The Fraud

Tke Fraud By FLORENCE HARTMAN TOWNSEND Illustrated by Anna Lewis Evans A LL DAY long in the spacious old mansion there had been the bustle of preparation — at least as muqh bustle as one small person can make. For days, in fact, the long-unused chambers had been opened and had been undergoing a thorough cleaning and airing. Sheer muslin curtains, tender with age, had been care- fully laundered and rehung. Dim- patterned rugs had been sunned and cleaned. The ^silver, every piece heavy and solid, had been polished by Hallie's own hands and taken to grandmother for her critical examination and approval. The rich but thin-worn linens had been inspected and mended. The great library and the living room had been thrice cleaned and fur- bished, and the many gleaming stair treads shone resplendent from vigorous polishing. In a word, the whole place had been stirred and shaken as from an age-old slumber, and now stood, in the midst of its unshorn surroundings, like an aristocratic old lady calmly awaiting some mild surprise. H.ALLIE herself, slip- ping into a cool blue cotton frock, sighed heavily, not so much from weariness as from the weight of responsibility. Guests complicated things so, even kinsfolk, as their guests, with one exception, were to be: Hallie's own cousins. Of course they all understood the sit- uation more or less, but the friend whom they were bringing wouldn't, and of course one couldn't explain. It was so hard to make an appearance in keeping with grandmother's delusions. Hallie could never hear her refer They filled their arms with evergreens and turned homeward. to the plantation without a shiver, for, although grandmother had put her signature to eacjh legal instrument that meant the sale of another block of the once extensive estate, the plantation still remained intact in her mind's eye — an end- less stretch of cotton fields as far as one could see. She refused to recognize a decline of fortune, but still reckoned as she had done fifty years ago; rich fields as warm with numberless blacks from the quar- ters; house servants at her beck and call; lavishness as to food and clothing, and all the soft luxuries of living. It was not a mental defect from which she suffered, but a gentle stubbornness that neither bent nor broke. She was as uncompromising about the ail- ment, that had kept her for two years confined to her room, or to be more explicit, to the two rooms she had come to call her own — the living room and the small bedroom that Hallie had impro- vised from her late grandfather's study. Each morning and eve- ning she was painfully transferred from the one to the other. No, it wasn't rheumatism that had so cruelly drawn her limbs, it was neuritis! Why, even negroes had rheumatism, and no matter what old Dr. Blanchard said, it was neuritis. And so neuritis it was. Ai .FTER Hallie was assured that her grandmother would not likely ever leave her rooms again, she had made radical changes in the personnel of the plantation. The swarm of lazy darkies were routed from their comfortable quarters and old Sam, honest, hard-working and depend- able, was put in charge of the farming. By degrees Lottie was disposed of, and Hallie immediate- ly took the place of Maria in the big kitchen. As time passed grand- mother read more and dozed a great deal in her chair and noticed less and less the absence of her former servants. But about cer- tain things she remained unrelent- ing; her white silk stockings, her soft grey silk gowns, a particular French perfume of exorbitant cost, her fine lace handkerchiefs and real linen for her bed. She dressed as carefully each day as though some especially worthy caller were to be received, and a pretty picture she made in her easy chair, her dainty feet on a hassock, the deli- cate features and silver ban- brought into relief against the dark red damask of her chair.

