ETHEL HOLLISTER
A young girl entered. She was lovely with the beauty of a newly opened
rose. Her features were exquisite. Her rippling brown hair matched her
eyes in color. Her complexion was creamy white with a faint touch of
pink in either cheek. Although her figure was girlish it was perfectly
formed and she carried herself well; still she looked delicate.
The mother and daughter were alike save where Mrs. Hollister's face was
hard and worldly, Ethel's was soft and innocent.
"Well, dearie," said her mother, "here's an invitation for you from the
Kips. Dorothy will celebrate her fifteenth birthday on Saturday with a
luncheon and matinee party."
"Oh, how perfectly lovely," exclaimed the girl, showing her pretty teeth
as she laughed. "Dorothy is such a dear. Why, she hardly knows me.
She's only been at Madame's half a term."
"Never under-rate yourself, Ethel," spoke up Mrs. Hollister. "Remember
that you belong to one of New York's oldest families. Although you have
but little money, people are sure to seek you not only for your family
name but because you are an acquisition to any society."
Ethel blushed painfully while Cousin Kate gazed out upon the budding
leaves on a tree in front of the Hollister house. By a keen observer her
private opinion might be read in every line of her face. She loved Ethel
and her grandmother--old Mrs. Hollister. She pitied her Uncle Archie,
but she despised her Aunt Bella and rejoiced that at least none of that
lady's blood flowed in her veins. She worried over Ethel who,
notwithstanding her mother's worldliness was as yet unspoiled, for the
child inherited much of her father's good sense. Still under the
constant influence of a woman of Mrs. Hollister's type it would be
strange if the daughter failed to follow in some of her mother's
footsteps or to imbibe some of her fallacies.
"I'm going up to tell Grandmamma," said Ethel, and bursting into the room
she kissed the old lady.
"Listen, Grandmamma, I'm invited to Dorothy Kip's birthday--a luncheon
and matinee party."
"That's lovely, my darling," replied the elderly woman. "When does it
come off?"
"Next Saturday, and I presume we'll go to Sherry's to lunch. Think of
it! I've never been there--I'm so glad," and she danced around the room.
"And my new grey broadcloth suit with silver fox will be just right to
wear. You know the lovely grey chiffon waist over Irish lace that Mamma
has just finished, and my grey velvet hat with rosebuds and silver fox
fur--won't it be stunning?"
"You'll look lovely, I know. But where is Cousin Kate?"
"Oh, she's with Mamma. I entered the room while they were in the midst
of an argument and they stopped suddenly. I guess it was about me. You
know how set Mamma is in her way, and she was reading the riot act about
something. As Kate leaves here tomorrow, shouldn't you think that Mamma
would be too polite to differ with her? But no, she was talking quite
loudly. I wish I might go home with Kate. I'd like to see her father and
mother; they must be lovely.
"They are," replied Grandmother Hollister. "Your Uncle John is my oldest
boy, and he has the sunniest nature imaginable."
"Yes, and Kate does something in the world," replied the girl. "I wish I
might belong to her Camp Fire Girls that she has told you and me about.
But Mamma--why! I shouldn't even dare suggest it; in fact, she doesn't
dream that I know about Kate's being the Guardian of a Company. I feared
that she might be rude if I spoke of it and might say something to
offend Kate. Well, goodbye dear, I just wanted to tell you," and with
another kiss Ethel left the room.