The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-01-24

would issue forth pallld and forIorn.
messenger brought her a most amazing
note. It was from Jerry Douglas, and tt
calmly invited Miss Winthrop TO attend
a little supper he was giving at the EN-
plre restaurant, IN honor OF his promotion.
II would be served on the upper floor OF
the restaurant. at Thursday midnight,
after the rush was over. and would the
please come, because Mrs. Ned Landers
had agreed to act as chaperon, and every
one knew that Mrs. Ned was a host in
herself.
Here was a perfectly legitimate avenue
OF inquiry which even the Winthrop pride
might not hesitate 10 follow: so she
bathed her eyes. Summoned the Winthrop
brougham, and drove 20 Mrs. Ned Landers
smart studio apartment. OF course, she
could not accept the invitation. and she
would not decline without making in
qulries.
Mrs. Landers, shrewdly reading from
the white, tired face that something had
gone auiss, made tea directly, and Har-
riet slipped IT Approximately.
You know, mother is a bit old fash
toned"
she even disapproved Of studio fats.
instead OF housesT' inquired Mrs Land
ers, with dancing eyes.
She thinks you are the most wonder
ful manager in the world, but a restau-
rant supper, l mean that particular sort
Of restaurant"
7 understand-and am Just bubbling
with the secret. I've been waiting 10 tel
every one for weeks. but Jerry Douglas
. ma Hsa
my dear. he is a hero-the sort you don't
often ind in this day OF spoiled millionaire
sons and fawning parasites When he
finished his college course and started 10
read law with an old friend Of his faith
er s down In Virginia. he made what was.
1 10 him, an awful discovery His inher!-
tance had paid only his bare expenses at
coilese-all the little pleasures. acCessO-
/ ries, the social end Of the game. his
mother had made by her own handiwork.
She had been doing exquisite embroidery
for a woman's exchange and a New York
department store 10 keep him at college.
as his father and grandfather had been
kept before him.
HIS first feeling, being e Virginia man
or chivalric pride. was deep humiliation
/ am afraid he was bit hard on the lit
tie mother for daring TO do such a thing
l
came North, going straight 10 the father
/ OF a yo lngster he had known at college,
| the sort who roll In wealth made In a
single generation. The boys father has
/ all sorts Of commercial interests. includ-
/ ing the Empire chain OF quick lunch
counters. and he promptly offered Jerry
/ the chance 70 act as cashier in one OF
/ those dreadful lunch rooms"
Harriet was leaning forward, drinking
/ In every word obllvious to the fact that
/ Mrs. Ned was studying her face with
matrOnly amusement.
We'll, this particular lunch room was
| In a badly disorganized state, and Jerry
/ not only made changes, but he fired the
cook, who had been making trouble. and
| cooked himself until ne could get a decent
man. He stopped quarreling among the
waitresses-and now he is going to Mexi-
/ co for the man who was Just trying him
out in a lunch room; and what is more.
/ he is going on most ticklish and i'm
pOrtant mission"
Harriet leaned back with a sigh that
might have meant reaCuOn-Or something
| deeper.
! And so he has asked just six OF US to
! have that little supper for which he
! agrees 20 cook all sorts Of things, from
4 pancakes to something he calls butter
! cakes. Anyhow, IL can't be worse for our
digestion than some Of the Newburg
messes our friend makes In chatting
/ dishes VIII you gO?"
! Harriet rose instantly.
IF you won't think me abrupt-Tm
going home this minute 20 telephone my
/ acceptance"
Wise Mrs. Ned did not suggest that In
| her hallway was telephone instrument
which Harriet had ofttimes used and the
/ girl went her way. Later. as she hung
up the telephone receiver in the Winthrop
library, her eyes seemed to shine like dia-
monds. and a soft flush mounted to her
pale gold hair. And from the library
/ she went straight to her own room
climbing up to a clothes press shelf and
| lugged forth two photographs Then
with her chin resting In the palms OF her
hands. she sat down. studying them with
| eyes that still shone with the light that
once must have frightened the face OF
the ancestral belle at the tournament.
Copyright, lsJ7l