Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1940-06-18
A:l?#114!AA!s@ts?!; &C. "a
CHAPTER FORTY

ND MIR. MERRlF1ELD learned
ne plans for the new play and
.. delighted with them. He had
..sr heari. of any sort of dra-
,.,c presentation in the outdoors;
... very thought was exciting to
..-
Mr.. Weems, where are you,
..e" he called 10 his secretary who
..r lowered near the conference
- morning. The secretary came
ward respectfully. Mr.. Weems,
..- long since our tennis courts
axe been reconditiOned?"
The tennis courts, Sir?"
Certainly. certainly. The tennis
...r,S." The old millionaire glared,
....c loudly. I'VE have tennis
..rts here at The Oaks. Mr..
..,..ms, haven't WEE"
oh, of course, sir. But it has
..-u on. quite some years-since
..yune has used them"
.Rrgrettable. Mr.. Weems. There
.... tNo courts. I often walk past
-.u. My daughter used them fire.
entity. | have observed that they
... in poor shape. Holes in them.
.>pru out. no doubt. Mr.. Weems,
~ar mat they are rebuilt immedi-
.....v. Rebuilt. sir. You hear"
oh, of course, sir"
The best of materials, Mr.
..-rmS. Whatever is needed. And
several hundred seats for guests.
t- many as Mr.. Bailey thinks he
nay need for his play, sir. Perhaps.
. his old eyes sparkled with
.y,mcnt-"perhaps 7 can use my
.furnce with Mr.. Bailey and the
-.-.s to set you into the play free,
Mr. NccmS."
oh. no, sir. shall, of course,
..rchase admission. I do not wish
..-"
Tut. tut. Mr.. Weems. When you
... get into a theater free, get in.
Nru hear me?"
oh. OF course, sir" Poor Mr..
.r-gmS was 4 literaliSt. Not until
.r had observed the others all
.yning at him did he realize they
.t! been teasing, and even then
N- vas slightly confused. He stood
~ perpetual awe of the man who
.4s At the same time his employer
.r! friend. But when Gayle
squeezed his arm, he smiled hap
lily.
Both Of you old dears scat out
- here" she ordered. You know
.1,,l and we'll you'll be in the best
.asslble seats in the front row.
-" She dropped to stage wnis-
Der. IN slip you in myself.'
The play had been written and
written IN final" form, so that
arts could be typed and given to
he various actors. Bill wrote in at
last some part, as before, for each
- me seven girls now in the Mer-
-aal! household, and arranged for
ro.a himself and Jeremy Tucker to
r.ay J!ual roles. Jeremy had to be
= youth in Acts I and II, and a
COLLEGE professor in Act III. He had
more TO DO than he had had in the
arst play.
Tie new al freSco production,
however. was only a part Of the
a>..cement planned for The Oaks.
g:.raration of it soon was going
10 Ioace. but so were preparations
e.. the magnificent reception and
s..lg scheduled for that same eve
mig.
The date was less than a month
tHGy. Society editors from the
-asvSpapers. keeping in close touch
".ta The Oaks now, began early
20 mention the preparations, and
Mrs. Molly Van Orsdale learned
INST that the play was to be out
..porS. On next Sunday morning,
Page One of her society section
..-r,ed an eight-column headline:
Al FRESCO DRAMA TO BE
REVIVED AT MERR1F1ELL
ESTATE"
The sub-heading said that Bril-
liant Reception Included in Plans
tor Staging The Wit to Woo"
Mrs. Molly knew that they
you'd be of major interest to the
l.gh-hat stratum Of society life
a-. SO worded her article with
mat in mind. There is a subtle diff
:-rence in society news beverages
things for the elite can be stated
one. way, things for the mass pub
.r another. Mrs. Molly went quite
s0ooty, with her tongue in hei
check: she was well aware that
tho high hats had been high-hattec
1t The Oaks a few weeks ago, anC