The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-02-22
LOrigiDal.l

we're d lOG Ol ilulllllitS, tIC way wv
have vegetated here this winter. There
hasn't been a thing excepting that New
Years party at the Forsythe's, and you
know what a dismal affair that was
Miss Payne WINGED slightly. She GER
tainIy did know what a dismal affair
the Forsythe party had been-for her,
more than for anyone else. She was
quite, quite sure that Tom didn't care
at all, and that he was glad that their
little misunderstanding had occurred
and freed him from an engagement
that was disagreeable to him. But she
didn't speak of this to Mrs. Haskins,
although she knew that little person
wa fully awar of the late unpleas-
aEtness, and was taking a fiendish de-
light in making delicate reference to
subjects calculated to remind her friend
of it. Miss Payne only ~assentcd, with
a little nod and a half-articulate muir
muir, and Mrs. Haskins went On:
"Now, let's not sit and talk about
it, merely, but let's do something. OF
course, we can't celebrate WashingtOn's
Birthday without q costume affair.
Suppose we have q sleighing party, to
wind up at The Hills with n supper
and dance, with everyone in revolution
ary costume. And, OH" the malicious
little wretch went on, enthusiastically,
you and Mr.. Enright shall be Martha
and George, and lead the m:nuet-a
regular 18th century minuet.
"N-no, I'd rather not" interrupted
Miss Payne, in a half-stifled voice. II
don't-really, I'd rather not take such
q prominent part"
"Nonsense, child" chirped Mrs. Has
kins, cheerfully. You'll make a per-
fectly lovely Martha. and Tom Enri@At
can be so stately and digrified when
he chooses-and, besides, he's n of
the very few men in town who can af-
ford to be seen in short trousers"
And the little woman went On to out
line her plans for the celebration, ig-
noring Gladys all-too-apparent misery,
and the poor girls efforts to decline
the unwelcome honor she proposed to
thrust upon her.
81 won't! l can't" Gladys declared
to herself, passionately, as she hurried
down the graveled pathway of the
Haskins' place. I'D rather die, indeed
1 would, and still l couldn't explain it
TO her, even if she does know already
the spiteful wretch! l hope he'll man
age to decline, though"
But Mr.. Enr;ght did nothing of the
kind. In fact, he had felt for some
fi-,n n q %ID,,,l L., --N,,l1 49,
on earth for an opportunity to speak
TO Gladys and tell her how sorry he was
for the way he had acted over her
dancing with Neville three times at
the Forsythe party-the fact being,
however, that he really had just cause
for being jealous and indignant, and
that Gladys was the one from whom
the apology was due. So. when Mrs.
Haskins preached her plans to him,
she was rather taken aback at the
alacrity with which he consented to
i~mpersonate the Fatherof HisCountry,
for she had anticipated her usual keen
enjoyment in probing another's
wound.
"The Hills" was a little summer ho-
tel situated in q pleasant valley about
ten miles from Millston, and, although
closed to the general public through
the winter, was the scene of occasional
festivities inaugurated by Millston
people. 1t had a delightful ballroom,
and, better yet, the couple who had
cka-ge of the premises from season to
season were phenomenal caterers.
Tie 22d of February came, and
TIE morning ushered in delight
flu weather. which, together with
a recent snowfall, combined to
make 1t an ideal day for sleighing.
Most Of the merry-makers gathered at
Nxs. Haskins' house in the afternoon.