Middletown transcript., 1902-01-04

H.
EH after their last guest, II do think
that the conversation of New
9lL York people is too triyisl for
ANYTHING in this world. "
ssBut, Kitty, what do you want OF other
than trivial conversation? You can't
expect group Of gay society people to
discuss the Immortality Of the soul or
the descent Of man when they spend
an eveaing socially with their friends. !"
81 don't see why not; or at any rate
they might talk on some et the stirring
Questions Of the day, and not confine
their remarks to the weather and the
theaters."
ssOh, my dear, I'm sure they talked on
other subjects than those. Why, Bob
Raymond was very entertaining and
made everybody laugh"
Eyes, at those absurd jokes OF his, and
what utter nonsense they werel Why, il
they had had the slightest point to them
it would have been excusable.- But tevery-
body laughed at their sheer nonsense.
!. When / USED to live in Boston it was very
different. =
st was indeed" said Mr.. Lawton, with
deep sigh of satisfaction. '1'n glad
rescued you from the Bostonian atmos-
pherek and brought you to live in New
York, where people may talk trivialities
but don't wear out their brains trying to
find out who wrote Shakespeare's works
or who was the Man in the Iron Mask. F"
They certainly do not" returned his
wife good-humoredly; ''but tomorrow
night the Gillinghams are coming to din
neF, and they're typical Bostonians3
though they live in New York now; and
really, Tom. for my sake, I wish you'd
make special endeavor to keep the tone
OF the conversation on little higher
plane"
''Oh, Kitty, dear. I'd do anything in
my power to please you, and y2u know
1t, but I can't positively can't take
part in one Of those transcendental con-
yersations. Ny spirit is willing, buHmy
brain is SO awfully weak"
'sNonsense, Tom; your brain isn't weak
at all. but you never want to exert it
enough to show what fine one you
have"
Thank you, Mrs. Lawton, for a very
pretty compliment, but I fear you over
rate my mentality, which is Of the ordi-
mary New York brand and would cut but
sorry figure against Bostonian gray
matter. Now, see here, Kit, why can't
be detained downtown tomorrow night
nd let you entertain your brainy friends
alone?"
''Oh, Tom, how can you suggest such a
thing? Why, don't you suppose I want
to show Mary Brooks Gillingham my
handsome husband? She's never seen
you, and for all she knows I might have
married an unpresentable fright"
"Well, I'm glad you think me orna-
mental, said Tom Lawton, meekly, tand
I wish I could be more useful. Could
you coach me little beforehand?'
RI could, only you'd make such mess
of my instructions. You always do,
even if it's only to serve the guests from
the right-hand end OF the platter But"
with sudden inspiration, s'I'll tell you
what I'll do-Tll give you a list Of SUBJ
jects to introduce, and then I'll take them
up and carry on the conversation. I'll
write it on slip of paper and pin it on
the tablecloth where it hangs down in
front of you. Then you can merely
glance downward to read it. | won't
give you anything really difficult to say.
Such topics as the Morphology Of the
Central Cylinder in the Angiosperms' I'll
introduce myself
"lWhewl I rather think you will /!
And what sort Of subjects will fall to my
share7''
.'Oh, I'll giFe you the Altruistic Out
lock frora Twentieth Century Viewpoint
Or something like that. Iwon't tell you
beforehand, because it would only mud
die you up; but if you read the topic on
She list you can announce il with that
dignifed legal air Of yours, and the Gil
iinghams are sure to be impressed"
"And then you'll take it right up. and
not leave me to founder helplessly in the
wake Of my own ship?"
'fOf course I will, and except for an in
telligent assent now and then, you needn't
speak again until there is another pause"
"All right. I am game, and I hope,
hAx.our sal,a Til - 4