The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1909-03-19
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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 coziest cor
ner by the fire and the most inviting
chair belonged by right of love and
reverence 10 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 friends reception. she
paused with a smile at hearing Grand
mother Parker's call from the library.
Come here a minute, my dear, be-
fore you go up to change your dress.
I have such lovely news for you,
bon after you went out the minister
anne in. all worried and anxious.
lie said things about the decline OF
hospitality in the city. and asked IL
Ee 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
for the preachers. He seemed timid
about asking, because We were new
comers, but | told him that was sure
that IL was nothing but inadvertence
that had kept you from asking for
delegates, and that ne might send
you two, provided they were two OF
kind. as you have only the one
guest-chamber. Won't it be nice TO
have delegates, deary?-
Il don't know, grandma" faltered
Alice. little aehast. I've never had
the experience.
ITO 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 little girl.
and we lived in Brooksyile. 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 prize box
Your dear grandpa and | have enter
| tained as many as a dozen for more
than a week at a time We of the
family would sleep upon pallets made
OF 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 on, | am so glad we
are to have little peep at old times
again"
Mrs. Parker sighed so happily that
Alice Mason bent down and kissed
her, compelling smoothness into
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 i'm all the world,
don't see how | am ever to manage,
Just an afternoon tea makes Jane SO
cross that / am afraid 10 give her an
order for week afterWard and n
my dearest friend drops in 10 dinner
| feel like making the most alb ect
I apologies-and TO think OF two stran-
gers for a whole week, Grandmother
forgot the grocery bill. too. Ted. and
IL makes me faint and SICK. 10 think
OF II, for we must nos let herifecl tnat
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 20 the occas on-Jut on.
do hope grandma won't revert to old
times this way again"
The bishop or come other i'm
portant person." repeated Ted Ma
son, vacantly. "Weu. / love your
grandmother, my dear. and / know
that next 10 somebody else. she Is the
sweetest OF women, but IL they are
going TO quarter dignitaries upon us.
am called out OF town can't rise
to occasions like that"
90 hush. Ted, You are going 10
do exactly as I shall-make the very
best OF it. and grandma IS not going
10 be made uncomfortable. I am go-
Ing 10 cook up everything nice I can
think OF. III put an extra shine or
the silver and cut glass. and the
house will be spick and span by to-
morrow night-youll see,"
Soon the house was full OF pleasant
excitement. Mrs. Parker found things
for her feeble hands 10 do, Alice
fitted about busily. Jane was molli-
fed by gifts and fattery. and soon
the night came, and the family waited
I'm the library for the bishop. There
we're American Beauty ros6s 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-satisfsctlon.
Il believe, after all, that am