Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1906-05-11
THEIR FIRST COURSE

were enormous. They were planning
the menu for very special club
luncheon.
This wouldn't worry me one bit
If we weren't inviting boys" Helen
confessed, anxiously Helen was the
one with smooth, yellow braids wound
round her head.
Il know; that makes us more par
ticular," agreed Louise, of the wavy.
black tresses. AS she spoke she lifted
two small hands and widened, yet
little more, the tremendous loops of
white ribbon which stood out behind
her ears
But Gertrude, whose soldy locks
were done up in curly halo-distract-
ing to behold and impossible to imi-
tate-tapped sheet Of paper with her
pencil and remarked.
Girls, every minute counts"
81 know It and so does every pen
ny. Still. we want the boys to think
we do things in style, of course" 1t
was Helen again.
do you think they'd like to begin
with oysters?" volunteered Louise.
ONSltTS! Iltleh . law tOOh OiA "
reminiscent smile "On the half she'll?
Well. can swallow them now, thanks
to Aunt Harriet's butler!"
Aunt Harriet's butler?" 1t was
not Gertrude who asked She was
pointedly looking at her watch.
Didn't | ever tell you. Louise?
never ate a ray oyster in my life I'M
til Aunt Harriet invited me to New
port. used to practice when I was
all alone and it wasn't a bit OF use.
I've been at places where 1t was posi-
lively rude to refuse them. but 1t was
q physical impossibility to do any
thing else until | got into that New
port residence OF Aunt Harriet's, and
her English butler fixed his eye on
me There were six oysters. just as
usual. | knew | couldn't. but | knew
he expected me to. 1t was an awful
feeling. knew l couldn't, no mat
ter what he expected but I felt him
looking-and then, to my own aston
ishment. took one of those oysters
on my fork and swallowed it! Since
then can do it every time!"
"Hurrah for youl" laughed Louise
81 was IL years old when | ate my
first and my father gave me a dollar
for doing it. 1t was huge, too-like
Thackeray's"
"Thackeray So"
Girls. we must get to work" inter
posed Gertrude. Whats this study
hour worth if we don't get out lunch
con planned"
That's right. Gertrude Helen con-
coded. I'VE might as well waste the
time getting our lessons if we aren {
going to do any real work. But just
let me hear about Thackeray first.
Go on. Louise
you've heard it. | know. and so
has Gertrude. He doubted the stories
about the size OF our oysters before
he came to America, and so James I.
Fields and some other friends of his
conspired and got the biggest ones
they could find anywhere-perfectly
mammoth. you knOw-and had them
served to Thackeray with all sorts or
apologies about their being so small.
yes" smiled Gertrude relaxing for
minute And Thackeray just
gasped when he looked at them.
remember what he said, too, after he
had disposed Of one. Fields whis-
pered to him to know how he felt
and Thackeray whispered back. Pro
foundly grateful, and as II had swal-
lowed little baby
"Horrors!" shivered Helen. Cant
we have bouilon for the first course?
mo. I'm in favor of blue points
Louise insisted, And oh, girls, that
makes me think of a funny story"
There's no time for stories
Louise"
1T won't take a minute. Gertrude
It's true one. too-about woman
who has made a lot of money keeping
a fashionable boarding house. She
knows all about course dinners anC
fancy dishes. but she isn't very strong
on schooling, and it worries her &
little. so she's always trying to cover
the lack by telling what grand edu
cation she's going to give her son
Well, one night some professors at hel
table were discussing the merits o.
various universities and she broke II
and said Gentlemen, I'd like Il
know what you think of Blue Point
That's the school my boys going to-
"Oh, she meant West Point"
Great brain, Helen. You guessed
right Gertrude, you might hav'
laughed too made it short.
Il couldn't" said Gertrude, solemn
.ly, her transparent skin suddenly rosy
1T was too tender subject Won
you tease me about it If | tell yoV
something"
''Never!" promised the duet
"I've always hated oysters and
knew | couldn't swallow one raw un
It'll Lawrence May look me to lunch
con about a year ago. He began b.
asking how | liked blue points an
told him politely: Very much, in
deed!
But what for demanded tw
voices
What for do you suppose! | coul
.Ins \,