The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1906-08-31
Messages Mixed.

as pathetic as she could. at was
all, she told the other girl in the
stunning toque, because 1 was in
too great q hurry to use paper and
pen. But 1t seems to me they might
nave had more sense-only men ney-
err do"
1T sounds slightly involved"
murmured her friend, wrinkling her
brow interestedly.
On, explained the girl in the new
gown, I'm speaking of the elabo-
rate and thorough misunderstanding
there Is between JEFF Hawtrey and
Mr.. Ferguson and myself. Nell was
spending a week with me and there
was one vacant evening that l had
10 NIL up. | concluded that I'd have
a table of whist and that I'd get JEFF
and Mr.. Ferguson to make up the
four 1t was nearly dinner time then.
so there was no use telephoning to
thetr offices. l asked Augusta, our
new maid, to take the messages to
their homes. You know Jeff's home
Is Just around the corner and Mr..
Ferguson's people live only three
blocks away. Augusta is an obliging
little creature and listened carefully
to orders.
Go to Mr.. Ferguson's first
said, and tell him that Miss Bing-
ham would like to have him come
over and play whist this evening and
TO please bring along the new deck
of cards his sister borrowed of me for
her party. Then go to Mr.. Hawtrey's
and tell him the same. Ask him also
If, when he runs up to the corner for
cigars'-he always does that, you
know after dinner-'he would be so
good as to get me a pound OF
cheese l thought a rarebit would
be nice, and know JEFF so we'll that
l didn't mind asking the favor.
Nell and l got into our most
fetching gowns and I lighted all the
shaded lamps and made things as
nice as possible. There's no telling
just what may impress a man, you
know, and Mr. Ferguson-well,
never saw any one quite like himl
He's So"
I've no doubt you are right"
broke in the girl in the stunning
toque, as though stopping some
thing she had heard before. "Wel?"
Well We had dinner and waited.
Then we waited some more. 1t got to
be $50. Then l sought Augusta
Yes. she had done exactly as l tod
her. l couldn't imagine what mad
happened, because if they had not
been coming they would have let me
know Finally at $50 l answered
the bell. On the step stood Mr. Fer
guson and he lifted his hat politely.
Good evening" he said. Here's
your cheese Then he started to de-
part.
Wait a minute" l called wildly.
Aren't you-didn't you-you're
coming in, aren't you?"
He seemed surprised and not at
all anxious to follow me into the
hall Just then Jeff came around
the corner out of breath and dashed
in.
Here's the cards. he said.
Best l could do-and I've no idea
what it all means-and what on
earth Miss Griswold will do to ne
don't know
"By this time I had come par
TALLY out of my trance. | knew there
was something wrong all around.
Did you two men intend to accept
my invitation or not?' I demanded
point blank.
They looked at each other va
guely. Then l told them to sit down.
Next l began to ferret out the mys-
terry.
1T seems when Mr.. Ferguson got
home his small sister was just leav-
ing for party and fired the novel
news at him that Miss Bingham had
sent word that he was to bring her
pound of cheese for a rarebit and
not to fail. Augusta had mixed the
cheese and the deck of cards. Well,
Mr.. Ferguson had an important en-
tdSChlCAht Jul Allo lAtlNuA al PO4ANChtoo
led him to obey orders. l got 1t out
of him that he had been to ten stores
before he found the cheese l wanted.
Thus he had missed his appointment.
I gathered that only his early train
ing restrained him from expressing
his feelings.
LAS for JEFF, the cook told him
that Miss Pinkham wanted him to
come to party and bring a deck Of
cards that had sister on them. That
slightly staggered JEFF. There hap
pens to be a Miss Pinkham who has
moved into our neighborhood, an
awfullY pretty girl whom he had
never met.
well. he tore down to the drug
store to find playing cards with
girl of some sort on them. He didn't
know why Miss Pinkham specified
particular artistic design or why she
has specified any, and 1t was queer
all around, but he wasn't missing
any chances to oblige such a stun
ming girl, even If she was eccentric.
He says words would fail If he ever
attempted TO repeat the scene which
occurred when he reached Miss
Pinkham's house. After he con-
vinced her that he was not an insane
man she was very lovely, but-well,
Jef felt edgewise toward me, and l
don't see how l was to blame. And
he had promised to take Miss Girls
void to the theater that evening. And
neither of the men had had a hint
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