The Improvement Era for November, 1930 19 In the main, Hallie had man- aged very nicely. It was only when company came that she was plunged in misery. But she in- variably humored her grandmother in her whims and seconded her statements to friends about con- ditions on the plantation. At best the pretense had been unpleasant, for Hallie was by nature simple and frank. Now, at the advent of a stranger-guest, she sighed heavily at the embarrassing pros- pect before her. Granddear al- ways waxed so eloquent on the moot subject whenever there was a fresh ear to listen, and to have to pretend to a stranger, who could not possibly understand, was bitter. OHE had thought she had prepared herself for every- thing. Certainly her preparations for her guests lacked nothing, but the very personality of the strang- er was upsetting. He was a friend of her cousin, Lee Hanson, and, she learned in an aside from Lu- cette, the Terry Newman, well- known architect of New York City, designer of the famous All- worth Memorial Building, of whom everybody had heard, even Hallie. Right then she felt all of her trumped-up assurance ooze away. His eyes were searching and keen. How could one play at pretense in his presence? And yet one must — one must. The boys, Sidney and Lee, car- ried grandmother bodily to the great dining room, that had not been graced by her presence in nearly two years. What an oc- casion they made of it! The little lady clapped her frail white hands and laughed happily. Two pink spots glowed in her cheeks and she presided over her table like a gracious lady of royalty. Long they sat over the tiny cups of chocolate while grandmother talked — talked brilliantly and eas- ily—while everybody listened en- thralled. She could see that Terry Newman was finding her refresh- ingly interesting. Hallie felt proud of grandmother — she always was proud of her. If only — /: .S$k *^*SI Burch. 'I can think of nothing I would find more enjoyable. You are very good to give me the op- portunity. I have been told the southern negro is very pictur- esque." B 'UT one couldn't ex- pect that. Even now the tide of conversation was turning slowly but surely to — the plantation. Hallie stirred uneasily and signalled for the move to the living room. But the dear soul was not to be Hallie stopped. She ran on and on after they were comfortably settled in the living room. There was the inevitable account of the big estate in early days, and it was an en- trancing picture she drew of life in that day, of the stately and beautiful brick house, of the spirit- ed horses she had had to drive and to ride, of the expansive cotton fields dotted with blacks carrying big baskets of the soft fleece on their woolly heads, of night at the quarters. One could almost hear, as the soft, insistent voice persisted, the croon of an ample mammy, the strum of a banjo, the peculiarly sweet melody of negroes singing. One saw, in one's mind's eye, the big house aswarm with servants, the stately balls with their beautifully gowned ladies and courtly men. Oh, it was a grand day that madame told about. "And, Mr. Newman, we are one of the few families whose mode of living remains practically the same as then. The passing years have not wrought the changes here that they have on many of the old plantations. You must be shown about the place while you are here. Hallie will be delighted to act as your guide, for the place is so extensive you could easily lose yourself, couldn't he, Hallie?" "Ob. quite," Hallie gasped mis- erably. "And you must see the quarters, Mr. Newman. You are from the north, I believe. It will be new to you, possibly, to see our south- ern negro in his native habitat, as it were." "I shall be enchanted, Mrs. 1 HERE was more of that, but Hallie heard none of it. She quietly excused herself and slipped out to the kitchen. Maria and Lottie were just leaving. "Oh, Maria!" she groaned, lean- ing against the door frame for support. "Lawsy, what ole Missy done now? Tell Maria, honey." "Maria, send Sam around to ad- joining farms to gather up the darkies for tomorrow night. He can get some at Turner's and some at Whatley's, and tell him to be certain to have Joe there with his banjo. Maybe some of the darkies from the other farms play a guitar. You see, grandmother wants Mr. Newman to see the quarters as they were long ago — darkies in the doorway, a moon and singing — you know what I mean, Maria. Thank heaven there is a moon." Yas m, yas m. "And Maria, tell Sam to say there'll be ice cream and cake after- ward. There are to be women and children, too, Maria. You under- stand?" "Yas'm, yas'm, I sho' do, honey. You jes' res' easy. I'll hab Sam out a 'raslin' early, come mornin'. I sho' will." H ALLIE did not "res' easy" despite the fact that her plan was almost certain to carry through. It was the uncertainty as to what grandmother would think of next. She could not, for instance, miraculously produce a coach and four, with footmen and coachman all "booted and spurred." There was the remains of an ancient rig of some sort in the rotting carriage house, that might or might not be a coach. but sure she was that one very old and spiritless horse was all that the stables afforded. It was not until the second day that other bits of information trickled into Hallie's ear. Although it had been two summers since she had seen her cousins, she was quite unprepared to learn what talents they had discovered and cultivated; what lengths they had gone in self-development and im-

