Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1906-03-24

The Formal Dinner Party Was ?
Honor OF birthday.

t"FNAt TIT n ~ NM
The Formal Dinner Party Was n
Honor OF & birthday.
Judge Edgell hurried into his house
as usual at half-past six, threw of his
coat, washed his hands and hastened
Into the dining room. At the threshold
he recoiled in surprise. A blaze OF
light dazzled him. The best silver
and glass were laid out Candies
burned at the four corners Of the tn
BILE. Cut flowers filed the room With
a fragrance that extinguished the
usual smell Of cooked food
At the table his wife bloomed like
a young girl. Her best gown Of white
wolfe trimmed with lace-her mothers
wedding lace-showed her fine THROAT
and arms. His little daughter sat With
the self-conscious smile of party cor
rectness, wearing blue ribbons on her
"pigtails," and his son beamed be-
hind a great deal of glistening shirt
front. His older daughter was busy
giving a last touch to the sldeboard
She was the most serious of all in her
grave ofiiciousness.
"Goodnessl Welt What Who's
coming? Have forgotten dinner
engagement The Bryces aren't com
ing till next week"
''The week after next" corrected his
daughter soberly.
"Then who? What? My, what a
handsome spreadw
Daddy" observed the youth in the
white shirt, Il thought judges never
got surprised at anything, and here
you are like a minister at a slipper
party"
my son." said Mrs. Edgell, you
are not quite old enough to make COM
ments Of that sort on your parents.
Charles" she said, turning to her hus-
band with cool but gentle smile "you
need not dress; there Is not time
This is rather a special event, but |
will not explain until dessert. SIT
down, dear, and enjoy 1t with u.s."
Judge Edgelrs training as a lawyer
taught him not to ask futile questions
of his wife. He sat down, ate one
good thing after another, admired his
wife, talked with his son about foot
ball and school, and came completely
out of the abstraction into which tn,
lingering memory of cases in cour
sometimes plunged him during meals
When angel cake and colored ic,
creams came In. the handsome lad,
across the table smiled and said:
"Charles, Don Carlos"-it was tn,
name she had used playfully in thei
youthful courtship, and threw hin
back twenty-five years-"Don Carlos
this is a birthday celebration"
"Oh, it isn't mine, mama" cam
from the little girl. II had two las
winter"
NO, my dear, 1t is mama's."
''Mama'sw cried Judge Edgell
Then, as his son would have said, h
'tumbled." Everybody, he certainly
had forgotten the dear lady's birth
day. The self-contained If not vener
able justice left his seat, strobe roun,
to his wife and kissed her heartily
The woman glowed. The elder daugh
ter brushed away a tear. Seeing tn
tear, the small daughter began to cry
Mr.. Edgell looked distressed, and hi
, more manly son pooh-poohed at tn
fuss That's a nice way to end
good dinnerY'
MY boy" quoth the father. st is
good way to end a dinner which ha
g In 1t a little repentance, and it is
' good way to begin now for other dill
r ners, about one year. No, we won
' walt year. This one does not coun
g Tomorrow night Wen have a res
{ birthday celebration for mother, an
+ she shall not have to superintend 1
+ Wen have a caterer to do the jol
Q 1t is a poor stick OF a husband VIII
A makes his wife get up her own brit
t day celebration Companion