MOTHER OF THE MAID

Mrs. Coxe, born a North Carolinian, now married and living in South Carolina, once was greasepaint happy and when the idea burst -- that her oldest daughter Emily who was quite happy in Sweet Briar, was contest material -- so did all her family and social life. Persuaded that it was ""top level"", ""an adventure, an opportunity and the chance of a lifetime"" Mother aimed at one goal for Emmy -- Maid of Cotton and its perquisites. With a warmup in the county -- and a win, on to the finalist field, Mother never lets go and friends, relations, Emmy's beaux, school, politics, the farm -- and cosmetics and fashions and clothes -- all play their part in her campaign. Her husband and their other children are pretty much off on the sideline, even if their son gets married during the course, the younger members have their own problems, and the farm income is taxed while Mother Cajoles, grooms -- and often takes the training (posture, speech, makeup, modeling, etc.) that Emmy is supposed to get (Emmy wants her credits (and weekends) at college). Mother explores every possibility, manipulates every event, works on every character and sees Emmy get (with much prodding) to Memphis where her failure to get the crown still keeps her family proud. While this has an overblown type of humor and perhaps a ""dreams of glory"" audience (female) its objective and competitive capers may not be tasteful for all.