Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-21

out of the ''ruck" she had sent to cousin
Thomas Grant she could not imagine. Ger
tainly he would not be exceedingly delight
&c TO receive a twenty-five cent copy of
Crawford or the padded backed copy of
''Lallah Rookh" that cousin Mayme had
sent her the year before.
She carried the telegram TO her mother
and offered 1t to her, half pleased and half
ashamed that cousin Thomas Grant should
have telegraphed.
Mrs Marlowe was not pleased at all.
"A telegram she exclaimed as one
might say "a snake" She looked at
Bessie almost with horror, as being, al
though unfntentionally. party to such an
act OF social barbarfsm. "A telegram, my
dear. I cannot imagine any one but an I'M
civilized savage acknowledging a gift by
telegraph, Bessie. 1t is insulting, down
right insulting 1t suggests that ne ola
not think enough of it to take the time to
write q letter.,
Does it?' asked Bessie with relief.
Then It was probably nothing in particu-
lar that l sent him after all. To me 1t
seemed that telegram must mean that the
gift seemed of great Importance to him.
People do not telegraph about nothing.
THAT is Just It," said Mrs. Marlowe, Sc
Vcrey, that IS what l said. 1t is that that
is so insulting about It. 1t suggests that he
is trying 10 make us think that he thinks
the gift IS of great Importance and value
when it is not. 1t Is ridiculing it-and us"
Perhaps the present was valuable, sug-
gested Bessie.
ly. you have done a thing l hope you will
never do again; a most unladylike thing;
you should never send presents OF any
value to your male cousins"
Il don't" Bessie said, mo one can ac-
cuse me of sending any of the cousins any
thlng but trash. l am almost sure that l
sent cousin Thomas nothing that the most
refir ed lady would pay over a quarter for.
Il | did she laughed ~ was cheated at
the bargain counter"
Then, said Mrs. Marlowe, this tele-
gram is beyond question insulting. And if
YOU sent him a valuable gift it Is insulting.
And 1t is insulting any way. Tp>telegraph
when one can write is always Insulting. I
am surprised that a son of cousin Mary
could do such thing
When cousin Mary received cousin Mar
tina S next letter she blushed with indigna-
ton and tore the letter angrily in two.
Then instantly resolved to sever all rela-
tons at once and forever with cousin Mar
tina, she picked up the letter and read 1t
again and blushed with shame Thomas
was in his room cleaning his gun. She hur-
ried up the stairs and burst in upon him.
Read that." she exclaimed You have
done objectionable thing. Absolutely
objectionable, and L do not blame cousin
Martha for feeling hurt and insuted."
Thomas read the letter, holding it in the
greasy fingers of one hand while he held
the stock of his gun In the other
'Phew" he exclaimed, She does go for
us some. She does suggest that we are
shall l do about it7'
There is but one thing for you to do"
said his mother, positively. You must go
down there and beg her pardon
For the unpardonable?" he asked Nice
prospect for cousin Thomas. I prefer to
stay at home and be put to bed without my
supper, mother. You stand me In corner
and write cousin that l have confessed my
sin and am expiating it."
"A letter, now" said his mother, would
be sad a mistake as the telegram was.
You must co.
'All right" he said cheerfully, dumping
his dismembered gun and the galaxy Of
greasy rags into his closet, there goes
He put few things in his suit case, kiss
ed his mother, and was gone in less than
ten minutes from the time she had climbed
the stairs.
At the station he hesitated whether he
should telegraph cousin Martha that he
was coming or whether he should not. He
decided that communications by wire or
mail were not safe. He had never given
much attention to social conventions him
self; his mother had vicariously done his
politeness and he was not Just sure that