The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-08-12
Si1milia Similibus
BY Charles Dwight Willard


THE Lowdens gave a dinner recent
~ at which ten guests were pres
ent. Little Roach told me about it, the
next day after it occurred. with a great
deal of gusto. | fancy Roach is not
asked there to dinner very frequently,
nor anywhere else for hat matter.
His excessive curiosity, and his dispo-
siiion to talk over affairs that are not
his OWN makes people nervous about
him. and renders his conversation Just
a little tireS0me.
Now there was nothing unusual about
the fact thai the Lowdens gave u dim
her. Man cid not dance, and Mrs.
Lowden Gislikes cards, Ii neither OF
them care much for music. so they
have compromised on the dinner, as IL
convenient method of entertaining
friends ana of repaying social cb!iga-
tons. They keep an excellent cook,
and Mrs. Lowdcn herself. so her hus-
band once told me. watches every de-
tail of the event. Max is Il good Judge
OF wines and an agreeable talker. They
have friendships among no end Of
clever people, and they are juGicious
in their arrangement OF her guests.
To be invited To Il dinner at the Low
ticns is at once distinction and 4 piece
OF good fortune. and | did not wonder
1t the enthusiasm of little Roach.
Il sat between Mrs. Gen. Quinn and
Count Won IIaasse," said he, and We
talked"
Who else was thcre?" l asked, look
ing about me. and planning the quick
est method of escape.
lie gave me the list, checking them OIL
on his fingers to insure a correct count.
As he proceeded. | listened with more
and more interest, and when the tale
WAS ended. it suddenly dawned upon
me that this was an event of a most I'M
usual character. and IL hat | must
know more about-but not from Roach
There goes my car l exclaimed.
and was presently putdown four blocks
out of my way.
Max Lowdcn and | are old friends.
and our fathers were business $3.50
ciates half a century ago. | was CON
fident that if | gave him 4 chance, he
would explain the mystery of this din
ner. and l telephoned to ask how soon
he and Mrs. Lowden would be at hcme
Of an evening. | had a handful of new
opals to show them. Not tonight. nor
tomorrow night; but the next, and |
would be most welcome"
In the meantime | met anoincr OF
the guests of that extraordinary din
ncr. Il Mrs. IIoppin, whom know but
slightly. | knew her husband. how
ever. a subdued, crushed, much-mar-
r~ied-looking individual, who occasion
ally wanders u%nhappily about the
rooms Of the club where | live. | was
making n call. and there were Il good
many people there, and | was talking
tC somebody. or trying to talk, for the
incrssant twitter of Il small voice a
few feet away made conversation diff
cult.
Yes, l met him recently ut Il din
ner at Mrs. Lowden's," the voice said
il was the voice of Mrs. Iioppin. An
,~eloqucntly vacant look came into the
face of my companion. She was not
listening to me, which was well enough.
for | was paving no attention to what
| said. 1T was Il charming dinner-a
most delightful set of people one al
ways meets at the Lowdens." | could
tell from the infection that the person
to whom she spoke WAS not so fortu-
nate as to know the Lowdens. Let me
see; who were there? l am sure you
know them all" Then came h Il list
again. and for n second time l felt
the strange thrill that comes with an
unexplained mystery.
Mrs. Hoppin twittered on. her sharp
notes cutting their way through the
soft hum of the general conversation
about us. She really had never had
such n charming dinner as that. She
must be excused for speaking of it, for
it was like an event in ones life, don't
you know.