Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-03-25
A DINNER CARD,
HMadanaP est seryie "

ward her husband.
Mr.. Huntley, whom long years of practice had
rendered perfect in his meter of host, compre-
hended the almost imperceptible signal, offered
his arm to Mrs Elphinstone, with whom he was
talking, and moved toward the door. The COM
pany followed in a sOftly-rustling procession,
Mrs. Huntley bringing up the rear on the arm Of
Aleck Dent. her husbands Junior partner fresh
ly returned from China. and the guest of the
evening. There was no confusion as to place
Mrs. Huntley had reduced dinner-giving to
science and each least detail was carefully
planned and provided for. A nod, a blithesome
smile to right and to left, the gesture of lilac
glOved hand, and each person was in his ap-
pointed seat at the table-a table spread in the
wOndrOus fashion Of the day. and to whose
adjoining had gone all the resources and the
lavish appliances Of modern decorative art.
The family tinted and heavily embroidered
cloth was Overaid here and there with lengths
OF linen, transparency fine and edged with
priceless old lace. multitude of tapers rose
red or green, each with its little lace trimmed
shade. cast their pale glow on the low bank of
flowers which ran the tables length on the
alternate fire and iridescence of many-hued
glasses. and the jeweled CLEAN of Salviati de-
canter and salt-cellars. Beside each ladys plate
stood an arrangement of choice roses in the
form OF horseshoe; for every gentleman was
bOutOnniere of lilies; and upon the napkins lay
exquisite dinner cards of white silk, hand
painted and scented with viOlets.
Such dinner tables are too common in the
luxurious life of to-day to attract special atten-
ton from those to whom they are customary
spectacles. But Aleck Dent had gone to China
before the tide of modern luxury had risen to
half-hood, and was too lately returned to have
grown wOnted to its exhibition. He admired
and spoke his admiration - admired the
arrangement Of the flowers, the beautiful glass.
the perfect adaptation of detail to effect and
LIST 70 tic ovx-ith
pleasure. 1t was an old story to her, but
women do not easily weary Of hearing their
households gods eXtoled.
What land of luxury it has grown to be-"
he went on. What pains are laviShed on the
mereSt trifes. This card, even"-picking up the
one beside his plate-''why, it is little work of
art, really charming"
$50 it is" admitted Mrs Huntley. 'Those
people at the decorative art society 40 have the
loveiiest things. great many of their designs
are made by real artists, you knOw!"
But don't know. There was no decorative
art society when went away" replied Aleck.
still studying the silken painting intensely. AS
he looked sudden thought seemed to come to
him. His eyes gave out swift sparkle then
set as though seeing vision. For a brief mo-
ment he was obivious OF the very existence of his
handsome hostess. This was the picture that
Aleck Dents mind was looking at: room in a
stately city house; girl seated i'm a bay window
shaded with amber curtains painting flowers at
little table; himself. a raw. sensitive boy,
seated near her, his hat on his knees-watchinS
the sheen cast by the amber light on her satin
smooth hair. watching the long lashes which
shaded her eyes. the slender fingers which PLAYED
rather nervOusly with the MISUNDERSTANDING
CLING with words which he had resolved not to
speak, Wretched at the enforced silence, at the
sense OF Coming separation. 1t was picture
which had frequently risen before his mind
during the ten years Of his absence; but what
had revived 1t now? He studied the dinner
card to find out.
Cyclamen! Yes, it was group of cyclamen
that Evelyn Morris was painting that last morn
ing. He remembered it perfectly now. There
was something in the graceful little picture that
recalled her style-the chOiceness and charm
which seemed inseparable from all that she
touched or did. And just at that moment two
tiny letterScaught his eye traced i'm the shadow
Of leaf-'E. NJ" Could they stand for E.
Impossible and yet
Ten years had Taught the raw boy worldly
wisdom. His pause of retrospect took him
much less time than have occupied in the tell
ing. and he recovered himself in time to betray
nothing to his hostess Soup and chablis had
been followed by fish and entrees before, with
skilful inadvertence. he returned to the SUBJ
ject of the dinner card.
who creates these dainty things, do you
SUPPOSE he queried.
''All sorts OF people, no doubt They don't
tell unless you ask, and perhaps not then: but
never thought to ask. | presume great MANY
Of the things are the work of poor ladies who
are glad to earn little something under the
rose"
"And are all these on the table by the same
hand?'
"Oh, yes. they come in regular sets, ten or
dozen, OF dozen and half in each These
silk ones are awfully dear-S1S the doZen-but
then they are the prettiest ever saw. Therese
please show your card to Mr. Dent He has
been so long in China that he isn't used to such
vanities as the rest of US are
Don't you use dinner cards in China ?" asked
Therese. otherwise Mrs. Denham, a handsome,
sleepy blonde, with fringe of oddly-colored
hair falling above her eyes. She outdid her
commission. for she borrowed her neighbOrs' cards
left and right, and placed half q dozen pretty
things within Alexis reach while she spoke
Il suppose we must have something of the
sort but not like these or surely should have
noticed them, he replied, as he studied the
cards The subjects were variOus-a spray of
wild aZalea; a wOOdbine tangle with an elf bal
anced therein as in q swing: lily with sleep
ing fay in its cup curve Of jasmine framing In
areach OF pale sea and one tiny sail. Each and
all bore the impress of the same delicate taste
and in every One--in the darkest leaf of the
lily. beneath the shadow of the woodbine swing
and the crest of the breaking wave-appeared
the same faintly-traced E. NJ. Aleck Dent stu
died them with an interest which made his
neighbOrs smile; then, recOecting himself he
pushed them aside and the conversation shifted
to other matters.
It was not till the ices had come and gone
that he ventured on the question which, through
all the progress Of the dinner, had been upper
most in his mind.
By the way, what has become of the Edward
Norrises? Miss Morris married long ago. sup
poser
The Edward Morrises Let me think. It
Is so long time since heard anything about
them"
Are they not in the city, them"
"Oh, no! Didn't you know that? Mr. Morris
lost all his money, and they went away"
;. :. Where did they goS heard at the time, but
1t is so long since"
Mr.. Morris. Why. they called him million.
aire. How could he lose all his money!"
"Oh. it was that hOrrid business of the-sOme
railroad. | never can recoliect such things
Atherton will tell you all about it. 1t made an
immense disturbance at the time. And Robert
MOrris-the other brother, you know-was
found to have forged an immense quantity of
stock, or bonds, whichever it was. and ever so
many people were ruined by it. or would have
been, had not Edward Norris sacrificed every
thing to buy up the forgeries and save the fam
lily credit. But it took all he had to accomplish
1t: Aud after that they sold that lovely house
OF theirs. and went away to some little place
IN JERSEY, l think; or was it Connecticut
some little. cheap place, anyway and there they
nave been living ever since. met EVELYN once
at dinner; 1t was about four years ago, think