Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1905-06-16
The Fourteenth Guest

ed in the regulation uniform which
society has allotted to men for even
ing wear, stood titfully on the door
step, sheltering himself from the
rain beneath the classic portico.
The night was so unpleasant that
the street was well nigh deserted,
and it therefore happened that for
sewers minutes the NJ. u. scanned
the thoroughfare without espying a
wayfarer At length, however, "A tall,
well built young man ambled past
the house.
lie was shabbiIy dressed, but there
was something in his bearing which
proclaimed good breeding, and this
was sufficient for Mr.. Parker Jones
present and somewhat eccentric pur-
pose.
Hi! H" he shouted. "Er-
could You come up here for a mo-
ment:"
The young man stopped short and
regarded him with amazed ewes.
what do You want" he asked in
well bred but surly tone.
Il want to speak to YOU"
The youth hesitated for a mo-
ment and then swung himself into
the doorway.
"Er-come in here out of the
rain" muttered Mr.. Parker Jones.
He led the way into a small
smoke room at the rear of the house
and then, surveying the young man,
said abruptly:
Are You disengaged this even
ing:"
The other smiled bitterly.
$40 tell YOU the truth" he re-
piled, Il had an engagement with a
certain parsonage whom we must all
meet at some time"
"Er-who may that be?" asked
Mr.. Parker Jones.
Death" replied the youth. and
his voice was 50 harsh that the NJ. p
leaped backward in terror.
Dear, dear! How shocking"
murmured the NJ. p. Il presume
you are-er-unfortunate
Il am starving. Haven't had a
meal since Yesterday"
Mr.. Parker Jones rubbed his
hands.
Upon my word, this is most for
tunate," he observed, for my OBJ
iect in summoning YOU to my house
was to invite you to dinner
The youth stared.
Dinner" he echoed. Il have
almost forgotten the meaning of the
word"
"Then refresh your memory by
making one of my wife's party this
evening | perceive that YOU are a
gentleman and that YOU will do moth
ing to make me regret my some
what unconventional invitation"
The youth smiled.
81 certainly don't eat my food
like a savage, if that is what you
mean," he replied. "But why on
earth have you bestowed this honor
upon me-"
For the very best of reasons.
My wife is the most superstitious
person in London and absolutely re-
fuses to sit down thirteen at table" "
He then went on to explain that
the fourteenth guest had been pre-
vented from attending by reason of
a domestic loss and that as there
had been no time to hire a profes-
sional diner out he had been COM
PEELED to fall back upon the first
likely person whom he had espied in
Park lane.
"Well, this is lucky accident for
me" observed the young man, with
a laugh, "and | can promise you
that | shall do justice to your cook 5
achievements. But | can't sit down
to dinner in these clothes.
"Of course not Come to my room,
and you shall have an evening suit
of my sons, which he left behind
when he went to Oxford. Your fig
ure is-er-very similar to his, and
the clothes will fit you fairly we'll"
Now, the NJ. P.'s behavior was
certainly unusual, but he was in
fear of his wife, and as that lady
had announced her intention of
abandoning the dinner party unless
a fourteenth guest could be pro
cured, Mr.. Parker Jones had decid-
ed to do the first desperate deed that
occurred to his inventive brain.
Hence did it come about that half
an hour later Mr.. Talbot Lake stood
in the drawing room, garbed in
snowy shirt and splendid clothes,
chatting with his hostess as though
he had lived in Park lane all his life
and had never dined on sausage and
mashed potatoes.
Mrs. Parker Jones was delighted
and beamed upon the youth with
great kindliness, introduced him to
pretty Maisie Hope and asked him
10 take that young lady down.
The dinner was good, and the
talk was not more dull than usual,
so that he enjoyed himself immense
". But there was skeleton at the
| n 4 4 I