Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-16

late last night and wasn't feeling good.
Porter did not mention the ball to
Wheaton in any way, except when he
threw over to him a memorandum of the
banks subscription to the fund, remark
ing: Send them a check. That's all Of
that for one year."
Wheaton made no reply. but did as Por-
ter babe him. 1t was his business to ac-
commodate himself to the president 8
moods, and he was very successful in doing
80. few of the banks customers made
use of him as a kind of human barometer,
telephoning sometimes to ask how the old
man was feeling, and whether 1t was a
good time to approach him. He attributed
the presidents retcence this morning to
late hours and was very careful to answer
promptly when Porter spoke to him. He
knew that there would be no recognition by
Porter of the fact that he had participated
in public function the night before; he
would have to gather the glory of 1t else
where. He thought of Evelyn in moments
when his work was not pressing. and Won
dered whether he could safely ask her
father how she stood the nights gaiety. 1t
occurred to him to pay his compliments by
telephone; Raridan was always telephoning
to girls; but he could not gut tie put himself
in Raridan's place. Wary presumed a good
deal, and was younger; he did many things
which Wheaton considered undgnified.
though he enved the younger mans ease
in carrying them off.
One OF Porter's callers asked how Miss
Porter had "stood the racket" as he
phrased it.
Don't ask me-" growled Porter. Didn't
show up for breakfast"
William Porter did not often eat salad at
midnight, but when he did 1t punished him.
AS Wheaton was opening the afternoon
mail he was called to the telephone box to
speak to Mrs Jordan. lady whom he had
met at the ball. She was inviting a few
some guests who were with her for the
carnival. She begged that Mr.. Wheaton
would pardon the informality of the in
yitation and come. He answered that he
should be very glad to come; but when he
got back to his desk he realized that he
had probably made a mistake the Jordans
were socially anomalous. and, there was
nothing to be gained by cultivating them.
However, he consoled himself with the rec
objection of one of Raridan's social dicta-
that dinner invitation should never be de-
clined unless smallpox existed in the house
OF the hostess. He swayed between the
disposition to consider the Jordans patroniz-
1ngly and an honest feeling of gratitude for
their invitation. as he bent over his desk
signing drafts.
He found the Jordans very cordial. He
was their star. and they made much OF
him: he was pleased that they showed him
real Difference; when he spoke at the
table, the others paused to listen. He
knew the other young men slightly; one
was clerk In railway Office. and the
other was the assistant manager of the
cftys largest dry goods house. The guests
were young women from Mrs Jordans old
home In Piqua, Ohio. (Mrs Jordan always
gave the name Of the state.) Wheaton
realized that these young women were
much easier to get on with than Miss Por-
ter and other young women he had known
latterly; they were more pOintedly inter-
ested in pleasing him.
After few days the carnival seemed to
be forgotten: Wheaton's fellows at The
Bachelors stopped joking him about it.
Rarfdan had never referred to 1t at all.
On Sunday the newspapers printed a
resume of the social features of the carni-
val. and Wheaton read the familiar story.
and all the other social news In the paper,
in bed. He noticed with twinge an item
stating that Mrs. J. Elihu Jordan had en-
tertained at dinner on Thursday evening
for the Misses Sweetser OF Ptqua, but was
relieved to find that neither paper printed
the names of the guests. The bachelors
were very lazy on Sunday morning. ex-