The Indianapolis journal., 1904-05-15
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sAAsese~ The mothers of the girls also hold
opinions on the subject; one agrees with
the girls: the other thinks that hospitality
is beautiful thing, but that it is frequent
ly unappreciated
That is the effect. This is the cause. One
of those lovely cool afternoons last week
Mother and Daughter Number One dressed
themselves up in their purple and fine hats
and went calling. Now everybody who has
ever gone calling knows that one thing
that the caller most ardently desires is
that the person called upon should not be
at home; while the person called upon is
equally fervent in thanksgiving that she
was not at home-if she is fortunate
enough not to be- The object of calls is not
to see the person called upon but merely
to have been there, while, on the, other
hand, the object of being called upon is not
to be there. In the course of the afternoon
the mother and daughter found themselves
in the neighborhood where a certain dear
friend of the daughters lives. I've owed
Martha a call for months--and this would
be a fine time to pay it," said the daughter.
'.But Eleanor, you know Mrs. Jones and
1 have never called each other-and L
really don't know that l care to add to my
list. It's all 1 can do to keep UP with it
now. Besides she has lived here so much
longer than / that L wouldn't care to call
on her first. You'd better put it off till an
other time
"Oh mother; you know how hard it is for
me to come calling at all. / tell you-you
just wait out in the carriage. Sit back and
they won't see you from the house-they've
got great big yard anyway, and the house
is so far off. And even If Martha is at home
and hope to goodness she isn't, because
I'm tired to death-why I'll, only stay few
minutes. That's the only decent thing about
formal calls-there's so little of them.H
Mother was finally coaxed into the sit
ting far back in the carriage and waiting.
"But mind, it's a very short few minutes,
even if she's at home" she adjured. Daugh-
ter agreed and rustled along the walk and
up the steps.
why, I'm just as sorry as 1 can be to
think Martha isn't at home,' said Mother
Number Two at the door.
Miss Eleanor was even sorrier. Dear me.
isn't it too bad" she exclaimed with real
feeling in her voice. I'VE live so far apart
and we so seldom see each other. You tell
her I'm too sorry for anything to miss
her" This in spite of the fact that down in
her deceitful little heart she was saying de-
voutly. well. thank goodness
Mother Number Two was struck with a
sudden idea. But she's just run up to
James for a while with her sewing she
said That's only few squares away.
You come in and I'll telephone her to come
right home
'Oh, no; couldn't bother you.'' protested
Eleanor politely
''Why. my dear. it's no bother at all. 1t
seems such a shame for you to miss her
when you've come so far-and you're so
disappointed, too. You just come right in
and sit down. and I'll call her right up
'But l wouldn't take her away from an
other engag cement for anything" said
Eleanor family.
Engagement. Why, she's only gone up
to her sister James, that's all. Why, she'd
never forgive me If let you go away with
her near"
So Eleanor rustled in and sank down in
a corner of the parlor and waited while
Mother Number Two rang up Jane and in
structed Martha to come right home.
Martha, a good six squares away from
Eleanor waiting in her purple and fine hat
in the parlor, expressed her opinion vigor-
ously. What on earth did you ask her to
stay for?" she walled. Here 1 am with this
old torn shirtwaist and this sloppy skirt
/ just threw on my long coat to come here.
/ don't want to see her anyway hate
formal calls. And she's just as mad as l
am. too, 1 know. Oh, well, l suppose I'll
have to come
Il couldn't tell her you were out here
waiting. could /? And she just made me
come in and stay till Martha came home. -
three-quarters of an hour later to a white,
wrathful mother who was very tired of sit
ting back in the carriage to render
herself unseen; while Mother Number Two
explained TO an almost equally wrathful
daughter that Eleanor was so disappointed
that she simply couldn't let her go away
without seeing her. Consequently, for that
more to be commended in the breach than
in the observance.
The old lady in the corner of the street
car attracted considerable attention. from
the other passengers because of her total
disregard Of them. Her eyes were as bright
as those of youth and they cleaned be-
meath the rusty straw bonnet with it's
scanty trimmings. as she turned her head
eagerly from right TO left
Now, you'd never although this avey-
moo would a-growed up like this now, would
you, John?' She nudged the old man who
sat beside her, his chin resting on his two
hands crossed on his stick. why. it's get
tin reel grand, declare. Don't you remem-
ber this was just where Charley had his
little store. It's changed a good DEAL but
still it looks kind o. natural"
The squares flew by and the old lady be-
gan TO look little dubious. Il declare now.
wouldn't it be awful il We had took the
wrong car. john she said I'm gettin'
reel anxious. must say. Young man." she
beckoned 10 the conductor with a gnarled
but imperious forefinger. Young man. are
you sure that this here car will take us to
535 Blank street."
Just as near as you can get there on a
car" returned the conductor. ''Tll tell YOU,
lady. where to get off, We amt near there
yet.
The old lady subsidized. though her tense
uprightness as she sat on the edge of the
seat. and her anxious glances betrayed that
she had not yielded her doubt. Far down
the line the conductor rang the bell and the
car stopped. This is your street, lady,
he called; you walk two squares over
from here"
The old man half rose. but the old lady
clutched his arm and dragged him down.