Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1909-03-26
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THE DELEGATE.

BY SUSIE BOUcttrLLE WIGHT.
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Although grandmothers may be at
a discount in some homes, they GER
tainly were not at Alice Mason's, and
they did not reside upon a shelf,
either The sunniest room in that
beautiful new house, the coolest cor
ner by the fire and the most inviting
chair belonged by right OF love and
reverence TO Grandmother Parker,
and when that dear old white-haired
lady spoke her gentle mind, she was
sure Of affectionate attention. So
/ when young Mrs. Mason came in,
flushed and excited, from a gay after
noon at a friends reception. she
paused with a smile at hearing Grand
mother Parker's call from the library.
Come here minute, my dear, be-
fore you go up to change your dress.
/ have such lovely news for you!
Soon after you went out the minister
came in. all worried and anxious.
He said things about the decline OF
hospitality in the city, and asked II
we would not take delegates. You
know the conference convenes to-
morrow night. and although the list
has been published in the paper, some
of the people are making excuses. and
he is sadly put to it to find homes
for the preachers. He seemed timid
about asking because We were new
comers. but told him that l was sure
that II was nothing but inadvertence
that had Eapt vou frop, oekfpo Cor
delegates, and that he might send
you two, provided they were two OF
a kind. as you have only the one
guest-chamber. Won't it be nice to
have delegates, deary?r
Il don't know. grandma" faltered
Alice, little aghast. i've never had
the experience,
TO be sure-to be sure. / am al
ways forgetting that you don't know
anything about real home-life, spend
ing all your days wandering about
over the world with parents that by
rights should have been Gipsies. But
when your mother was a little girl.
and we lived in Brooksville, we used
to have such exciting times when con-
ventions and conferences would come
our way. There is something so fas-
cinating about entertaining any one
whom the authorities may send you
quite like opening a prize box.
Your dear grandpa and have enter
tanned as many as a dozen for more
than a week at time We of the
family would sleep upon pallets made
or quilts on the floor, giving up our
rooms to the visitors. And such
/ preparations In the kitchen! Why,
we would bake cakes and pies by the
score. grandpa would kill beeves and
/ porkers, and the turkeys would be
gobbling in my coops for weeks ahead
OF the time! Oh, l am so glad we
are to have a little peep at old time.
again."
Mrs. Parker sighed so happily that
/ Alice Mason bent down and kissed
her. compelling smoothness into a
brow that was troubled. Then she
slipped away to her husbands study
to pour out her misgivings.
20 Ted" she cried, Il never would
have taken them in all the world |
don't see how am ever to manage,
Just an afternoon tea makes Jane so
/ cross that l am afraid to give her an
order for a week afterward. and If
my dearest friend drops in to dinner
feel like making the most abiect
/ apologies-and to think of two stran-
! gers for whole week. Grandmother
forgot the grocery bill, too, Ted. and
1t makes me faint and sick to think
of 1t, for we must not let her feel that
we don't do her justice.
With our pretty new house and
our carriage she added, they are
sure to send us the bishop or some
other important person. and simply
must rise to the occasion-but OH. |
( do hope grandma won't revert to old
times this way again."
The bishop or some other i'm
portant person." repeated Ted Ma
son, vacantly. well, l love your
grandmother, my dear. and | know
that next to somebody else. she is the
sweetest of women. but if they are
going to quarter dignitaries upon us,
am called out of town. can't rise
to occasions like that"
20 hush, Ted! You are going to
do exactly as | shall-make the very
best of it, and grandma is not going
/ to be made uncomfortable. | am GO
ing to cook up everything nice can
think of. I'll put an extra shine on
the silver and cut glass, and the
house will be spick and span by to-
morrow night-you' see"
Soon the house was full of pleasant
[ excitement. Mrs Parker found things
for her feeble hands to do, Alice
fitted about busily Jane was molli-
fed by gifts and fiattery. and soon
the night came. and the family waited
in the library for the bishop. There
we're American Beauty roses bending
] on their tall stems on the library
table, there were violets scenting the
entrance hall, and Alice felt a pleas
urable glow of self-satisfaction.
Il believe, after all, that l am
rather glad grandma took the dele
gates. | am not very much of a
church woman, but l realize that
these men are doing a great deal of
good-and the bishops and the other
leaders are always delightful men. |
shall drive them in the carriage to
the church, and I'll have James wait
there to bring them home after the
sessions
The looked-for ring at the door cut
short her hospitable plans, and in
another moment she was looking
upon her delegates-but not upon a