The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-11-22
came. and here the note dropped from

came and here the note dropped from
| her hands, t2 Il s885t
Red Oaks was at its pretttest when
Miss Hester behed It. Some OF the
| trees. though the season was late glow
ed In scarlet and russell against the dark
pines Through the white columns OF
/ the wide porch she could see the hall
and library full OF chrysanthemums--
white. maroon. golden and sllvcry pink
Their pungent aromatic fragrance was
in the air. and as she entered the house.
amidst the Joyous welcomes OF her friends.
she was greeted by the exquisite and elu-s.
sIve sweetnessl Of a few perfect last fall, {
roses. placed here and there In tall slen-i
der glasses transparently clear as Saf
bubble and with the same irrideseent
fairness. Both these and the old Jap-!T
anese bowls that held the chrysanthe-
! NUNS had come to Mary from far, OFT \
lands and had their family legends some-
times told In the dusk or by a dying fire.
On the dinner table aacrystal bowl
| famed wlthgthe spicy nasturttums and I
their whlte.veined leaves, Over the old 4
| family portraits we're autumn leaves OF Y
| trailing sprays OF scarlet and ebony ber.S3
| ries, and these hung also from the covers !
az the hlsh.carved man tells In the library
while the open fire, burning among the \
I snining brnsses OF the old fire dogs
and tall fender. kept up the rich tone ct
otithe furniture. splndle-legged and claw
footed. and the high wood Wainscotting,
Drowned with age. Some quaint pans
eed mirrors repeated the scene In long
perspective. and the sunny. scented air.
came In throug h open windows w ~
sign OF delighted relief sank into thu
Morris chair. hich her host had eagerly
| dra wn forward for her. 4. 59itz " S;;
..Rlchard.. she exclaimed. you ,haye&
not lost one bit Of your charming NAM
l.ner. And Mary. my dear Mary. what. I
home you have; It Is worth e even y. thsS
\ drive have und ergone to see. this. and 4
she gazed with pleasure at the sau:aaii1.t.a
old fashioned setting. and the contrast I; ots
| brilliant flowers and the chlluren 8 bright
! young faces. 81 IA IL t.s..Sat
You must be very. very tired. !" MUIR
! INJURED Mrs. Bland. sympnthetically. MISS
! Van Wyck had always been slender. 6qt
4 now she looked SO frail. so delicately flnef
! In her silk and laces
Mary caught neri mothers eye and van-
ished for a moment to bring back 81
! small silver tray with some crisp Wafersg
and small glass OF fragrant cordial
that brought a faint color to Miss Hes
! ter's cheeks.
~ shall only have the pleasure OF sees
ing you during dinner" Mr.. Bland res
marked. when the first pause came In the
J eager talk between his wife and her OLD
! friend "a neighbor has sent for me on 4
come pressing urgency. but pleaded tor
| d short delay In order to see you AGAIN..
4''N1y dear ne added. In q tone OF sur
prise to Ills wife, "dld you know It was
half-past two?''
At the same moment Mary the second
/ stole softly In, and said something IN a
low voice to her mother. She arose ana
went out, while Mary took the tootstoo!
beside Miss Hester's chair and began
| no m i liaai
..Alother has always taught US to love
it," she said with smiling calm. though
she was nmostly conscious OF hurrylnk
figures In the rooms, and an awtu' 40.
sence OF hurry, or. sndeed. motion OF
any sort In the kitchen. S5s
(, She was listening with an. air OF deon-
ost interest when a distant clock struck
three. Mr., Bland vanished,
| A catastrophe had happened. Tho pan.
try keys were lost. An hours search had
been in vain. The desperate e%pedlent
| OF removing. the door py- force heo tailea:s
| been borrowed and would not enter the
Everything was cooked. was ready. also
more than ready. but Mary had arranged
| on the pantry table all the delicate emma.
the old French silver that was 70 sracsI
ing. the salads, all had been placed there
| for GOODNESS. There. too. were the pickles !
ana lellies and sauces. the pride OF the
page and Bland housewIfery, the heat.
Ing Island tho slyn buh the blanc
mango cupid asleep. surrounded ~ rose
colored Jelly. even the cream tor w
! coffee and the egg SHELF coffee cups and !
| Tiny spoons. all these We're locked up:tnS
| tht pantry. Everything was at an aosor
| lute standst!ll,
Aunt Chloe was thunder cloud Of y
wrath and despair: the injury to her
dishes and her perfect cooking was
doubly emb!ttered by the presence q
dat white woman from Yankee land"
| as she turned the decorous and silent
Anne! Even Mrs. Rland"feltrtthe sting
OF this; nothing ever went wrong, az tne
manor. everything occurred AZ the pre-
else moment. and IN ,Ae set o. : nnss
Inns she could read her idsa Of south
am wnys!" Il was quartar,to four!
But she could not rend ~ accept defeat
and dinner half served. She returned
to her quest with light step and unv
! ,uffled brow, though her coler had risen
4 a little. 4,
%"hlary. look in my room once more
wan ito show YOU this miniature Of my
grandmother when she danced With COL
incl Van Wyck",
Miss. Hester rose to look ana somethlpe
tangled. "
ring OF triumph In her voice, a.. she
asftly removed them. She remembered
now that she had carried the keys NJ
Fer hand when she had nut the enrdlal
and waters on the silver tray: and aiteIf
wards she Ind been sitting In the Morris
chair when she heard the carriage at
| the door. II
She mus, have dropped them then. and
their guest had been sitting on them
all day.
Pumpkin Pie,