The Topeka state journal., 1922-06-21
Eoening Story
The Inevitable Ivy.
BY LILY wANDEL.

BY LILY WANDELL
When he invited Linda to the house
party she said in a take-it-tor-gra
way: "Of course Mrs. Thornton will
chaperon?"
Duouenne laughed lightly. Don't
YOU think my guests require a change?
Every party has the same chaperon-
YOU know some of US call her the IN
evitable IVY How about asking your
aunt ?"
Linda nodded careIessly, a question
on her lips regarding the swimming at
the lake. She was one of those
slender. cut-of-steel girls who take
part with intense earnestness in all
kinds of violent sports thruout the day
and are ready after dinner with cruel
freshness for hours of dancing. Du-
Quenne congratulated himself that he
had the endurance and vigor to keep
up with her. His girl with the bobbed
hair he called her to himself with q
smile. She had challenging eyes that
beckoned and scorned, delicious little
mannerisnls than tantaliZed-no won
der he was in love with Linda Van
Dorm. 1t seemed impossible that a
short time ago he had lovel Cecil with
smooth satin-black hair, long ear
rings and sophisticated, artificial airs.
And there had been many before her.
When his love affairs reached a
certain point he invariably arranged
a house party at his camp. There
would be a carefully selected crowd
of young people, and he felt as youns
as any of them, yet he was always
sure to have Brownell, not more than
five years his senior, but decidedly
middle-aged. Brownell always made
him feel especially fit. But as sue
| cessful as these parties were, they
never fulfilled their purpose. His love
affairs melted away. The thing had
happened once too often and he was
tired of it. He wanted to settle down.
Besides. he wanted Linda.
-,11T
eliminated He felt that without ex-
perienced eyes watching the clumsy
gait of his love affair anticipating his
blunders he might be more successful.
The first day at camp did not be-
gin very auSpiciOuSly. DuQuenne was
so busy that he had not a moment to
devote to Linda. Candace, the cook
and housekeeper, bothered him with
menus. 1t seemed Mrs. Thornton had
been in the habit OF making them out
| beforehand and simply handing Can
dace the ready lists. Miss Clark. the
new chaperon, refused on the plea of
a headache. Duquenne made out a
couple of bills of fare he remembered
ordering in a restaurant and was
| amazed when Candace sarcastically
asked him where he expected her to
get the things for the dishes he had
ordered. Mrs. Thornton knew just
how often they could obtain fresh
meat and that fish was their main
standby.
They were interrupted by a vigor-
Gus call for towels from nearly every
bedroom. Duquennes man Parks de-
clared that after each house party
there was a shortage of towels. but
that he had expected Mrs. Thornton
as usual and she had always brought
| a good supply along.
The dinner was not a success. The
guests were more or less in a peeved
humor on account of the house ar
rangements. Mrs. Thornton had al
ways quietly designated the rooms for
the guests and everybody had been
satisfied. Candace had made an un-
fortunate combination of dishes-a
mere forerunner of what was to come.
Duquenne made a great effort to be
genial and attentive but his mind was
on numerous details and he felt that
Linda was inwardly sulking because,
thru Candace's poor judgment, she
had been ushered to the smallest bed
room.
After dinner things took a new and
decidedly unexpected turn for the
worse. A few of the youngest guests
grew rather boisterous. Miss Clark
vas quite incapable of controlling
them and retired to her room in a
huff. Duquenne grew nervous such a
frolfc under Mrs ThorntonS ctaper-
onage was unthinkable.
With morning came more gloom.
Some of the guests were decidedly cool
and Miss Clarke informed him that
if there would be any more difficulty
she would leave at once. She also
complained bitterly of Candace and
the hot water supply. Duquenne found
himself in a perpetual state of apology.
He was tired, irritated, disguised The
whole house seemed in a state of con-
fusion.
The next morning Miss Clark an