Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1908-03-05
- 1T the
Club.
By TEMPLE BAILEY.
Copyrighted, 1901. BY NJ. N. Cunningham.


The four women were drinking tca.
Somewhere out in the October after
noon were four men who made up the
friendly octet. but the women, on DC
count of the GOODNESS of the day aud
the charm OF the big fireplace had
elected TO stay away from the links.
Three of the women were not young
although the signs of age had beeh
modified by careful grooming and dill
gent massage. Mrs. Amesbury even
looked young with her slender figure.
her shining hair and her grace OF gees.
ture and OF carriage.
But Tressle Stuart was young, and
therein lay the difference that made
Mrs. Amesbury uneasy. One might
give the lie to age by attention 10 CON
plexion and costume, but there was n
quality In Tressie's laugh. light III
her eyes, buoyancy of spirit, thai
separated her from the other women
and cast the blight of contrast upon
their beauty.
ANt@bhr shANs hihtSbhAs FANl
roaming around the room. You make
me nervous
"Oh, do II" Tressie's apology was
Immediate. Its something in the air
/ think. These fail days make me feel
like young colt. want TO be out OF
doors. and here we are drinking tea by
the FIRE. like lot of old tabby cats"
I'VE are lot of old tabby cats.
Miss Angela Amesbnry agreed cheer.
fully. Unlike her sister-in-law. she did
not aspire to youthfulness. Having
steered herself safely out of some
what emotional girlhood into calm
old maidism. she was prepared TO
claim all middle aged privileges, and
tea drinking at the Country club was
an indulgence that appealed to her
comfortable soul.
"You are the only kitten In the
crowd Tressie," she went on. run
ON out and meet the men. They must
be coming In by this time"
Angela Mrs. Amesbury reproved
her, "'fressie can't go without a chap
eron."
'Why notf' Angela asked bluntly.
1.-TWO OF the men are her uncles, the
third Is your husband. and she has
known Junior Mason since she was q
baby"
"Oh. weliv Mrs. Amesbury shrugged
her shoulders-"you know we don't
think alike on such matters
mo. thank goodness said Miss An.
geIa. And then the hitherto silent
Aunt Georgia Stuart, who was official
ly Tressie's chaperon. interposed,
"Tressie always does as she pleases,
Mrs. Amesbury." And Mrs. Ames.
hurry. with another shrug of her shout
ders, gave up the argument and poured
herself second cup of tea.
And so 1t happened that as Junior
Mason came up the elm walk toward
the Country club. with the dull orange
OF the sunset behind him, he saw hur
rying to meet him Tressie Stuart In
scarlet Goa and stir brimmed hat.
II should have died II had stayed
In there another minute" she told him
Cant we walk somewhere before
dark comes? This air Ii like wine"
ITS awftily muddy" he stated du
biously .'ln this path under the trees
The other men are coming around by
the road. but this was the shorter way
and wanted to get few minutes
With you before the whole crowd be
gan to piflle pallle,
"Don't he slangy." Tressie admou
ished.
.Well. you wouldn't call their small
talk conversation. would you? It',
piflie pafile, and Mrs. Amesbury Is the
worst of the lot
II am ashamed or you,' Tressis
scolded. ITO criticise your elders
''Mrs. Amesbury wouldn't thank you
for. calling her anybody's elder. She
considers herself the leading juvenile
or the Country club. That's why she's
jealous OF YOU"
Tressie stared at him.
.Junior. she said severely, Il
didn't know you could be so critical Of
woman"
He had the grace to look uncomfort
able.
''She's made me so unhappy about
you. Tressie." he blurted out at length
about mey'
"Ycs. when you were away all sum
mer and didn't write to me once"
Tressie's eyes were on the sunset.
"No. didn't write" she said afte'
b pause.
why notg"
Mrs Amesbury said--that there wal
another girl, Junior
what 2"
1 Eyes. she said you wers paying de
voted attention p little Kentuck,
singer"
.0hy' Junior dung up his head. -Ans
che told me you were going 10 MARI,
ia General Bafnesr
s'Who told your Tressis demanded
sslTrn. Amesbnry."
sRelI. Of all thingsl~ Trsssie'
cheeks were banning And you be
Ile7ed bet, Junfor1*
~WelI you believed about TIE Ken
tu<ky GIRL 81. s
/, NJ moment acepsing brown ~
c1 accusing olue onos ana then The,
b5lH laughed tn bu1oun laugh D
eukh thak - COM Into ~ ew'
:ls y ~ astIaaI. zzsazI