The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1905-02-24

But the worst so tar exceeded any thing
that could have been foreseen or expected
that it is doubtful if either Mr.. or Mrs.
Burton was prepared for it. Certainly
Mr.. Renwick was not. For when the
two gentlemen followed the smiling host
ess into the little dining room, three as
tonished pairs of eyes rested upon the
platter, empty save for a disarranged
border of parsley, which stood before the
hosts plate. Upon the otherwise spot
less tablecloth was a trail of grease as if
a large piece of meat had been dragged
acrossi lit, and mark strongly resembling
the imprint of dogs muddy paw. The
bird.dog was nowhere in sight, but from
under the table came sound that was
as the crunching of bones.
Mr.. Burton CALCULATED:
Great Scott
Mrs. Burton uttered an irrepressible
little shrek of disrnay. But Mr.. Rem
wick, as was his right, lifted a corner of
the tablecloth and pulled forth his recent
~ SANiuliSu PSI, VIM SAoNASd at DSLhS
thus disturbed, and held fast to what re-
manned of the canvasback.
Now when the guests dog has most
unwarrantably purloined the hostess
piece de resistance, the situation presents
difficulties unprovided for in any book of
etiquette. For a moment no one spoke
for the reason, probably, that no one
knew what to say. Then Mr.. Renwick,
obeying not unnatural impulse, would
have punished the dog had not Mrs. Bur
ton prevented.
"He's such a dear dog" she pleaded, a
Diet aiming hand laid gently on the politi-
clans arm. And I'm sure he must have
been hungry; he only did what you or l
would have done in his place
"Well," Mr. Renwick confessed candid
ly, II never tried to put myself in dogs
place, but dare say you are right. And,
come to think of it, he hash been fed to-
day, unless Jackson gave him something
before he brought him around this morn
ing"
81 was sure of it," said Mrs. Burton
triunphantly Then he may go back
under the table, or perhaps into the
kitchen would be better, and finish his
duck in peace"
Mrs Burton was beaning as she shut
the dog in the kitchen.
II daresay he's enjoying the duck a lot
more than we would she said, and her
husband smiled behind his mustache.
But the guest thought otherwise, for
duck, as it happened, was his favorite
| meat.
The little dinner progressed merrily
and without further mishap. When her
guest accepted second helping of salad,
Mrs. Burton almost ventured to hope
that perhaps, after all, things were not
so bad as they seemed. When he ate the
heavenly pudding" with obvious enjoy
ment, and looked with favor upon his
tiny cup of clear, strong coffee, she drew
long breath of relief, and told herself
that Notwithstanding its inauspicious
| beginning, the end of her dinner, at least,
was all that her heart could desire
With recovered good spirits she smiled
into her husbands eyes when she loft the
two men to their cigars. Renwick, who
was bachelor not from choice, but be-
cause he had never met the right woman,
smiled sympatheticaly. He quite APP
proved of little Mrs. Burton. And the
dinner had been very nice. But he
thought with a trace of lingering regret
of the duck. 1t was outrageous to have
had such thing to happen. He certain
ly owed Mrs. Burton some sort of repa-
ration; and as the offense had been with
out precedent, so must he make amends
in some distinctly original way. He lit
his second cigar and lapsed into brown
! study. Finally he spoke.