The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1903-11-26
"Iu take the bet, you rascal" she

to four of her very dearest friends and
four of her most esteemed" male ac-
quaintances.
Tom brought Cousin Horace home
with him that evening. and Mrs. Kings
land went on" over him as fondly as
young pullet over her first chick. He
was a big. sweet-voiced, soldierly man,
with yellow, curly hair and the man
ner of boy. Coming from the rigor-
GUS weather of Canada, he looked very
queer in his fur greatcoat. cap and
mittens, for the day was almost warm.
They had merry time at supper.
Kate was at her best, ami Tom, de-
lighted at the first chance he'd had in
year to take "A flyer" with a man
his wife could trust.
Kate, dear" he said at last, wink
ing slyly at his cousin, Horace has to
80 downtown to look after his lug
gage. 1t won't take us long"
"All right, Tom. III trust you with
Horace. know he'll take care of you.
Besides ! want you To mail some let
ters for me-the invitations You
l.now. Tom.
She SLIPPED the eight envelopes into
his hand and gayly slapped uIM oa .u.
back. The men smo .ed a few cigarettes
in the parlor chatting with Kate, be-
fore they started.
by Juve,' suortod the Canadian.
looking at his fur coat in the hall, "lIl
wear no coat, It's blooming tropical
place, Chicago"
"Oh, no, Il isn't, Horace" chimed
the solicitpus hostess; you must take
coat One of Tom's-the raglan,
Tom. It's too big for You, and you
can wear the top coat"
SO they bundled Cousin Horace into
the raglan and away went he and
Tom.
Mrs. Kingsland was sure of her
guests ami incidentally sure of new
sealskin coat Qor she meant to hold
Tom to his wager), but just the same
she began to get bit nervous at five
o'clock Thanksgiving afternoon when
she noticed that not one Of the seven
young folks had arrived. She remem-
bered explicitly having asked Martha
'Dinwiddie to come early. Dinner was
to be at six, and as she had received
no notes declining her invitations she
was yet confident, but
Tom and Horace, oblivious of her
growing misgivingS were listening to
her very latest and most glowing tri-
butte to the beauty, wit and grace OF
Martha Dinwiddie, and the handsome
lands judgment and appreciation. was
beginning to feel a yearning desire to
meet the much-vaunted Martha. Six
o'clock came and struck without either
Of the men noticing the change that
was coming over Kate. At 6:15 she
was in a nervous tremor; she made re-
peated trips to the kitchen, and at in
tervals stood by the window watching
the street Finally Tom pulled out his
watch, whistled softly, looked up and
blurted:
by jingo. Kate, your guests are
either late or they're not coming"
Ske stood before him ready to fly
into rage or weep. The tempest o
her disappointment, however, re
solved itself into tears, and in mo-
ren, Size W@s sOoDInS on Tom shoul
der
Il didn't think they'd do it, th'
Lear-l-ss ,aiugs.' she sobbed. "AnC
Martha. too, tie mink, She at leas
knew that ! had my heart SET on thi.
C.riC-u .0' dinner
Il was a.. ont now. Too late L
guard Ler mCrudlaGon from Cous.l
Horace. 100 la.e TO eyaGe the silen
sarcasm cf the waiting servants. to-
late even 20 avoid the Distressing seem
before lie. guest But he as wel. a
Tom came lravaly 10 the rescue.
Their loss. not ours. laughed Hor
ace. Let's eat up the whole Dime
ourselves. IN rayenous. and, excus
me. MIS-. I--.us.aud, ! don't know but
on the wly.e'I'M g!adder 70 have ou
dinner privately together. You know
! never was a beau. Ha, ha. hi-yi."
cC -Iey FlcE Cur rather rnournFrIl