Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-25


But she shook her head. annoyed and
helpless. Don't you see how tired he is?
| poor old man! OF course, he must come
in. Go and help him. Lloyd" She put
| her hands on his arm. "Pfease" she
| said.
mo. thank you: / have no desire to
help old gentlemen" And as she left
him and ran impetuously to open the door
| herself, he called after her, Nelly. don't
have dinner held back!
| Mr.. Benjamin Wright stood. painting. at
the foot of the porch steps; he could
hardly lift his head to look up at the
| figure in the doorway. You-Mrs.
Richer he gasped:
| Yes, SIR she said. May help you?
These steps are so steep"
| NO" he snarled. DO you think I'm
SO decrepit that have to have female
help me upstairs?" Then he began toll
l. ing up the steps. MY name Is Wright.
You know my grandson? Sam? Great
fool! I've come to call on YOU" On the
porch he drew a long breath, pulled or
| his NANCY old beaver hat and, with a
| very courtly bow. held out his hand.
| Madam. permit me to pay my respects
| to you. / am your neighbor. In fact,
your only neighbor; without me,
'Mentium domino ut fores
Si1varumque virentium
| Saltuumque reconditorum
Amniumque sonatum.
Understand that? No? Good. I don't
like learned females.
She took his hand in bewfldered way,
| glancing back over her shoulder at Mr..
Pryor. uncertain what she ought to do.
Mr.. Wright decided for her.
| Il know this house, he said, pushing
past her into the dusky hall; friend of
mine used to live here. Ho! This is the
chewing orange skin and blinking up at
Lloyd Pryor, who came forward reluc-
family.
MY name is Pryor, sir. L"
| "Oh! Yes. I know. know. The lady's
brother. Here! Push that chair out FOR
me-
And Mr.. Lloyd Pryor found himself
bringing chair forward and taking the
hat and stick from the trembling old
hand. Helena had gone quickly into the
dining room, and came back with a de-
| canter and glass on a little tray. She
gave distressed glance at her other
| guest as though to say. II can't help itr'
Benjamin Wright's old head in its
brown wig was still shaking with fatigue,
but under the prickle OF white on his
shaver jowl the purplish color came back
in notified streaks. He slipped the sherry
breathlessly, the glass trembling in his
veined and shrunken hand. well" he
| demanded. "how do you two like this
| God-forsaken placer
| Mr.. Pryor. looking over their visitors
head at Helena. shrugged his shoulders.
| 1T Is very NICE" she said, vaguely.
Its narrowing place. he demurred.
| very narrowing; sit down, sit down, good
people! I'll take some more sherry. My
| grandson he went on, as Helena filled
his glass. us always talking about you,
madam. He's great jackass. I'm
afraid he bothers you with his calls?"
"Oh. not at ALL Helena said. nervously.
She sat down on the other side OF the
big rosewood center table, glancing with
worried eyes at Lloyd Pryor.
Move that lamp contraption," COM
manded Mr.. Wright. Il like to'see my
hostess,'
from the center of the table so that his
| view was unobstructed.
is he a nuisance with his talk about
his drama?" Mr. Wright said. looking
across at her with open eagerness in his
melancholy eyes.
why. no, Indeed"
DO you think It's so very bad. cor
sidering?"
''It is not bad at ALL" said Mrs. Richie
His face lighted like a child's. Young
madam. came to ask you to do me the
| honor of taking supper with me tomorrow
night. and then of listening to this won
derful production. OF course, sir, / in
with fairly good bottle. Then this
grandson OF mine will read his truck
aloud. But we will fortify ourselves with
| supper first
His artless pride in planning this dis
tressing festivity was so ludicrous that
Lloyd Pryor's disgust changed into in
voluntary mirth. But Helena Yves plainly
nervous Thank you, you are very kind;
but am afraid 1 must say no."
| Mr.. Pryor was silently retreating to-
ward the dining room. AS for the visitor,
he only had eyes for the mistress of the
| house.
why should you say MOI"
She tried to answer lightly. ''oh. like
to be quiet
"Quiet?' cried Benjamin Wright, rap
ping the table with his wineglass. AT
your age? Nonsense!" He paused.
cleared his throat, and then, sonorously:
:. Can you endure the livery Of a nun,
For aye to be in shady cloister mew'd.
To live barren sister all your life.
Chanting faint hymns to the cold. fruitiess
Give me some more sherry OF course
you must come. No use being shy-a
pretty creetur' like you! And you said
you liked the play" he added with child
| like reproach
| Helena, glad to change the subject
made haste to reassure him. II do, dor
she said, and for a few minutes she kept
the old face beaming with her praise Of
Sam and his work. Unlike his grandson,
Mr.. Wright was not critical OF her criti-
cism. Nothing she could say seemed to
/ him excessive. He contradicted every
statement. but he believed 1t implicitly.
Then. with sigh OF satisfaction. he re-
turned to his Invitation. Helena shook
her head decidedly.
No. thank you very much. Mr.. Pryor
couldn't possibly come. He is only here
over Sunday. and" She looked toward
the dining room for protection, but the
door had been gently closed.
"Hey?" Benjamin Wright said, blankly
WELL won't insist; won't insist Well
wait till he goes. Come Monday night
oh she said, her voice f1utterins, "I
am sorry, but / really can't
why can't your" he insisted. Come.
tell the truth. The advantage of telling
the truth, young lady. Is that neither God
nor the devil can contradict you!' He
laughed, cycling her with high good
humor.
| "Oh. it's merely she hesitated and
he looked affronted.
What. Some female airs about COM
ing to an unmarried mans house?'' Her
involuntary mirth disarmed him. mo?
Well. I'm glad you've got some sense.
Then you'll Gomez
IF I went to your house it would
seem unfriendly not to go to other
houses"
Why shouldn't you go to other houses
Done anything you're ashamed OFT" He
laughed uproariously at his own wifi