Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-05-14
would make The Bugle nav roundly

| MATS. IllCnTlSt, ue Sdlu.
"Of course you have been her friend
straight through. How sorry I am I
have not been lucky enough to meet
her here"
ooh, yes, she comes here, but not
when there are people. My dear boy,
she has not had a decent frock in ten
years. OF course you don't want
frights in your drawing room, not un-
less they happen to be heather gods or
Chinese images or geniuses," Mrs. Gil
christ said. She prided herself upon
her frankness, albeit it was a some
what intermittent quality. THAT is
why 1 must be certain" she went on.
"As you see, I'm sending out cards for
| a luncheon. Since you gave me your
word for this, shall write upon them
| all, TO meet John Desmond The 9TH
er women will be wild, but they ought
to know by this time that it is my priv
| ilege to have all sorts Of celebrities be-
fore they do"
"You will let me come, too" Charlier
said in his most pleading accent. Mrs.
Gilchrist shook her head. "Impossi-
ble," she said. "There should never be
men in any company unless there are
enough to 60 round"
at is simply beyond belief" the
major said, folding and unfolding a
hundred dollar bill. Our hard time
over, little girl! To think you have
genius like the genius Of the lamp
in that head Of yours!'
"You are Aladdin and shall summon
1t at will. Remember, though. geniuses
of all sorts must work." said Cornelia,
taking up her pen as there came a
knock at the door, light, well breu
rap that made her spring to her feet
and say:
"There is Alice Gilchrist, pappy. Not
word to her,"
"You dear, obliging creature, to bios.
som out as q celebrity in Lent just as
we were all dying for something new
to talk aboutw Mrs. Gilchrist said
breathlessly, holding Cornelia at arms
length and looking her critically over.
"No, am not going to congratulate.
you," she ran on. "All my felicita-
tions are for the major. Dear Major
Thornley,, can you sleep Of nights fol
pride in this girl, this naughty girl,
who must not be allowed longer to
hide her light under bushel?'
81 am no more proud Of her now than
I was the day she was born," Major
Thornley, said. "You forget that she il
her mothers daughter"
"And her fathers, too," Mrs. Gil
christ said suavely. "Major, know d
drive will help you. My carriage is at
the door. Do let it take you for spin
over the boulevard"
The major went, asking himself,
what did Clara want that she sends
me out Of the way"
Cornelia had known intuitively Clara
had n passion for celebrities, particu'
larly fine new ones. In her own mind
she had often debated the point wheth'
er or no Mrs. Gilchrist would not pay
literally to make collection Of them
as she collected other curios The puz
zling thing was how Clara had thus
early found out the identity of John
Desmond. Though she herself did no'
care to remain unknown. she had no
meant to reveal herself ahead OF Me
Cullom's announcement.
"There Is no need for me to say
am pleased-you know it without,
| Mrs. GilchrIst ran on. But do, dear
Cornelia. tell me all about 1t, how you
wrote the book and why and all that
Charlier of The Bugle is simply wild
over it. | had told him something OF
your life, and he said that explained 81
much in the book-that you were like
champagne frappe-this colorless life
of yours had driven in your soul emo
tions and aspirations until they were
all concentrated in that book like the
, soul of the wine"
THANK him for nothing. That Is the
| tritest, most we'll worn simile,' Corne
liza said with laugh. "Truly. Clara,
YOU have been dreadfully imposed on
| Tm not famous. All there Is to 1t Is
that a Rope of Sand has sold rathe!
well, and because readers like 1t Other
publishers want my work"
| "And that Is what being famous
means, you precious humbug" Mrs
| Gilchrist retorted. "And you are com
| ing to lunch with me and meet the very
cream of my set week from Satur
day. You must. The cards went the
very minute l knew. l shall so enjoy
introducing you. Every woman of then
has read your book"
Cornelia laughed softly. Then She
shook her head.
81 am awfully sorry, Clara" she said
"but your invitation is not in time"
"Oh, if you have an engagement
! break It," Mrs. Gilchrist said imperi
ously. 81 simply can't do without you
Remember told you the people hat
been asked to meet you."
"You will have to do without me not
| withstandlng," Cornelia said good hu
| moredly. Let us be honest, Clara; W.
| always have been that. l have no Ell
! gagement of any sort, but your invita-
| ton is too late by just ten years. On
! know l could not have accepted !
then, but you might have trusted Il
my discretion not to make you asham
ed. While l hope we shall often se'
| each other it must be in the old IN
formal way"
"You don't mean that you intend t
| cut the whole world, do youT Mrs
/ Gilchrist asked, her cheeks very hot
"Unless you do, give me leave to tel
| you other people would have treate'
| you the same as l have done, oni!
worse"
every likely" Cornelia said. "but yo'
see, Clara, / don't know 1t. so can Civ
y IN HrsnnrS