Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1889-02-08

me very prettily when I wished her jov. >
Nor was Beautiful Jim the only person
70 whom Mrs. Trafford impaired her in
formation that afternoon. 1t happened
that she was particularly well up in 81
the deals Of the e;Tair-so far as Mrs
Antrobus was able to impert them-for
only that afternoon she had had occasior
to go to her dressmaker's THAT person. bl
the by. lived little way past the River
house,; and as she owed Mrs. Antrobu,
three calls. and great deal of oil fiat
terry ana such like attention as was d.Gl
to the little widows patronizing soul, 81,
determined, for two fold, nay, three
fold reason. to call on that stout AID
friendly lady. First. because her wa,
that day led her actually past the door
secondly, because the fact that she wa.
due at the Deanery tennis party would en-
able her TO cut her visit very short. il
deed if she wished TO do so, and fl.
Mrs. Antrobus at home; and thirdly. b.
cause the mere fact that she must
hurry away would in itself help to kce
Mrs. Antrobus ELUSIVE frieudliness with;
reasonable bounds. A clever far scci:!
little woman, Mrs. Trafford-a very clevci
woman.
But, as it happened, she felt no desire
whatever to cut her visit short, and
interested was she IL the news at and
the general atmosphere Of the Rive
house, that she almost forgot the Deaners
party altogether. For when she inquired
for Mrs. Antrobus the maid told her b =,
she was at home, and invited her 10 en-
ter, which she did. And as she followc
her along the spacious hall-so muc.
larger and LandsOmer than her own-she
met Miss Baby, the youngest child of tbs
house, now fast growing into a long
legged. gawl,y girl. more like a hen "a,
to gait than anything else, and giving IL
promise whatever III any way of bloom
ing by and by into the beauty of her
sisters.
How do you do. dear?" said little Mrs
Traiford, graciously.
Quite WELL thank you." returned
Baby.
Mrs. Trafford could not help thinking
now very blank and childish the face was
for that long legged. gawky girl.
that is
I'm going upstairs with papa" said
Baby. mportantly-and. by the bye. she
had quite caught her mothers inflated
voice, which contrasted oddly with her
little vacant face-''he is going into the
STRONG room. He is going to &c: out
the PLATEi'
''Ah. you will like that" nrrmured
Mrs. Trafford. passing on, and thinking
that they had evidently some entertain
ment on for that night; wondering. too, a
little how it was that she had not been
asked to take part in it-for tho family at
the River house were in general exceed
ingly anxious to secure her presence q:
their dinner parties-far more so than she
was to shed the rays Of her patronass
upon them.
But the little mystery was soon solved
for she had not found herself q chair be
fore she perceived from Mrs. Antrobus
manner that something of unusual i'm
portance was in the air.
That. Of course, was so; for, with the
Antrobuses, q visit to the strong room
meant an occasion of the greatest i'm
portance. Indeed. as a strong room the
receptacle for plate and valuables at the
River house was all that could be desired
1t was roomy and freproof. and was con-
cealed from curious and prying eyes by
being secreted at the back of an ordinary
cupboard. 1t would have held. and witt,
room 20 spare. an ample supply of plate
for a much larger family than could I've
accommodated in the River house; SO
that the Antrobuscs .et of entree dishes
with the extra forks and spoons. looked
rather forlorn. reposing meekly in one
corner thereof
OF course. being Of the same metal as
Mrs. Herrick Brentham's tea and coffee
service, they might very safely have re-
manned in the excellent and commodious
buffers pantry below: but what was the
good of having strong room if you did
not use it. and what would have been the
good Of locking the door at all if you did
not do so with fitting solemnity and i'm
portancef
They say time levels all things 1t is
true. Once upon time Hugh Antrobus
had been used to be attended to the cere-
mony of getting out THE PLATE" by quite
a train of admiring observers. Polly-To-
To-Baby-a maid or two-and, on oc-
casion, Mrs. Antrobus herself. Now, alas!
only Baby was there to remind him of the
value which had snco been set on the
family entree dishes. For Polly was in the
drawing room with her mother, listening
to the praises of Mr.. Mandarin, of Thel-
ston house, Liverpool. and of-Shanghai