beatrice said. with reluctant inter-
est.
He is. But his sister Is to play
in a little vaudeville sketch for
three or four weeks" Patricia cx-
planned. $50 that the New York plan
Is put Off. And. by the way, MT.
Hutchinsin has given me a guest
card for the Bachelors Mardi Gras
dance. so that's settled"
"Alreadyw Dan said, with a ,ri-
umphant look at his sister.
THAT isn't until March," Patricia
reminded him, and unless we can
manage the other things. 1t won't
do us much good"
Il can wear this. in my portrait,
Beatrice consoled herself fondly
studying photograph of herself in
PATRICIA INSISTS.
why not wear the pretty blue
thing you had on last nighr?"
Patricia said winningly. Beatrice
widened amazed eyes.
why, that's just an old thing I
got in Benares" she expostulated.
'I've had 1t three years"
But 1t would be charming in a
picture" Patricia persisted. "The
other girls, my cousin and Miss
Bishop and Mrs. Bruce have been
painted in their handsomest gowns,
with pearl collars and diamonds.
and so on" she added simply.
Eliza Ralston wore ermine wnen
she sat to Sargent. But 1 wish
you would wear the blue thing, no
jewels. just a young girl standing
by a curtain
Her voice stopped on an inter-
rogative note, and her magnificent
eyes, half amused. moved from sis
ter to brother.
AT get your Dan said presently
with a nod.
"But-but / have pearls" Beat
rice submitted, rather uncertainty.
Patricia felt certain quick
pang of sympathy for bewildered
eighteen. 1t was all so absurd, the
race and the goal were alike un-
worthy. She was surprised some
times nowadays to discover how
ridiculous the whole social scheme
seemed, even to a Chesebrough.
This young and rich and fortunate
girl was hurt and chilled by her
exclusion from an elaborate struc-
ture that contained only empti-
ness and her brother was scowling
anxiously over the campaign. be-
side which fitting with windmills
was a reasonable employment!
These thoughts were rank
treason. But what Is being "a
Cheseb brought, said the rebel In
Patricia's soul scornfully. Aloud
she said cordially:
A SORT OF GAME.
"Of course your have Jewels. and
everybody knows IL: so you can af-
ford to do the unusual thing. Why.
sfter ALL" and Patricia's smile was
reflected in the two young faces op-
posite her, "after all I'm only doing
Cor you what the mothers of these
other girls have been doing for
them since they were born! It's
sort of game"
"Only it's a sort of game that
mama can't play" Mrs. Palmer,
who had come in, on her cane,
added with a solicitous smile. Pa
tricia, glancing at the kind, wealth
er-beaten, homely face, felt the tug
of a new emotion at her heart.
She was growing rather fond Of
a1d ri lat n
Sometimes she shared Mrs. Palm
er's afternoon drive. and while
they circled the sunny streets she
listened to the older woman's visit
full talk of old times. The little
druggist and his wife had been
proud of their first small store.
the woman who was leaning back.
richly furred, in this splendid car,
had been glad to wash the floor
of that establishment; had laid
aside her nursing baby to run in
answer to the "store bell"
In the three little rooms behind
the pharmacy Danny had been
adored and indulged, had had his
maps and his porridge; had had his
fat hands slapped for getting after
papa's jar of lickrish." 'Beetriss'
had been born there, during ter
rible times, when Danny had mumps
and papa" was getting over pneu-
monia and the rent was four
months due.
Vivid, simple, and tender talk It
was. Patricia had not heard much
like 1t. Her imagination was
touched by this picture of cold,
shabby, young man and his wife,
doubtfully compounding the great
"Senatone", that was to pour this
river of gold about their feet. She
seemed, as she listened, to catch
a glimpse of the essential beauty
and sorrow Of wifehood and moth
erhood.
"But 1t amt part Of your duties
to listen to an old woman talking
Mrs. Palmer would sometimes say,
with smiling compunction. Patri-
cia's answer was frequently the
subtle fattery of honest interest:
MUTUAL INTERESTS.
"But go on-do you mean to tell
me that this man-this Mason man.
actually had the effrontery to offer
Mr.. Palmer $50 for the patent and