Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-01

k4J " drawing room man
tclpiece Susy had often wondered why
il had been singled out for this honor
To-day having leisure and opportunity
Size wondered more than ever
She had come 10 play house with
Emmy Woods but had found her in the
hands OF the visiting seamstress. After
an unpleasant three-quarters of an hour.
Mrs Woods had politely dismissed Susy,
telling her not To bans the street door
after her. and The visitor had departed
with a feeling OF deep resentment.
With a dull Saturday afternoon stretch
ing in grayncsS before her. Susy had
c-rawled listessIy down the stairs. letting
her arm slide along the smooth mahogany
banster. until she had paused Just before
the open drawing room door 1t was then.
a. she stood peering into the shaded,
hushed place. that the little green hottie
had begun 10 interest her curiously.
WHY should il he mp there. enthroned
on a pedestal? 1t seemed to her irritat-
ingIy stuck up. as if il sneered down on
the Dresden shepherd and his lass. and
On the stuffed canary under glass cover
that kept looking mp AT it most Worship
fully, as if it wanted 10 chirp:
Cast but one glance on thine humble
servant. . King,
II was odd, TOO that Mrs. Moods should
nut the bottle there for every one To look
at and never have it cleaned. Susy re
membered that the first time she had seen
it-oh, a very long time ago. maybe AS
long as six monthS-it had been VERY
,iirty. and dirty il had remained. The re-
suit of her reflections was a criticism Of
Mrs. Woods housekeeper. and de
,.son 10 use her rent-up surplus a :
witty in cleaning the impudentlookins
I,uttIe.
TO this end she cautiously rolled over
10 the mantelpieCe rep-covered arm
chair. Very guardedy. fixed, nervous
smile OF anticipation on her face SusN
took the bottle from lis high place and.
lifting the point of iier apron. prepared
70 give a thorough brushing But her
uneasy feet had pressed the armchair
backward and she lost her balance. She
fell against the mantelpecc and her clasp
Ioosened on the bottle. With a dainty.
tinkling crash il broke into splinters.
The suddenness of the disaster hypno-
tized her into inaction. and for moment
she could only stare al the prismatic
hued wreck. With realization of her
mischief, the thought of the wrath in
Mrs Woods cold eyes made her cringe.
She pushed the chair back 10 its place,
stole from the room. and the previous
direction 10 leave the house quietly
was obeyed with fanatical exactness. No
mouse ever crept out on midnight recon-
noitering expedition with more silken
stealth than did Susv Gilvarry from the
Woods home.
What was to he done" She must tell
her mother. Of course, and her mother
would 20 and tell Mrs Woods. ma king
polite apologies for her child, after the
manner Of the Big People. and Mrs.
Woods no matter how furious she might
i.e inside would also. following the same
law smile and say it did not matter in
the least and that Mrs. Gilvarry must not
think IF such a trifle again
Su>y was. however. trembling and very
awed when she reached her own home,
bat few doors away. Ellen admitted
ne her expression sulky because her
check vas swollen.
ooh. its YOU. Miss Susy. is il, she
grumhled You forgot 10 wipe Your feet
again, TOO. How often will Peter have
- wash the steps. Id like to know?
~uSy did not seem TO hear With a
ing cnergetically TO her mothers room.
II empty. Neither was Margaret
The nurse, II the sewing room. stitching
usual There was no trace of her sis
ter Genevieve, whom she had lef, in the
back ward digging with her new spade
The library was vacanr, TOO. The whole
house was depressingy still
\ sense of personal injury began 10 in
Nat RI ..t,ia RI
that this being Saturday afternoon her
father had left his office early-in fact,
that the smell of his after-luncheon cigar
still In tho library, though he him
self hal vanished. Where were they all?
Why was she left alone in the world, and
4, time when she badly needed an arm
around her. breast to shiver up against
she confessed her fault?
She hurried to the kitchen, but even
gook. who generally welcomed her with a