Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 80, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 January 1911 — IN THE GILDED CIRCLE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

IN THE GILDED CIRCLE

Two Mothers In High Life Show a Touch of Nature.

By CORA HATHORNE SYKES

Abnormal conditions produce abnormal results. It is the middle classes and the wageworkers who have incomes sufficient to enable them to live in a way suited to their sphere that are the most virtuous and the happiest Abject poverty leads to crime of one kind and a superabundance of wealth to crime of another kind. What is called the “diamond horseshoe" in New York is the first tier of boxes at the Metropolitan Opera House: They are taken for the season, and usually for many seasons, by the same family. Their owners’ incomes are counted not by thousands, but by hundreds of thousands and in some cases by millions. One evening Mrs Montague Smythe—before wealth came it was Mrs. Smith —who had subscribed for her box while abroad and did not know who were to be her near neighbors, took her seat at the opera. Her dress was cut very low, on her hea3 was a crescent of gems wort li SIOO,OOO, around her neck was a necklace worth another SIOO,OOO, while her costume she had recently paid several thousand dollars for abroad. She was a blond about thirty years of age, but had already called in a massage operator to rub out the few weblike wrinkles that were coming in the corner of her eyes. Mrs. Smytjie had but got comfortably settled when another scintillating beauty entered the next box to hers and, throwing off her wraps, took a seat facing the stage, her back being toward Mrs. Smythe. But, the newcomer’s husband, Mr. Oliver DeLano—

it was formerly Delano—come in. his eyes met those of Mrs. Smythe. There was a slight involuntary start on the part of both. At that moment Mrs. DeLano turned, and Mr. Smythe entered. There was another meeting of eyes, a momentary drawing together

of Mr. Smythe’s brows. As for Mrs. DeLano, she had always been accustomed to the restraint practiced by the gilded world, and the causes that moved the others produced no marked effect npon her. These four had all been twice married. Oliver DeLano had been the husband of Lavinia, now wife of Montague Smythe. Montague Smythe had been the husband of Mildred, now wife of Oliver DeLano. Both couples had been divorced. DeLano had married the first Mrs. Smythe, and Smythe had married the first Mrs. DeLano. It was the former union and subsequent swapping of partners that produced a momentary embarrassment among three of the number. Mrs. DeLano’s long training in the highest circles enabled her to maintain a perfect equanimity. She gave society’s stereotyped smile to her former husband and went so far as to extend her hand cordially to ‘the lady who had taken her place with him. Then, as in high life no husband is expected in public places or at social functions to chat with his own wife, Mr. DeLano went into Mrs. Smythe’s box, and Mr. Smythe went into Mrs. DeLano’s box, each couple chatting when occasion permitted. At the end of the first act the gentlemen went out for a whiff of a cigarette, leaving the ladies to entertain each other during the intermission. Now, there being two sets of children in these two families when the first divorce was obtained, it was settled that the children should go with the father, he holding the purse strings and on this account being able to have his own way, in the matter. When he was married again, having one set of children in the family already, it was further settled that his new wife’s children should remain with their father. Therefore when the two ladies met at the opera neither had seen her own children in several years. If there is. one thing in nature that * always remains the sarfie it is a mother’s heart. No sooner had the men left the women than Mrs. Smythe began hasty ' questions about h<?r children, and as soon as Mrs. DeLano got an opportunity she did the same with respect to her own little ones. These people, strange to say. were all human beings. and even in the lower animals

parental, and especially matefhal. affections are paramount. Their friends at the opera, seeing them engaged in earnest conversation, refrained from visiting them in their boxes, and when the two men returned, finding the conditions the same as when they left, they felt obliged—in sight as they were of the whole audience—each to take position beside the other’s (present) wife. In the metropolis after the opera one finds the social magnates all at one of the prominent hotels or restaurants, where at supper they form their own parties. These four people when the curtain fell on the last act found themselves passing out together, and what was more natural that they should sup together? So they all got into the Smythes’ carriage and drove down to the A. There the women went into the robing room to lay aside their wraps, and their husbands waited half an hour for them before they came out. When they appeared they had laid a scheme. Chats about their children had tempted their mothers’ hearts. Their love for their own flesh and blood had burst the bonds that held them, and they had laid a scheme for seeing the little ones in their cribs before going to bed themselves.

When the supper was over Mrs. DeLano bade Mrs. Smythe a cordial good night and said that she would go home in her own carriage, at the same time looking to Mr. Smythe as much as to say she expected him to be her cavalier until she reached the house. He conducted her to her carriage and entered it with her, Mr. DeLano doing the same with Mrs. Smythe.

Since both women passed through the same experience it is only essential to give that of one. Arrived at the Smythe residence, Mr. Smythe left his lady in the vestibule, entered the house, ordered the butler and the maid to bed that they should not start a scandal, and Mrs. DeLano went upstairs.

Little Ollie, aged seven, had kicked off the covers and was lying flat on his back, his little round legs and arms besides so much of his stomach as lay between his upper and lower pajamas exposed. He was sleeping as soundly as if he had never known a sorrow. Little Louise was On her side, her flaxen hair falling over her eyes, innocent as a cherub. The mother dared hot kiss either of them for fear of awakening them and giving them the pain of parting. She left them untouched and, going to the door, gave them a last look. Then she burst into a torrent of tears. Mr. Smythe led her downstairs, put her into her carriage and got in beside her. “Mont,” she said as soon as .she had regained something of her equanimity, “I can’t stand this any longer.” “I think my home would be more comfortable with the mother of my children in it,” replied Smythe. “What do you say to ns all going back to the position from which we started?”

“What would Lavinia say to that?” “She and I agreed to such a plan this evening.” , “You don’t mean it!” “I assure you it is a fact.” “How about DeLano?’ “I don’t see how he can help himself if Lavinia insists.” “Very well; I’ll not object to a change of partners if the others are agreed. We’ll swap seats and let the game go on.* The next day at the end of a long interview between the two women it was decided that if both husbands could be brought to their views they would take legal steps to return to their own homes. It took, some time to bring about a conversion of DeLano, but he was a man of the world and «more devoted to other men’s wives than his own, so, after all, it didn't make much difference to him with what wife he lived, and he preferred the mother of his own children for his own home.

An experienced divorce lawyer was called in to superintend the restoration. He nominally put the case in the hands of other firms, one for each of the contestants. It was at first decided that the wives should go to reside for a. season in a state where divorces are made easy. But they would not consent to leave the world of fashion for so long a time. After much consultation it was found that the way considered most appropriate by the upper 'circles of the metropolis should be adopted. Mr. DeLano took up with an actress and was seen driving with her in Central park. Mr. Smythe appeared in his wife’s box at the opera after drinking half a dozen quarts of champagne and waved his handkerchief to a woman in one of the upper boxes who had been hired to take a position there for the purpose.

This method was found to accord admirably with the condition of the gilded circle. The actions of the two husbands were considered by the Judges to be ample cause for a decree on the part of the two greatly injured and scandalized wives and did not at all affect the position of the men in society. A few days after the last decree was obtained the original couples were remarried. There were those who had their comfort, of which they bad been deprived, restored to them by this method of procedure. The innocent children were thereafter occasionally petted by their own mothers. True, the exigencies of the fashionable-world demanded their relegation to the care of nurses, but there were times when a mother’s affection rose to the surface, and the little ones got the benefit. But this case is one in a thousand or, more likely, ten thousand... When such people procure a decree of divorce they psually celebrate it by a big ball, and ihe separation lasts, forever.

“WHAT WOULD LAVINA SAY TO THAT!”