Marion Marlowe in Society, or, A Race for a Title — page 5: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

2 | MY QUEEN. | dear, for I intend to introduce her here at the very beginning of the season.” _ “But do tell us who she is?” began Mrs. Wurtemburg. Mrs. Van Twiller turned on her sweetly, but with a little snap in her eyes. “As if that could make any difference, now that dear Mrs. Stetson has taken her up. Of course she is all right, even if she is an actress.” “Oh, yes, lar,” she’s all right in every particu- “Tbe only trouble is, I’m afraid, she is almost too said Mrs. Stetson, complacently. right for our class. Such a modest, sweet girl, you know! Why, our decolletés will shock her terribly.” “What! and she an actress!” cried. Mrs. Wurtemburg, with as much excitement as is allowed to strict politeness. . “She’s only been an actress for a_ short time,” was their hostess’ reply. enough to yet contaminated by the stage, you know; but, even if she ‘had, don't our dear boys love actresses?” Mrs. Wurtemburg drew herself up with ‘a little shrug of the shoulders. “Oh, some of our society boys have been foolish, no doubt; but if my Jack, should ever dream of marrying an actress, why, both his father and myself would cut him off without a shilling.” now, “He might go farther and fare worse,” said Mrs. Marion, now, would be good enough for any man, for she is a most remarkable girl.” “Ts that her name—Marion?” asked Mrs. Van Twiller, “How delightfully practical it sounds, doesn't it, Mrs. Stet- Stetson, sweetly. quickly. son?” “Really, it hadn’t occurred to me that it. did,” was Mrs. Stetson’s calm answer. “ter name is Marion Marlowe. ! call it a very pretty combination.” “And she is very young, you say,” spoke “Not long: “A girl like She was be- ginning to worry a little about her Jack al- ready. 3 | up Mrs, Wurtemburg again. “Very,” said Mrs. Stetson, tersely; “and a perfect beauty. There’s not a girl in our set who can compare with her, in my estima- tion.” : | She was safe in saying this, fot neither of her callers were blessed with daughters; but each had a son made on the ocit cams pat- tern. They were of the nondescript dude order. They dressed loudly and ioolishly, carried their walking sticks-in the middle, and talked ‘with an English accent. Mrs. Stetson despised ‘them, as she de- spised all sham, but she had the diplomacy ; to praise them to their adoring mothers. Society, as it is.called, had proven a great. ij She had been a* Miss No- when she married pastime for her. body from Nowhere Parker Stetson, but, with his wealth and her. cleverness, she had swooped down upon the charmed circle, and, at the present moment, she ‘could make every member of the elect squirm between her rather colamon ARGS thumb and finger. Already she had introduced a cnees of. stray sheep in the midst of society, and she was looked upon in two countries as a most wonderful match-maker. ‘Titles and coro- nets had come under her power. She kept a list of American heiresses up one sleeve all the time, and a corresponding list of im- _poverished dukes and counts up the other. Whatever her rivals thought, they rarely expressed themselves aloud. Mrs, Stetson was too rich and too popular—they dared not openly defy her, , “Ves, Marion is beautiful,” she went on, glibly, “but you shall see her for yourselves.” “Oh, how sweet of you, Mrs. Stetson,” murmured Mrs. Van Twiller, angelically. She was fairly twitching with eagerness to — see this young actress, € Comicbooks * “e] * "¢ a fi