Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-04-23

Miss Tiverton always poured tea al
precisely : "'rlo; L in the afternoon fol-
q select circle of feminine friends.
They drank tea at that early hour
SO that those who were married might
get home in time To prepare 6 o'clock
dinners for their husbands and that
those who were single might be safely
housed before the early darkness of
the winter evenings.
Miss Tiverton sometimes wished that
they might stay later. for it was al.
ways u long, lonely stretch between
their going and bedtime.
Sometimes Lavinia Greer stayed with
her, and on those occasions Layinia's
brother Richard would call at .. And
these We're the social GASES in Miss
Tiverton's desert of dreary evenings.
She always made more tea for Rich
ard and brought out her little sponge
cakes. Richard liked the little cakes,
and he liked Miss TiVcrtonS dainty
ways. her delicate pink and white pref
tiness and her pale rose colored house
gowns. 49,.
Lavinia thought Miss Tivcrton very
foolish to wear muslin all winter.
Think of the washing" she said as
she and Richard walked home one
evening. And Letitia Tiverton is az
poor as Jobs turkey"
she surrounds herself" said Rich
ard musingly, with an atmosphere of
beauty"
Layinia shifted. She hated to have
her brother say nice things about Lett
tia Tiverton. Lavinia had kept her
brothers house for many years. and il
had always been her great duty to nip
sentimental affairs in the bud.
Therefore it was many weeks after
that ominouS remark of richards be
fore she again spent an evening with
Letitia. She took her work over i'll
the mornings or went to the little tea
drinkings. but she did not allow her
brother to darken the doors of the lit
tie gray cottage.
One day Richard spoke of it mildly.
I'VE haven't been to Miss TivertoG's
for long time" he said-'not, |
think, for four weeks tomorrow
Lavinia gave him sharp glance.
How did You happen to remember
| the date?" she asked acidly.
Richard looked at her quizzically
over his glasses. Il noted the date in
my diary" he said. Il always write
down the events of the day, Lavinia.
He did not tell her that he had added
| after the formal statement. Brought
| Lavinia home from Miss rs" the
| further comment. Miss I. looked like
n rose in her pink gown"
| A week later lie urged Lavinia to
call. ''She will think something is the
matter" he said.
| Lavinia shrugged her shoulders. 81
have been there in the daytime" she
said. Il don't see what more she Cal
expect"
| Richard thought for moment. "Sht
has told us that her evenings are lone
4 ly," he reminded his sister.
''IIumphr' said Lavinia. Il don
know that we are called on to put our
selves out to go there these freeZins
cold nights
i Richard returned to his hook. bu
after a reasonably judicious interva
he looked up to say, Il saw a yer!
pretty tea basket in a shop this morn
ing, Lavinia, padded inside - keep thu
II tea warm
WHO wants a thing like that?" La
vinia questioned scornfully. Il alway'
make coffee, Richard
II Richard, said nothing more. He love,
tea, but Lavinia preferred coffee, ant
there you were. Yet the next mornin:
he sauntered to the flaming Japanes
bazaar, Where We're displayed nativ
wares to tempt the tourists who wer
making the old fashioned southern vii
lage halfway stopping place on thei
way TO the tropics.
The tea basket was quaint affai
of oriental weaving with a gay pin
satin lining and green and pink cor
and tassel about the handle The pin
J made Richard think of Miss Tivertor
s,eSss