20 The Improvement Era for November, 1930 provement. Allene had turned artist, and now presented her grandmother with a small canvas that fairly took Hallie's breath for sheer loveliness. Mazelle's voice, that Hallie thought had shown only fair promise two years ago, had improved to such a degree under training, both in New York and abroad, that again Hallie found herself gasping. Sidney was a designer of stage settings, and Lee a short-story writer. Little golden-haired Lucette had, over night, it seemed, turned poet. It WAS after the evening meal on the second day that all these significant facts had been forthcoming. Grandmother had clapped her hands over each recital of their accomplishments, very modestly given. They must repair hurriedly to the living room where the piano stood, to hear Mozelle sing, and to have Lee read one of his excellent stories, and to have Lucette give, in a voice as golden as her hair, three lyrics that were, it seemed to Hallie, especially graceful and pulsing. Al- lene's picture was examined again and Sidney exhibited drawings and descriptions of his more nota- ble settings. And for each of them grandmother had a "bravo" and a kiss. "How proud I am of you! Such talent! Such accomplishments! You do honor to the name!" Hallie shrank miserably into the shadows that they might not notice how conspicuously devoid she was of talent and of accom- plishments. "Every one a genius!" grand- mother continued proudly. "No, oh, no!" they chorused. "There's only one genius here and that is Mr. Newman." Mr. Newman was plainly un- comfortable under the sudden turn of the conversation, so that Hallie came to his rescue with a "sh--sh!" Through the open window came the hollow strum of a banjo, the sweet cadence of a guitar. The cousins exchanged quick glances, and all rose simul- taneously, turning toward the door. "Granddear must go," Hallie said softly. "Of course she must! We'll car- ry her in her chair. Just you sit easy, grandmother; Lee and I will take your chair up and out as easy as anything." Hallie led the procession, with Terry Newman beside her. She was thankful, as they rounded the house and approached the carriage house, for the softening influence of moonlight. The shingles did not look nearly so curled and black, the sagging planks gave no sign in the semi-light. .L/IGHT streamed from the door of Maria's house and formed a diminishing pool of brightness that yellowed the moonlight and glanced on the shining faces grouped about the doorways of a dozen cabins. High- er, more poignant, rose the song, as voice after voice joined in the melody. "Just here," Hallie whispered, and there they set the old lady's chair down and clustered in a semi- circle. Some things do not bear too close contact. Here the illusion was perfect. It was a scene of such homely simplicity that the artistic Sidney and Allene had visions of it transported to canvas. Mozelle's musical ear longed to know the secret of that lush timbre, a certain husky sweetness peculiar to the negro voice. Hallie moved unobtrusively to her grandmother's side. She found the little lady's hand and patted it. Granddear lifted the girl's hand and pressed it to her face. The cheek was wet! What profound emotion was shaking the dear soul? Tears! Was she seeing the blank and empty cabins, stripped of the false stir and bustle of life, or was it some dream-ghost of a more glorious day? Hallie could not guess, but her heart flamed in a new burst of loyalty. Poor little granddear! So little was left her, she would make that little as expansive and as beautiful as lay within her power. 1 HE melody died away, and the pink-pink of the banjo with it, only to begin again in a delightful, tinkling tune, quick and bright and into the pool of light shuffled a youth, lank, slouching, loose-jointed. He be- gan to dance on the (hard-packed earth, his big shoes plopping ryth- mically, while hands clapped in time and voices shouted encourage- ment. Even the group from the big house found themselves tap- ping heels and toes, and the black boy bowed, circled, careened, while executing the most ludicrous movements with his feet. They joined, too, in the applause as the dance came to an end and the youth melted into the black blotch of an open doorway. There was a pause, a feeling of the instruments, as if seeking what lay next in their round throats. Then a voice began, in- dependent of the instruments, which, however, instantly blend- ed and joined. "Rock-ee my soul in de bos'om o' Abra- ham, Rock-ee my soul in de bosom o' Abra- ham, Rock-ee my soul in de bosom o' Abra- ham, Oh, Lawd-a rock-ee my soul." 1 HEY lingered, loathe to break the enchantment of the scene. But granddear was quiver- ing under her hand. Hallie spoke to Sidney and Lee, and led the way back to the house. She found Mr. Newman at her side again. "Miss Burch, that was beyond my feeble words to describe. I could never have imagined it in half its beauty and appeal. It doesn't seem possible, until you've seen and heard with your own eyes and ears, that a group of mere negroes could really touch one's soul. I shall always think of the negro as I have seen him to- night, under a southern sky." "I am glad if we have been able to give you some new and pleasant thought to carry away with you," Hallie said quietly. I- .T was Lucette who spoke to Hallie the next morning — ■and after Hallie had had such a restful night! "It's too bad that had to happen last evening." As Hallie could only stare, speechless, she continued. "Mr. Newman has such a con-

