Waterbury Democrat., 1903-01-14
Those Brown $ t O ne
 Rows

y satisfaction, in his full-lengths mirror in the corner. Then he picked up the n ote of invitation and read'it through once more.
 I've want you to be sure and ceme," 1t said, 'for we have invited just the kind of a crowd you like--i. e.. you won't know a soul. We appreciate the fact that you are getting blase, and that you are tired of seeing tho same l peeple~-variety with you"is indeed the spice of life-therefore come andmeet | those whom you have never met be- fore Save myself and Kitty, all our guests will be strangers--and attrac- l tive ones--to you"
 P. Chauncey Dickerson smiled quiet 1 iy. Perhaps" he said, 'theylnow me better than I know myself. On the whole I'm glad they do."
 1 He tuckedt the note away, among his other correspondence and dsallied forth It was just six o'clock and the little dinner was at seven. The Townsends lived about mile away. Hesmade up his mind to saunter slowly up the avenue and reach the lacefabouBten minutes ahead of time. The evening was a fine one, and F. Chauncey's thoughts were pleasant. He was at peace with all the werld. { "Eighty-sevcnth streetl" he finally exclaimed to himself. By Georgel I came near going past it." He looked, at his watch. Just 15 minutes to seven --he had walked very leisurely up th e. street.
 "And now.'' he continued. "forn,1In- ber eight-ffty-nine." The Townsends, had moved since his last visitsto their 1 house. Townsend had dmade afbitdown on the street. and,having made it'found l it necessary to Spendtit, hencsbhe inn l proved neighborho oodl in which he had made his h ome. I It was dark ! land the numbers were hard to find, but Dickerson found l eight-ffty-n right. Helookedat the house frstfand the number after-y ward-it'was. .all right, the house was all lit up. Then he rang thesbell. A I maidf appeared. SheNlooloed, at him in an expectant. sort of wayN and he l steppedhintosthe hall.
 "You're- a little late" she said with a quiet smile, land they're all down stairs at dinner. Will you go down at once?"
 'Latei" exclaimed Chauncey. He, looked at his watch gain. It was but ten minutes of seven. Then his eye I caught sight of a clock.in the Parlor.i Like all clocks, it was out of order. It said five minutes after seven. Dick erson reminded himself that Town send and his wife were the soul of < 1@ had not waited. And+ yet he felt to, himself that the Townsends had some how sighted him-he always,had been sort of lion in their house. Things always sort of centered round him I when he went there. However. it was a slight matter, he concluded. He turned to the girl
 "Ill go down at once," he replied to the girl. Sheled the way. As he descended he heard the sound of laughter and confusion such as attends the fourth or fifthtcourse of dinner.
 Then he entered the room and looked around. Townsend had been right. The people were all strangers -and not half bad. either, so he req soned with himself, as he glanced at one of two of the feminine members of the crowd. But he didn't know a soul. There was his chair all right an empty place all ready for him. He stood there. They did not ses him. He looked around again. Yes, they were all unknown to him, except
 Townsend and his.
 "Why, where the deuce is Town
 send?" he exclaimed aloud. The crowd
 at the table turned and looked at him.
 But no face there was that of Town
 send or his wife. What the dickens did it mean?
 The man at the head of,the table l round, good-natured sort of man
 looked nonplused for amin stant, and
 then rose and addressed him.
 ''I beg your pardon, sir" he ex- claimed with polite. upward in-
 nectton of the voice, 1nclining his head toward Dickerson.
 Dickerson glared at him for short space of time, but finally found his
 voice.
 "I-1 expected to see Mir. Townsend
 here" he explained in a faint voice. "Townsend?" queriedthe other, with a half-puzzled expression of counte-
 nance. "Townsend2"
 ! ''Yes, Townsend,'' insisted MT. P : Chauncey Dickerson. Surely this is
 No. s5s West Eighty-seventh street, is
 1t not?" The other mans face lighted up and he broke into roar of laughter. Ii was some time before he spoke. "You-you are No. 13, sir," he re- . turned, addressing Dickerson. Dicher' = son glanced at the assembled guests. ' NO. 13-at the table, sir2" he in 1 quired, with hesitation.
 7 "No" replied the man, you're No
 i3-the thirteenth man who has mis 3 taken this for Townsend's house since
 Townsend moved up here. Is it R. B 4 Townsend that you're looking for?' Chauncey gasped' andrnodded. 4 "Eight-sixty-nine is his number, my
 dear sir. He lives just five doorsaway.
 Dear mel" exclaimed P. ChaunceJ in much confusion, these brownstont