Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-05-06
The Argus Daily Short Story
Della Priddys Tea Party-By Clarissa Maclde.
Copyrighted. 1910 by Associated Literary PresA

Della Priddy riew briskly around her
little kitchen. Della was giving tea
party that night.
In the other half of the house two
women sat talking in b sunny bow
window. Everything here was neat
and orderly. but the rooms lacked the
air of festiyity that was impaired by
the preparations for the party.
IF was to give a tea party to the
sewing society wouldn't you think
was mean If L didn't invite my next
door neighbour demanded Ann Bart
impatiently.
II don't know" returned Mrs. White
evasively. II guess I'll put this edging
in plain. What do you think, Annf"
Mrs. Bart stabbed her knitting nee
dies into the folds of the shawl and
leaned back in her rocking chair. I'D
put it in plain If / was you, Sonny.
You needn't try to get out of answer
ing me, for want to know what's the
reason Della Priddy didn't ask me to
her party? Haven't 1 always been
nice to her? I've asked her time and
again to every kind of doings me and
James ever had, Not that she'd ever
come a step, but invited her, and
now James is dead and buried and
I've come to live in the other half of
the house should think she'd have
manners enough to ask me. I've been
a member of the sewing society ever
since / married and came to SILVIA
ter-thats twenty years ago. It's a
public slight. that's what it is!''
Mrs. White quivered uneasily. 'You
never knew Della before you was mar
ried and came to StiIIwat~t % she ven
tured hesitatingly.
Ann Bart shook her head.
''I'll have to be going along home, ]
guess" said the other woman. rising
slowly and picking the threads from
her dress. There's supper to get for
Henry and the children and''-she
glance from her companions face to
the Towering plants in the window
"your night blooming cereus has got
--one, two, three-it's got seven buds
on it, They look like they'll open to-
night She turned surprised eyes
upon her hostess.
Mrs. Barts lips took on bitter
curve as she replied: yes, It'll be
a-bloom tonight guess I'll have to
admire it all by myself. Every men,
Der of the society / asked to come In
and see it said she had an engage
ment-just as If I didn't know twas
Della Priddy's party they were going
tor
AS fba q ffarnoor, mora On her hftfaTA
ness increased. and she was trembling
with anger and disappointment that
she could no longer conceal from her.
self She wished some calamity might
befaIl Delia's tea party. Indeed. she
was quite willing to become the au-
thor of any catastrophe that would put
an end to the merrymaking.
At o'clock she saw Della, arrayed /
In a black silk skirt and white shirt
waist, tripping down the street with
a pitcher IN one hand. Della would be
back in ten minutes.
Like little fury the widow dew
across the hall and opened Deiia's
door. The table was set for supper
gold banded china, pale pink ham,
pickles and preserves, three kinds Of
cake, balls of pot cheese. golden sal
ad-even the bubbling of the teakettle
in the kitchen bespoke the pot OF fra
grant tea that was to come. Ten places
were laid. and Ann Bart swiftly count
ed the members Of the sewing society,
and there were nine and one over
that would be DeIia's cousin from the
Junction. She was always invited to
Delia's parties.
Ann Bart ,hesitated for an instant |
only. Then she darted back into her
own room and fetched large flat bas- |
ket feem her kitchen closet. Into the |
basket she set the plates of ham and
cake and cheese. the dishes OF pre- |
serves and the bowl of salad. Guiltily /
she returned to her own rooms and /
sought the stairs leading to the large. |
open raftered attic that was shared |
alike by the two inmates of the house
On the north half Of the room Della
Priddy kept her belongings. and In the |
south half AIMS things were stored
away. Ann was particular to place /
the captured viands in Delia's half of I
the attic. When Delia found them she
might conjecture what she pleased.
Mrs. Bart was too angry to anaiyze
her own motives at that moment.
A large chest was set back under the :