The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-06-18

$ ] 1t is always interesting to note the in i verse ratio between eloaucnce and sobr1ety. But at these Celebration
 dinners the speeches are warranted to contain nothing of dangerous interest Shall we go in ?'
 For lack of a gallery. the guests who had come to hear the speeches. sat in l the double ranks of chairs which lined the large dining room. Conover and the two others arrived during a mo- mentary Hull between speeches Letty was greeted cordially by such people as she passed on her way to her seat. Caleb. as one of her escort found him self the object of more courtesy than had ever before been his portion at the Arareek. psa 4 This new warmth of manner on the part of his fellow members pleased Caleb tremendously. Incidentally, it gave him the germ of an idea,-vague, nebulous. yet of promising growth The burgeoninE germ found mental ex- Dression during the next after-dinner speech. Caleb allowed his shrewd gaze 1 to rest on Lefty Standish. more criti- cally-with less of humorous deprecia- tton--than before. She sat next him, one plump hand pillowing her slightly receding chin: her wide blue eyes fixed
 on the speaker in polite attention: her l small mouth pursed in a smile of all most .labored interest
 She's better-lookin' than thought" unused Conover. An she's good | dresser. Maybe her face ain't really | may have spoiled me for other girls. Everybody here seems glad to see this Standish person: an some of their gladness has stopped over onto me. If I'd wife like that I'd strut right into | the gold-shirt crowd an they'd hang | up a Welcome. Little Stranger! sign
 for me. If Dey can get into the right set by marvin one of 'em. I guess the same rule ought to work with me. | I'll talk it over some time with Caine. He ought to know.
 A ripple of hand-clapping reused l Caleb from his disjointed reflections, | and he joined with vigor in applauding 1 the speech he had not heard. What an easy speaker MT. vroom men. MT. Conover? Don't you think | 1t must be wonderful to make a speech without being frightened to death? To stand up before so many people and | just talk to them as if"
 Easiest thing in the world!" an | nounced Caleb. duly irritated at her praise. Anyone can do it. All man needs is to say to himself: I'm a blame sight better. c1everer. bigger man than any of this bunch I'm talkin' down to-. l Then he won't be afraid of 'em. Be- | cause he despises 'em. That's the way I always do when I've got a speech to make. It's lots easier to stand up in | an open-face suit an talk like Vroom did to a friendly crowd. than to try | and persuade one grouchy grocer to I handle your special brand of washin' l soda. There's where reel epauence comes in"
 'Yes?" rejoined Lefty. with her way | ering little smile. "How clever of you 1 to put it in such an original way. I never thought of that. before." | Of what?" demanded Caleb. inquisi- l torially.
 course. Now. shan't we listen to the | toastnaster? He's always so funny. | think Do you know him?'
 "No. ma'am." said Caleb. He's ! fn T2Irf rnsI 1iSfay xynrp | like.'
 He folded his arms. leaned back in his camp chair and turned a look of porderous gravity upon the toastmas- forth his toes. his hands in his pockets. was 1engthily introducing the next speaker. At every third sentence his eye would sweep the room with a
 Make ready now for the newest Of my irresistible ouips!" And the list eners would obediently prepare to roar. Letty's pleasant gfggle at each sally annoyed Caleb. He could not say why But invo1untarily he glanced toward her with a frown. She chanced to be looking at him. at the same moment, for companionship in her appreciation of the latest witticism. Meeting the scowl her nose quivered and smile froze into pitiful. half-appeaHng Hines ton. But. by an effort. he sought awkwarcly to nullify any unpleasant impression of him that she might have gained 'sse
 What was that joke?'' he whisper ed. to explain his frown. T didn't quite catch it."
 Why" faltered Lefty. "he said-he said-'tne man who hesftates. foozles.' think that was it. Something like that. Or.-was 1.-the man who-'? Oh. listen! He's going to tell that lovely story about the minister who had to give up golf or the pulpit. I do want to hear thatp'
 The n1urmur of joyous anticipation, as the toastrnaster hoisted preliminary warnings for this classic, showed that Lefty was by no means unique in her choice of rechauffee humor. Caleb sat glum under the salvo of merriment. Lefty glanced sideways. in dawning uneasiness. at his set face. And" beamed the toastmaster. Gas the Irish caddie said to the" The door leading from the buffers pantry burst open. Through the aper-
 ture into the bright-lit dining hall
 scurried red-faced. bald-headed man;
 two club servants close at his heels.
 Gro be Continue