Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1910-12-21

incident was over, but she never for
got it. She proved that she never did
when she sent me two urn-shaped
vases with Paul and Virginia on them,
when THAT is, later on.
tThe cause in England has made
great strides" she announced from
the fire place. "Soon the hand that
rocks the cradle will be the hand that
actually rules the world" Here she
looked at me.
I'm not up on such things" Max
said blandly, having recovered some OF
his good humor, "but-isn't it usually
a foot that rocks the cradle?"
Aunt Selma turned on him and Mr..
HARRISON, who were standing togeth-
er, with snort.
What have you, or you, ever done
for the independence of woman?" she
demanded.
Mr.. HARRISON smiled. He had been
looking rather grave until then. I'VE
have at least remained unmarried"
he retorted. And then dinner was
again announced.
came across the room to where | sat
collapsed in a chair, and bent over
me.
DO you know" he said, looking
down at me with his clear. d!scon-
certing gaze, do you know that I
have just grasped the situationf
There was such noise that | did not
hear your name, and l am only real
tzing now that you are my hostess! I
doH't know why / got the impression
that this was a bachelor establish
ment, but I did. Odd, wasn't it."
positively couldn't look away from
him. My features seemed frozen, and
my eyes were glued to his. As for
telling him the truth-well, my tongue
refused to move. I intended to tell
him during dinner If I had an OPP
portunity: I honestly did. But the
more I looked at him and saw how
candid his eyes we're, and how stern
his mouth might be, the more shiv-
cred at the plunge. And, of course, as
everybody knows now, | didn't tell
him at all. And every moment l ex-
pected that awful old woman to ask
me what l paid my cook, and when
| had changed the color of my hair
Bella's being black.
Dinner was a half-hour late when
we finally went out, Jimmy leading
off with Aunt Selma, and I, as hostess,
Mr. HARRISON. Dallas took in the two
Mercer girls, for we were one man
short, and Max took Anne. Leila Mer-
Ger was so excited that she wriggled
and as for me, the candles and the
orchids everything - danced around
in circle, and | just seemed to catch
the back of my chair as it flew past.
Jim had ordered away the wines and
brought out some weak and cheap
Chianti. Dallas looked gloomy at the
change, but Jim explained in an I'M
dereone that Aunt Selma didn't ap-
prove Of expensive vintages. Natural
~, the meal was GUM enough
Aunt Selma had had her dinner on
the train, so she spent her time in
asking me questions the length of the
table, and in getting acquainted with
sort of medicine downstairs with ner,
and she took a claret glassful, while
she talked. The stuff was called Po-
mona: Shall / ever forget it?
It was Mr.. HARRISON who first no.
ticed Takahiro. Jimmy's Jap had
been the only thing in the menags
that Bella declared she had hated to
leave. But he was doing the strangest
things: His little black eyes shifted
nefvously, and he looked queer.
Whats wrong with him?" Mr..
HARRISON asked me finally, when he
saw that / noticed rs he ill?"
Then Aunt Selina's voice from the
other end of the table:
Bella" she called, in a high shrin
tone, do you let James eat cucum-
bers?"
II think he must be" said hurried
ly aside to Mr.. HARRISON. See how
his hands shake!" But Aunt Selma
would not be ignored.
"Cucumbers and strawberries" she
repeated impressively. i was saying,
Bella, that cucumbers have always
given James the most fearful indiges-
ton. And yet | see you serve them at
your table. Do you remember what
/ wrote you to give him when he has
his dreadful spells?"
l was quite speechless; every one
was looking, and no one could help.
1t was clear Jim was racking his
brain, and we sat staring desperately
at each other across the candles.
Everything I had ever known faded
from me; eight pairs of eyes bored
into me, Mr.. Harbison's politely
amused
Il don't remember" / said at last
Really, don't believe" Aunt Sc
lima smiled in superior way
Nov, don't you recall it," she in
sisted. II said: Baking soda in water
taken internally for cucumbers ba-
king soda in water externally, rubbed
on, when he gets that dreadful, itch.
inn 81, y