The Improvement Era for November, 1930 21 tempt for anything, or anyone, that is false or deceitful, and of course he is bound to learn that last night's display was all sham. If you had thought a moment you would have remembered that he will be here two weeks, and it is inevitable that he will see the quarters occupied by only Sam, Maria and Lottie, and nat- urally he will understand that last night's programme was simply put on as an attempt to convince him that conditions are such as Grandmother described." "If he is picayunish," Hallie be- gan indignantly. "He is not that," Lucette de- clared. "He is as straightforward and honest himself as he requires others to be. I heard him say recently that his 'pet aversion is evasion' — evading the truth, of course. This thing," nodding to- ward the quarters, "throws grand- mother and — all of us — in a very bad light." H. .ALLIE'S cheeks flamed in a mixture of shame and indig- nation. "I can't see that it matters what Mr. Newman thinks. As for the rest of you, I think granddear and I are quite capable of bearing all the blame." But in her heart Hallie knew that it did matter, it mattered immeasurably what Mr. Newman would think. "Of course," Lucette persisted, "we might explain to him that it's because grandmother is so old and childish, and not because we are trying to impress him." "No!" Hallie's indignation flared anew. "Who would dare speak of granddear like that, and make her ridiculous in his eyes! Neither you nor I." b ♦UCETTE retired in defeat, while Hallie continued shelling peas that were mingled, more or less, with brine. Of course he would see through all their pretense at being people of sub- stance, and of course, she, Hallie, was a fraud, but at that she pre- ferred being a pretender, a fraud, a sham., whatever you will, to be- ing a traitor to her own blood! And to prove that she was labor- ing under no pricking conscience nor handicap whatever, she was especially gay and talkative all day. Grandmother did not, after all, demand the coach and four, but three days before the guests were to depart she had a long talk with Terry Newman. She learned that he would begin shortly on plans to be entered in a competition for the proposed Glendenning Me- morial Building to be erected in Atlanta; that he would like a quiet and uninterrupted period for the work; that it would require about three months to complete the plans; that he would, indeed, most graciously accept her invita- tion to be her guest during the period required! Hallie gulped indelicately and unbelievably at the news. Three months of pretense would be some- thing of a strain; three months of lavish entertaining would wreck them financially. And yet she swallowed her premonitions of dis- aster and seconded the invitation. He was to return to New York when the other guests left and be back in two weeks, or about the first of September. Lucette looked at Hallie as if to say, "Re- member what I told you," but Hallie only set her lips. Grand- dear's guest should be as royally entertained as granddear herself could wish! How? Only heaven knew. Even Terry looked across at her with something in his eyes that was fpuzzling. Perhaps ,it was a challenge. Very well, she would take up the gauntlet! 1 HE challenge, if such it were, took more concrete form at five the next morning. Hallie was gathering beans in the weed- grown garden when a cheery "Good morning" was spoken over the sagging fence. She looked up to find Terry Newman smiling upon her. She returned his greet- ing with coloring cheeks. He opened the creaking gate and joined her. "I say, I can't imagine why you do things like this when there are so many darkies about to do it for you?" "Can't you? Then, although it's supposed to be a shady secret, I'll tell you. I do it to keep my boyish figure." Her grin was impish. "No in- door calisthenics can equal the stooping and bending that bean- picking requires." He nodded. "Still, I think it's rather heroic. Most girls are get- ting their beauty sleep at this hour." "If there is anything that will make us heroic I suppose it's our vanity." "That applies to both sexes. Now if you can really vouch for the virtue of this bean-picking act, I shall try it myself. Remember, I'm to enjoy your fine southern hospitality for several months, and unless I take some such measures I'm certain to put on weight." The "bean-picking act" proved enjoyable, and a much greater quantity was gathered than could possibly be consumed. They re- paired to the house in far more leisurely fashion than the waiting preparation of breakfast and the serving of seven dainty trays justi- fied. They carried the basket be- tween them, and his sleeve brushed her bare arm. It had been a beau- tiful and comradely hour in the freshness of the morning, and both were conscious of its glow. llALLIE hurried prep- arations for the late meal, her thoughts in rosy confusion. She liked Terry, and Terry liked her. She felt sure of it. She also felt sure that he had offered her an excellent opportunity for a frank confession of their sham. Perhaps that was the test he was making. If she came clean it might mean — it might mean — Her cheeks warmed at the thought of what it might mean to her. But if she continued a sham and a fraud he would despise her. And she could not be happy if Terry despised her! Her resolve wavered dizzily for a moment. It was so absurd, all this childish make-believe; a make-believe so transparent that actualities showed through. He was sure to find out soon, if he hadn't already, and if she ex- plained now — before it was too late — For one quivering moment she dallied with temptation, then — a vision of granddear crept in and a wave of shame swept her. To betray granddear by word of (Continued on page 59)