The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1908-08-01

We cOiiG see ASa-e3 second on the
veran3a talking to &satE.a Fiftl-sT
forget to tell you that what Agatha
Fifth toll me-isn't true
Isn't true?'' l repeated il ceMster-
nation.
NO; she confessed to NE about
week ago that she only said she was
the real Honorable Az IL &c make
me marry her She thou zht, the fool
ish little girl that she on,y had to tell
me she was the heirsSs &c ..sake me
love her And she said she was sorry
and wouldn't Go it again and cries5 ike
a child, and l forgave her And com
forted her. She'll get over il all
right" and laughing nfiarioasi.- the
young rascal ran upstairs
was really vexed with Wired
about this. l thought it was lsGy IN
kind of him TO keep me IN lie dark for
Sc long about Agatha Fla confes-
SION. what a lot or time I'd been
wasting! l resolved that 1 would re
turn to Agatha Sixth at the first OPP
portunity, and I felt glad, even just
fed, that l had not told him about that
album which had betrayed the secret
to me. At this moment Agatha Sec
ond appeared in the doorway
''Hullo, Mr. Terhune," she said,
where's Lord Wilfred?''
He went upstairs / said; Il don't
know for what" 1 could hear him in
the distance singing at the top of his
lusty young voice
Gentlemen rankers all are we-e-e-''
till an ear-splitting shout from Agatha
Second drowned the song completely.
"O-h-h-h, Freddy" shrieked the
young lady, with lung power that
equaled Vincent's.
I shivered with indignation at the
liberty Freddy" indeed!
At the third shout he heard her and
stopped singing to rend the air with
an answering cry.
For goodness sake, what are you
so long about?" she called. do hur-
ry upi"
"Coming!" roared Vincent, clatter-
ing down the two fights Of stairs like
a wild horse. and 1 hurried out to
join Agatha Fifth, my hands over my
ears. Young people are SO noisy nova
days.
Several evenings later Agatha Fourth
had arranged to give progressive
dinner party. She was to be the hes
tess and the rest of us were her
guests It was an evening-dress affair
and must say as we sat down to din
ner I never saw q prettier group OF
girls.
Then the fun began. Agatha
Fourth's idea in having a progressive
dinner party was for each Of the girls
to move up one place with each course
so that they could all have turns sit
ting by US. It was delightful; really,
1 don't know that 1 ever attended a
jollier dinner party. Vincent kept
quoting from the Mad Tea Party in
alice in Wonderland" and the girls
laughed at every single thing he said.
Mrs. Armistead, am ashamed to say.
was not present; her head ached and
she had dined in her room. am not
naturally noisy or riotous, but the
laughter and jokes OF those six girls
were so infectious that I was obliged
to Join in with them. Vincent sat at
one end OF the table and I at the 9TH
er, with three girls on each side Of US,
The secretary, Of course, was not
present.
Agatha Fourth had decorated the
I6OIS Will 6OAAS VI LAO yOAAO" 49,
and wild fern that grew near the cas-,
tie. Agatha Sixth and l had found
them many times in our wanderings
and, by the way, she was looking es-
pecially lovely that evening. The girls
all wore shimmering white gowns, sim
ilar in design, with silver ornaments,
but Agatha Sixth's gown was cream
color with ornaments Of gold. and well
did it become her dark beauty.
We had reached the very end Of the
dinner, and had just made the last
change OF places, which left me with
my favorite Agatha Sixth on my right
and Agatha Third on my left.
Suddenly, as the talk died down
and q certain oontented silence fell
upon US, Vincent rose to his feet, and
bowling to US formally, began to speak:
Ladies and gentleman" he said,
making the last word pointedly sin
gular, while the girls all laughed, q
think you are all with me when l pro.
pose a vote of thinks to-to-er-our
hostess"-Q felt that he had nearly
said Agatha Fourth! ")-"our hostess.
for giving us so delightful an enter
tainment" He bowed to Agatha
''If all progressive tea parties are
termed mad hope 1 may attend many
such. But as I look around me. gen.
:.tleman and ladies fair. across the red
glow of the candle that turns the roses
to redder gold, and as I gaze upcn the
youth and beauty here assembled, the
like of which 1 have never before
/. looked upon''-he made a courtly in,
! clination OF his head that included
every maid at the table, and they all
ssighed-I heard them-"as I look upon
I: this noble room, this exquisite table,
and think of the graciousness of such
hospitality, 1 am inspired to propose
. toast in which feel confident You
will all join me-" At this climax Vim.
cent raised his glass above his head.
ITO the real Agatha." he cried-"ta
,ool