The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1909-03-25
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TIE DELEGATE.

BY SUSIE BOUCHELLE WIGHT.
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Although grandmothers NAV 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 coziest cor
ner by the fire and the most inviting
cnalr 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 CAV after
noon at friends reception, she
paused with 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.
l have such lovely news for Won!
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 if
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 1 told him that was sure
that 1t was nothing but inadvertence
that had kept you from asking for
ueIegates, 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?"
don't know, grandma" faltered
Alice. little aghast. I've never had
( the experience"
10 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 como
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 l have enter
tanned as many as a dozen for more
than 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! oh, I 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 =
prov that was troubled. Then she
.sIpped away to her husbands study
10 pour out her misgivings.
% Ted, >" she cried, "Pnever wouId
nave taken them in all the world
uon see how / am ever to MANAGE
just an afternoon tea makes lane so
cross that l am afraid to give her an
order for week afterward. and if
my dearest friend drops in to dinner
1eeI like making the most abject
apologles-and to think of two stran-
gers for whole week! Grandmother
forgot the grocery bill, too, Ted. and
II makes me faint and sick to think
OF II, 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 simplv
must rise to the Occasion-3ut oh. 7
DO hope grandma won't revert to old
times this way again."
The bishop or some other inn
poEant person." repeated Ted Ma
son. vacantly. We'll, | love vour
grandmother, my dear. and I know
that next to somebody else. she is the
sweetest of women, but if they are
going to quarter dignitaries upon us.
l 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-youIl see."
Soon the house was full of pleasant
excitement. Mrs. Parker found things
for her feeble hands 70 DO, Alice
nltted about busily. Jane was molli-
ned by gifts and fiattery, and soon
the night came, and the family waited
In the library for the bishop. There
were American Beauty roses bending
on their tall stems on the library
table, there were violets scenting the
entrance hall. and Alice felt a pleas
1rabie glow OF self-satisfaction
Il believe, after all, that am
rather glad grandma took the dele