Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1906-01-06
"mANY HAPPY RETURNS"
The Formal Dinner Party Was
Honor of Birthday.

tho hinntf lHEiE n
Honor of a. Birthday.
Judge Edgell hurried into his house
as usual at half-past six, threw Off his
coat, washed his hands and FASTENED
into the dining room. At the threshold
he recoiled In surprise. A blaze o.
light dazzled him. The best silver
and glass were laid out Candles
burned at the four corners of the IA
BILE. Cut flowers filed the room will
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
voile 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 great deal OF glistening shirt
front. His older daughter was busy
giving a last touch to the sideboard
she was the most serious of all in her
grave officiousness.
"Goodnessl Well What Who's
coming? Have / forgotten a 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 spreadr
Daddy" observed the youth in the
white shirt, 81 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 It with us"
Judge Edgell's 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 the
lingering memory OF cases in court
sometimes plunged him during meals
When angel cake and coored Ice
creams came In, the handsome lady
across the table smiled and said:
Charles, Don Carlosr-it was the
name she had used playfully in thell
youthful courtship, and threw him
back twenty-five years-"Don Carlos
this is birthday celebration"
"Oh, 1t isn't mine, mama," came
from the little girl. II had two last
winter"
mo, my dear, it is mama's"
"Mama'sv" cried Judge Edgell
Then, as his son would have said. he
"tumbled." Everybody, he certainly
had forgotten the dear lady's birth
day. The self-contained II not veneer
able Justice left his seat, strobe round
to his wife and kissed her heartily
The woman glowed. The elder daugh
Ter brushed away tear. Seeing the
tear, the small daughter began to cry
Mr.. Edgell looked distressed, and his
more manly son pooh-poohed at tn,
fuss That's nice way to end {
good dinnerw
MY boy" quoth the father, at is ,
good way to end a dinner which has
In 1t little repentance, and it is {
good way to begin now for other din
ners, about one year. No. we won
wait year. This one does not count
Tomorrow night Wen have a rea
birthday celebration for mother, ant
she shall not have to superntend It
Wen have a caterer to do the job
1t is a poor stick OF a husband VIII,
makes his wife get up her own birth
day celebration. YOUTHS Companion