Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-05

a dinner party one n1gnC my most ana
l were in the midst of an interesting
conversation, when | noticed movement
in the lace centerpiece, which lay under
pot of growing tulips. The lace was pushed
aside and straight toward me wriggled fat
red earthworm. If | have pet horror, it is
for anything that writhes. My host was
nearing the point of funny story, when |
caught sight of that strange intruder on a
dining table. He reached the end of the
story and laughed believe | laughed; but
to this day cannot tell what that story was
about. l sat watching the gymnastics of
that lively specimen of hshbait. In forty
seconds it was due to tumble into my lap.
There was no waiter near. The reptile was
hidden from my host by soup plate. The
man at my right was absorbed in converse
ton with woman beside him. The worm
had almost reached the edge of the table,
when l had an inspiration. | turned a red
wineglass upside down, for the waiter was
approaching with napkin wrapped bottle.
Have you turned White Ribboner?"
asked my host.
For tonight have" Where my voice
came from do not know; neither do know
how | ever sat out that meal listening to
host who tried his level best to entertain
dull guest, and watching frantic fshworm
try to break its way out of jail. Somehow,
growing plants on the dining table have
gone out of favor in our house.
A DEAR distracted old scientist l know
keeps his wife on the anxious seat every
moment when they dine out. She is pre-
pared for any ridiculous thing he will do
No one ever possessed finer breeding or
gentler manners than the good old professor
but his fits of abstraction are likely to de-
scend on him at any moment. His wife tells
of one notable experience.
lone night she says, Il lectured John
all the way home from dinner. | was try
ing to make him understand that pate shells
were intended to be eaten. If it had been
a caterer meal, | should have thought moth
ing about it; but our hostess was fine cook
; and she had just announced proudly that
1--WE were having some of her own puff paste.
Everybody ate the pates except John. With
the greatest care he scooped out the creamed
chicken and left the shell. He was horribly
distressed over it. If | had only known, my
dear he said, that the thing was intended
to be eaten, that it was really food and she
made it, | should have shown my apprecia-
ton
Remember it next time, them l said
"A week later at another dinner John was
seated opposite me. glanced at him curl
ously after the dessert came on; for he
seemed to be in the throes of choking fit
Imagine, II you can, my horror! he was
trying to masticate the paper case of a char
lotte russell There was only one thing l
could do,-call him to order as one would
have done child could not sit by calmly
and watch him choke to death Dinners are
frequently stupid affairs; but that one was
not after l had explained the situation to
tableful of people. Fortunately, John is SO
brilliant that his observation-disclosures is con-
sidered a natural adjunct to genius
A GIRL l know tells this one on herself:
1--WE spent last Easter in Washington,
and were on the CAD all the time; for we have
a host of friends there. We we're invited to
swell luncheon by an old schoolmate. We
donned our daintiest gowns and drove to the
house minus hats. Qn our little New Eng
land city nobody would dream of wearing a
hat at a luncheon.) We were late and l was
just descending the STAIR when l looked
down into the hall and saw crowd about
my hostess. She, as we'll as every guest
there, wore hat, and pretty fine hats at
that.
Il ran back up stairs and met my sister
coming down. Helen, cried, for mercy's
sake what shall we do? Every woman here
is wearing hail l had an inspiration