The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1903-12-11
SPADBROOK'S PARTY.

I've been all morning working On
those dinner invitations" said Mra
Spaobrook. "ano I'm not at all satisfied
with them now.
Trying TO decide whom 10 ask. sup
pose" said Spadbrook.
Why. of course"
We'll. that beats me. You go at a
thing OF that kind as il it were matter
involving the very finest diplomacy.
You sit up nights worrying about il, and
it takes you a week after you give a
party TO get the thought wrinkles out OF
your forehead. It's all nonsense You
know who your friends are. Well, why
don't you ask 'em. and have done with
1t? The way I'd do. I'd just take my
visiting list and invite 'em in consec-
utive dozens. Then when they came Id
turn EN- loose on each other. set up a
feed, and let it go at that. I'd"
Yes" said Mrs Spadbrook, "you
would manage very nicely, | dare say"
"Oh, I'm no society queen, | Know.
but | don't see why common sense
shouldn't apply to a social function. I'll
tell you; you let me pick the bunch the
next time. I'll show you how to do it. E"
Very we'll" said Mrs. Spadbrook:
81 think we'll have to give little
party in honor of Isabel" said Mrs.
Spadbrook about a week later. Wed
better ask i 10 dinner, which, with
ourselves, will be about as many as Will
be comfortable, and then. say 20 or so
for the evening. We can have in Bor-
rodini's orchestra. and have a little
dancing"
Just leave it all to me-" said Spad-
brook. "I'll fix up the social success OF
the year. You told me l could run the
next one"
I'm afraid you'll"
afraid nothing. When do you want
it? A week from to-day? All right.
Twelve to dinner, yon say, and 20 more
for the light fantastic toe. Sherbet, |
suppose, or some refrigerating mixture
of that sort? Consider it done"
He grabbed sheaf of stationery from
his wife's escritoire, and with her little
to his den, from which he emerged half
an hour later with bundle of stamped
and sealed notes and triumphant ex-
preston.
"Twenty-eight minutes" he said.
Nov, | allow 80 minutes more for tele-
phoning 10 the maestro of the mandolin
mob and the caterer-making allowance
for connection land you have an hour
for the transaction of a piece OF business
that would have kept you in a flutter
for days"
Spadbrook opened the acceptances
himself He said he did that to spare
Mrs. Spadbrook any needless anxiety.
She looked anxious, nevertheless, on
the evening of the function. AS she
was making her toilet Spadbrook called
from his dressing-room to inform her
that he had forgotten to telephone TO
Borrodini until that day, and that when
he did call that talented musician had
a prior engagement
"Never mind" continued Spadbrook,
cheerfully, in response to his wife's elo-
quent silence. I'm equal to operating
the piano player. The point | make Is
that people will entertain themselves.
The guests arrived. If Mrs. Spad-
brook was surprised or apprehenslve
she concealed it admirably. Her hus-
band was overlooking with cordial well
come, and she did her part.
The dinner was good dinner, but in
spite of the strenuous efforts of host
and hostess the guests were solemn and
constrained beyond expression. At fire.
ouent. intervals there were appalling
silences.
There were several young people
among the after-dinner guests, but their
Youthful gayety seemed to be smothered
before they were in the house hve MIN
utes. Spadbrook essayed the piano
player. but no enc seemed to feel like
dancing. Here and there two persons
would converse in funereai undertone.
and one or two groups seemed to be en-
Toying the evening fairly well, but the
general effect was depressing.
Spadbrook found an opportunity to
speak to his wife. For Heavens sake
hunt up some stereopticon views and
tell me where I'll find the family album.
he said in an agonized whisper I've
tried everything else. Can't you starr
something's"
"Let them entertain themselves" she
said, smiling.
After it was all over and the Spad'
brooks were alone, Mrs. Spadbrook took
the floor.
Hold up your head, my dear she
said You'll live this down. No, 1t die
not beat-what you say 1t beat? 1t wat
not at all surprising. AS you say. they
we're all good people. individuality; many
of them most entertaining; but as
crowd thev were CHASTITY. You didGt
take time to consider their relation ont
to the other. that's all. You didn't stoy
70 think that the Waldrons and thu
Timmeys weren't on speaking tern
since Ellis Waldron's engage ment WIT
announced. did you? Or that Mrs. Dacy
supported Mrs. Stephenson for the clrs
presidency. ard that she and the Sroon'