Evening star., 1933-08-06

,F Mrs. Van Spanker had been man, no
mere dictatorship in corporation would
have sufIiced her. One can see MRS. van
Snanker as chairman of the ooaro-or
nothing.
Mr. Van Spanker was small gentleman
with thinning hair, an inferiority complex ana
great deal of money. Mrs. Van Spanker tleo 10
do something about the hair, but nus Two o.neL
qualities she carefully nurtured. She reanZeo
that they made him a most satisfactory hus-
band The partner of her first matrimonial
yenture, a Mr. Willets, had insisted on having
g mind of his own up to the very day OF hE
death.
All in all, Mrs. Van Spanker was content
with life. Yet, as has been remarked Oy
others, life is funny. Caesar had his Brutus.
Othello had his Iago. Unsuspecting Belgium
cos it in the neck Mrs Van Spanker received
4 letter from Sally Brown.
Sally Brown had been Sally Cartwright when
she and Mrs. Van Spanker had attended the
same finishing school. They were great friends.
They went everywhere together. Perhaps 1t
might have been more correct TO say tnat
Sally was consulted but sparingly as to direc-
ton and destination, Mrs. Van Spankers fair
for leadership having developed at an early
age.
This intimacy continued through the season
Of their social debut at the end of which Sally
Cartwright demonstrated irrevocably that
weakness of character which her companion
had long endeavored to alter. Sally married
Fat Brown. just because she loved him.
h IATURE had presented Mr.. Brown with an
infectious smile, happy disposition and
q shock Of red hair. Circumstances had en-
Gowed him with worldly goods of so negligible
4 quantity that he and Sally had to laugh
about it. They went West and were happy.
After a year or two they indulged in the
minimum amount of propagation, and pre-
ceeded to be happier than ever.
In spite of their divergence Of opinion as
to Mr. Browns qualifications as a husband,
the two erstwhile school friends had never
since failed to keep up their contact. At long
distance, of course. Mrs. Van Spanker had
several times written vaguely that it would
be nice If Patricia, Sally's daughter, should
come visit That is some time when
Iirs Van Spankers public and private life was
less full. Sally had once said, half laughingly.
perhaps a little sentimentally, how wonderful
it would be if Patricia and Bobby should meet
and fall in love. Bobby Robert Willets,
the son Of Mrs. Van Spanker's first expert
Elent by his previous wife, and five years older
than Patricia Mrs Van Spanker did not refer
to the remark in her reply.
And now Sally wrote that Mr.. Brown had
made his last futile gesture in life by trying to
pull stray dog from the path of a speeding
motor and had passed away with twisted
grin on his lips, leaving behind nothing more
Substantial than precious memory. These
were not Sallys exact words, but Mrs. Van
Spanker's Interpretation of them. She (Sally)
also wrote that she was going to take IN
boarders. And that she was sending Patricia
on to Mrs. Van Spanker for q visit. She knew.
because of the latter's frequent suggestions in
that direction, that Patricia would be welcome.
And perhaps Mrs Van Spanker could find the
child job as companion or something.
It was too late to do anything. Sally had
acted in her usual precipitate manner-one
Of her most glaring faults. Mrs. Van Spanker
reread the letter to make sure. Yes the girl
was by this time on the train. At least there
safely few thousand miles away in Paris,
studying his painting. Robert impress
sionable and Mrs Van Spanker had no one
by the name of Brown figuring in her we'll
defined plans for his future.
Ar. VAN SPANKER was sent 10 meet
wi Patricia at the train. He departed his
usual mild and effacing self. He returned with
a spring in his step and an inappropriately
youthful light in his eyes. Even his ordinary
dropping mustache curled up at the ends.
The young woman Mr Van Spanker ushered
frock palpably of home manufacture. Yet 1t
had a way Of hanging, and a manner Of caress-
ing the slender ngure underneath that would