The New York herald., 1921-04-24

$50 and the gay party sets forth, with
Teddy calling back:
If anybody telephones tell them we're
no l don't know where Wen be. III be
home early in the morning"
Mrs. RdinSford and the father arc left 70
talk Teddy over. The aunt finds what she
has seen and heard simply appalling ~.
Gloucester soothes her, saying why. these
are the incest KIND of young people. Smart
families, every one of them
Mrs. Ransford:
That's just il. That's what makes It so
horrible. If they were common little upstarts
and parvenus il would be easy enough To
understand But nice people What are
their parents thinking of? Can't they see
what it is going to do to the future genera
tons?
Gloucester:
Why Margaret-there never was genera
ton that grew up that didn't think the next
one coming was going to the dogs. They're
freer-yes-because they are younger. be-
lieve they are actually safer than the bottled
up age / went through-when we had TO sneak
about all the deviltry did. They're per-
fecty open and above board about 1t you'll
have to admit that.
But the aunt reviews what she (and the
audience) have seen. girls smoking cigar
cites drinking cocktails. and cries out:
What are their parents thinking of? Can't
they see what it's going to do TO the future
generations"
She appeals 10 the memory of her dead
sister Tcddys mother, exclaiming: How
she would have hated IL. She wouldn't let
you give that child $50 to throw away in an
evening She wouldn't have let her go about
half naked"
And she adds: THE emptiness. the soul
lessness Of II all. I've been here three days
and haven't heard her or any of her friends
say a single word or express a thought
about anything earth but their clothes
and their motors and themselves. They all
talk alike think alike, dress alike
and the drinking! Your house is a bar"
The father insists that he is doing all he
can to make his daughter happy. shes
all right" says he, she's a nice girl and
she's perfectly capable of taking care of
herself"
Mrs. Rainsford:
She isn't She isn't! She's only child.
She's surrounded by everything that can hurt
her. and by nothing that help her. It's
all chaos and waste and deseneracy
she's the essence of this thing that's in the
air Americas infinitely worse than Europe
. . there's some excuse for it, perhaps
in the "inevitable reaction" But why
in heavens name sane decent people over
here allowing themselves and their children -
wallow In food and clothes and pleasures at
the expense of their breeding. their culture
and their inheritance of wholesome American
common sense. why nave Sbu i'b ~ N''i
Theodore?
Theodore comes in with her follower and
is surprised to find her aunt and father still
up She explains that the party has
changed its mind and is going some place
further up" Her father asks what place.
TeddB turns to the young man, but he isn't
sure where il is. The hour is l o'clock.
Influenced by what Mrs. RdinSford has
been saying Mr.. Gloucester says she can't
go,
Teddy:
Really you're funny. I'm not going TO dis
appoint those people.
Gloucester:
You'll not go.
Teddy
You can't speak to that way I'm not a
baby. I'm going You're extremely disagree
able. you can't make me break a positive en-
gagement
But Mr Gloucester is firm and TeddV
dismisses her attendant. then turns to her
father:
You've never questioned my good taste be-
fore about where l go and what do. Why
this sudden
Gloucester:
hope you've never done anything before
that needed questioning
Teddy:
Do you think we've never done this before7
We do II all the time and then come
downtown and have breakfast at Childs's
and it's lots OF fun and I intend -
keep on doing H. or anything else 1 want
to do ! suppose I can thank you. Aunt
Margaret for this sudden interest in my
affairs. / have never been so humiiiated in
my life!
The father orders her of TO bed, and the
girl exclaims with unpleasant laugh
Are you going TO decide when I am to go
10 bed. too? You'd better put me on leash.
father. II will be easier for you"
Before she goes however her aunt ex-
plains that what she has said was because
she wanted to help her niece.
Teddy:
What Joke
Mrs Rainsford:
The very dress you have on is indecent.
These boys . this promscuous love-
making that I see going on here all the time
. the familiarity = the kiss
ing-it's all wrong-as wrong it can be.
Teddy:
Kissing? How stupid There are kisses
ard kisses. Kissing doesn't mean any more
now than shaking hands did suppose
when you girl
Mrs Ralnsford
Don't YOU know that YOU are wasting the
most precious years of your lfo without do
Inc ono ounce of good to anybody or think
Ing one thought ~ anything but yourself aud
your body? Don't YOU know you are spend
ing too much money, wasting II hero lrd
there. when thcre never was q time that
greater good could ~ done with NJ DON'T
you know you are being horribly criticised
FOR it?
Teddy;