The citizen., 1908-01-03

where his remarks would lead. Only
that morning he had led her on in
praise of the butter and had wound up
by declaring it to be the strongest but
ter he had ever tasted. Blaisdel caught
her glance and FASTENED to put her
mind at rest.
"This is an admirable order,' he ran
on. Il know where there is a place
where they give real old fashioned
New England cooking They are going
to spread themselves Thursday. If
Miss Philbrick will be my guest she
will make me very thankful and at the
same time she will make the servants
thankful, too, by giving them a chance
to go to the matinee instead of worry
ing over an elaborate dinner for two
VIII you come, Miss PhibrickY'
For a moment Blanche hesitated. 1t
was not that she did not want to go
her soul revolted at the very thought
of Thanksgiving dinner in Mr.. Castle
toms gloomy dining room-but she had
not yet accustomed herself to the in
formality of dinner with compara-
lively unknown man without a chape-
ron.
She knew that chaperonS were not
considered necessary where girls earn
ed their own living, still it seemed a
little daring. But Blaisdel's cage
face and Mrs. Castleton's appealing
glance decided her. She turned to
Blaisdell with little nod.
Il shall be most happy to accept
your invitation" she said. and Mr.
Castleton looked relieved. Thanksgiv-
Ing and Christmas We're her bugbears.
Once in her own room Blanche was
I'm azed at her actiep. She had been
in the city for eight months, and in all
that time not once had she accepted
any of the numerous offers of enter
tainment. She liked Blaisdell better
than any of the others in the house.
There was something fresh and whole
some about him, very different from
the assumed sophistication of most of
the men. He was past thirty, and a
bald patch on the back of his head
was already beginning to be in evil
dence, but he was still boy at heart
and from the first Blanche had been
attracted to him.
The dinner was all that Blasdell had
promised. A New England girl who
had sought to make her way in the
city had persuaded her mother to come
on and start restaurant. Two floors
In good neighborhoOd were simply
fitted up, and much of the New Eng
land atmosphere was preserved-ex-
cept in the prices.
The rooms were crowded today, but
Blaisdell had reserved a table, and
Blanche thoroughly enjoyed a dinner
that was so unlike the fare at the
boarding house.
q come over here very often," ex-
planned Blaisdell when at last the cof-
fee and mince and pumpkin pies were
its as near as a bachelor
can gsf to home here In the city,"
Il. does taste like, home," asserted
Blanche. 81 grow so tired of Mrs. Cas-
tieton's weekly routine."
"You will have to come here often
then," said Blaisdell promptly. "It
would be all the more pleasant for
company. It's lonesome eating alone."
Il think it is more dreary to eat with
a whole roomful of people with whom
you have so little in common" said<
Blanche, with sigh.
ut is so much more lonesome in the
city with all the people you don't know
than in the country where there are SO
few people whom you do know"
Il don't think that we are cut out
for city folk" agreed Blaisdell, with a
laugh. "Let's get over to the park
for little walk before the theater."
"You are going to the theater?" ask
ed Blanche.
I'VE are going to the theater," he
corrected. Surely you do not want
to spend the evening In Mrs. Castle
toms stuffy parlor?'
"Heaven forbidw cried Blanche
"But you don't know what a treat 1t \
will be-"
Blaisdell looked as though perhaps
be might guess. He knew that ts.he did
not go out in the EVENING" and he
knew what hall hssG as like.
but he only smH e wav
D, the cashie1
an tNas - food
plano, Rnd
me1 '