Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-08-05

cooks feeling" reflected Dorothy, and
| she smiled on Agatha. who was pushing
| the turkey through an uncertain slide.
Hold it up commanded the chef.
| Its a simply abominabie concern likely
| to tumble at any minute, Prop it up with
| this piece of kindling wood! Hows the
dinner going? Did they say anything
about the green sauce?'
"One of the gentlemen said it was de-
| licious: he hadn't eaten such a thing since
| his last dinner at the Cafe ST. Martin"
| And Dorothy spoke so easily that
! Agatha. for all her shrewdness. detected
nothing. The dinner proceeded in orderly
| triumph Dorothy overheard Mrs. Prem
, tice saying, with true New England eva
sion to cnngratulation: Wei, I'm sorry
to say, she Is only borrowed; she Is an
accommodation whom got for today.
The cook is an accommodation, too. 1 was
lucky, don't you think
Il think I'd like their addresses, if you
please. Mlllicent. doomed Mrs. Prentices
deep voice; these pies are something
the aspic jelly
THE others were hers. but the pies
Mrs. Prentice was radiant-"the pies
were from your own recipe and l made
them myself
Nine. Prentice nodded her aquiline pro-
file with more sign of approval than her
daushter-in-law ever had seen she
turned the conversation to the water COB
lets of rock crystal, curiously cut with
facets cleaning like diamonds. She had
loaned them to Mile, she said. with
gracious smile. Never before had she
shown such condescension. Mrs. Prem
tice sat like one in happy dream.
x
I, sed
bined with gratitude that as soon as
dinner was over she made the first OPP
portunity to go to the pantry and look
through the slide into the kitchen.
There sat the pretty maid and the
cook, whose white gown was pro-
tected by the most voluminous and
bretelled of aprons, which, being pro-
tected by nothing in turn, had suffered
from the eccentricities of the coal range
and the sportive nature of eggs. But her
brilliant eyes and flushed cheeks made
her as handsome as the trim maid. Dishes
were stacked in all directions-on the ia
bles, in the sink, on the pantry shelves.
The sacred De Witt Clinton set. how
ever, had been washed and stood safely
to one side.
A snatch of conversation noated 10
Mrs. Prentice.
And to think that We used to think
our maids dallied forever SO over their
meals-why it's such a relief to sit down.
think we were too hard-I mean / was
too hard. I am afraid the cellar stairs
were too steep. too. l am going to see
that they are altered"
Mrs. Prentice bent to speak through the
slide. Unhappy eagerneSS of her graft
tude! The ancestral goblets were on the
shelf; the lady's movement dislodged the
protecting prop of kindling wood; there
was the swift slide of the guillotine,
pn<t -iSytn
sprang to their feet They saw the wreck
age. They noted Mrs. Prentices whiten-
ing face. Dorothy ran around into the
pantry; she pushed into heap of the
splinters OF two OF the glasses: 49,, ;.
a full, orotund voice proclaimed. preced-
ing the stately figure Of Nine Prentice.
Here's the china closet. Millicent will
excuse my bringing you in here. MILL
cent, where are those glasses?
Agatha heard the voice. She realized
part of the awful situation. but saw no
chance for her own entry into the tras-
edy; one thing she could do: she did 1t;
with all her weight she hung on TO the
slide and kept the screen firm betwean
the world and her own untidy kitchen
Dorothy Will have to save that miserable
Mrs. Prentice" thought she. Il can
Dorothy seemed equal to her task. She
had flung her napkin over the wreck; she
was asking in the meekest voice was
there anything madam wished.
Here's one" said Nine. Prentice: IF
you want a wedding gift, you couldn't do
better"
Pardon, madam" Dorothys silvery,
humble tones again slid into the pause.
Pardon. but if these most beautiful
glasses are for sale, l know a lady who
will buy, pay what you like-unless, of
course monsieur he wish"
She looked quite calmly full into Went
worth's perturbed face; he gasped:
why yes, yes, unless the lady-was it
SOP
Fifty dollars; and l prefer to sell to
you," retorted Nine. Prentice, you've
got the 'scrutor and you can have these
Il do them up and give to the gentle
MANI" softly, sadly spoke Dorothy.
Yes" said Nine. Prentice
Mrs. Prentice said not a word BY de-
grees the color ebbed back into her face.
But not until Nine. Prentice's magnifi-
cent back had creaked and shimmered
away and Wentworth had returned to
close the pantry door, murmuring, Il
must see you! When?"
And Dorothy had murmured back:
"Later-after they CO. Thank you
Not until this last moment did Mrs.
Prentice summon breath to voice an in
tolerable relief. ''Oh. you good. good,
brave. smart young girl! Oh will he let
Dear TO-" laughed Dorothy, SO hand
some that it took Agathas breath away
as she caught vision of her through
the uplifted slide. dear, no. He isn't
going to buy them, we are! And we
are going to make you a present Of
them"
"Oh. amt she the cutest thing"' sigh
ed Mrs Prentice out of a full heart
According to immemorial New England
rural custom, the dinner had been in the
early afternoon. but the lamps were
lighted as Agatha left her clean and
shining kitchen. and smiling though
weary. bade Mrs. Prentice goodnight
and went upstairs. She paused only a |
moment at the door of their own little
parlor. She had opened 1t unseen by the
youth and maiden within. who were blind !
10 everything but the enchanted journey
into their own hearts which they were !
taking. She gazed for second on them
both.
Dorothy spoke; her voice held a new
Thanksgving!'' she said. Il didn't think |
Of the thanks. though, l was so busy |
trying to make 1t go off and make the |
poor things happy
What better way to return thanks
to make people happy? And to think" |
cried the young fellow. remorsefully. |
that l ever thought you were like beau |
tiful Venetian vase. exquisite and frail |
and hard. But now-oh, Dorothy. is it /
too soon--
Very softly the older sister closed the
door. Il SEEM said she. with rather /