The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1906-12-01
THE GREGORY DINNER
By MARJORIE BENTON COOKE

IT don't know-she and Mrs. Greg
ory went somewhere to dinnar."
Don't you know vherer
mo, sir-they didn't say.
"The DEVIL" said Walton.
The maid closed the door entirely,
she didn't want to take any chances
Tired and hungry, Walton got int
the cab again. He had to have din
ner-he'd 60 back to the club and
look up the neglected Ashtan-
Station" he said. and they clat'
tered on again.
Half an hour later he arrived at
the club, and made his way anxious
ly through the dining-room looking
for the erstwhile guest. In the most
secluded part of the covered porch
a party of people laughed loudly and
made merry. 1t got on Walton's
nerves all this gayety, and he
glanced at them peevishly. Then he
stopped and gasped. Mrs. Walton
was in the midst of her best story.
and Ashton and Mrs. Gregory leaned
toward her in rapt attention. Walton
strobe to the side of the table, like
Lear about to break into the ban.
ishment speech.
''Well!" he snorted.
Mrs. Walton looked up ct him
sweetly.
"Oh, here you are, dear. Where
have you been?"
Where have l been? Where have
! been?"
Say how-do-you - do to our
guests, and join us. Have you dined?"
That was the last straw. He bowed
to Mrs. Gregory and Ashton and sat
down.
NO." he said, Il have not dined."
i "Mr. Ashton said something about
your suddenly having remembered .
dinner engagement, and basely de-
sorting him."
| We'll, you know why deserted
him. The boy said it was urgent
THE boy-the boy?" she said.
vaguely. Il got your message to dine
with you at the club, 80 picked Mrs.
Gregory up and came along to find
poor Mr.. Ashton about to dine with
the Bachelors"
And your wife was good enough
to rescue me from that dire fate"
Ashton interposed.
I'm delighted to hear it," said Wal
ton, grimly And now If you don't
mind, I'll begin at the first. I'm
starved and / feel that I've earned
something as reward"
IF you'll get Mrs. Walton to tell
you her splendid story about the man
who couldn't find the dinner he was
invited to, you'll be doubly re-
warded."
mo doubt. Mrs. Walton is an ex.
cellent story teller" he remarked.
solemnly, and something in his tone
sent Mrs. Walton into paroxysms Of
laughter.
"Well?" said Mrs. Walton, after
their guests had departed. "Well?"
he repeated, all his ire returning.
Mrs. Walton began to laugh.
1T may be very funny for you to
send me chasing all over Elmwood
looking for an imaginary dinner. but
I'm unable to see it,"
"Of course, you are, you poor, old
martyr! You see. l thought the
Gregory dinner was tonight, SO /
arrived in state, to find Mrs. Greg.
ory sitting down to lonely repast,
Mr.. Gregory having stayed in town.
Well, you know how awfully proper
she is, and what tease she is, and
/ knew that if she discovered my mis-.
take she'd be awfully embarrassed
and I'd never hear the last of 1t from
him, SO l thought quickly, and said
I'd come to carry her of to the club
to dine with us. l hoped we'd get
J there IN time to head you OF, but We
didn't, and poor old Ashton, who was
wandering about like lost soul, said
you'd been gone some time. tele-
: phoned the house, and Maggie said
J you'd just left there, but as you didn',
. know where you were going. she
couldn't call you up. So what could
do?" she concluded.
But to greet me, after a hot chase
like that, with pleasant smile anc
! coolly ask me If l had dined"
We'll, dear, couldn't let Mrs
Gregory know"
Hang Mrs. Gregory! Here / was
trying to get raise out of Ashton
which he thinks the company can,
afford, and was just getting him to
see my point of view. when that bo,
called me on. You notice that you,
, dinner party will cost us something
because I'll not get the raise. now
"Oh, but you WILL"
What do you know about it?"
We'll. 1t didn't take me long to die
cover that Mr.. Ashton's hobby wal
, rose gardening, and / told him that