El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-01-20

window where samples OF
wedding, bridge and dance invitations
were displayed? He had Just looked at
his watch and found that he had still
eight minutes of the luncheon hour to
fill His office being merely round the
corner in Gracechurch street, he felt
no disposition to stir. And, after all,
this window was worth inspection. A
perusal of these invitation forms was
educational. 1t told you at once what
was the correct thing. A manual on
this branch of etiquette could not have
been more informing.
Suddenly Maurice started. His eyes
had fallen on a form which began
thus:
Mr.. and Mrs. Hilary Jones request
the pleasure of -- company at the
marriage of their daughter Florence
with Mr.. Tudor Saxon"
At this point Maurice smiled with a
big sense of relief. Clearly the names
were entirely imaginative, as given in
this connection. The choice of Tudor
Saxon" gave away the trick; no one
outside the characters in a musical
comedy or a farce was ever called by
such an appellation-
But the selection of ''Mr. and Mrs.
Hilary Jones" and their daughter
Florence" was certainly a somewhat
This was the coincidence.
For over a year now Maurice had
been in love with a flesh and blood
creature in real life. Her name was
Florence, and she was the daughter Of
Mr.. and Mrs. Hilary Jones, of Browns
wood Park.
All, would that it-were true! Would
that this invitation were solid fact!
But, alas, it was a myth! Mr.. and Mrs.
Hilary Jones were both snobs (per-
haps, boasting that name. they couldn't
help themselves, poor <peopleD, and
they looked higher for their daughter
than to Maurice Dean. a mere ship
brokers' clerk. He did not despair Of
marrying her some day, but probably
some last expedient like an elopement
would require to be resorted to. And
to think that Mr.. and Mrs. Hilary
Jones could so sweetly and simply end
the matter by issuing an invitation
like this.
Suddenly Maurice's eyes CLEANED.
Such a wonderful idea had come.
by Jove," he exclaimed to him
self. IF 1 only dared!'
Just then a neighboring clock struEk
two, and he bolted hurriedly round fine
corner But he was still repeating to
himself IF only daredr'
Next day he dared.
He entered Hopwoods' shop at mid
day with the blandest and most limo
cent expression on his face.
ooh, good morningl I want you to
print for me some wedding invitations,
if you please"
The selection was quickly made-it
was of the same design as the Hilary
! Jones sample in the window, but Maui
,I,E~+i I'D n FOR he <i0fi-
tious one He named All Saints
church, Stamford HILL as the places He
had always thought he would like to
be married there and as he was issu-
ing his own invitations he could suit
himself. September the 18th he
thought would be a very convenient
time for all concerned.
The following Saturday afternoon
Maurice Dean called for the cards.
Subsequently he went into LeadenhaIl
street postoflce and expended two
shillings and a penny on halfpenny
stamps He spent the evening. with a
local directory at his side, addressing
fifty envelopes and slipping the in
vitations inside.
He had certainly spread his social
net wider than the Hilary Jones would
have dared to do had they been given
the task Of selecting their own guests.
When Mr. Hilary Jones entered the
dining room for breakfast he was
humming to himself. He usually did
that in the morning, because he liked
to show that his vitality was more
exuberant than that Of the other mem
bers of his family. He might not have
hurimed on this particular morning
had he any suspicion of what was
awaiting him.
There were four envelopes lying I'M
opened on his wife's plate. All bore
local postmarks, and all were address,
ed in feminine hands.
ST can't imagine" Hilary muttered
to himself what women can find to
correspond about"
He felt tempted to investigate. but
there was his wife's step on the stairs.
Recommending her to hurry, he went
round to his place at the table.
His wife caught sight at once Of the
mail and she exclaimed;
"Oh, dear, what lovely lot of let
tersw
Had she but known that these mere
ly formed the advance guard and that
there were IS others to follow!
She laid the contents Of the first en-
~ve1ope bare, and stared-and stared
and stared.
Mary" said Mr.. Hilary Jones, test
lily, II do wish you'd leave your let
ters. and artnrI to II e pouring oct Of
the coffee
Mrs. Hilary Jerss found voice ct
last.
Hillary" she cried, its positively
shameful of you to have done this!'
Eth. what. my dear?"
Positively shameful, I say, for you
to ask the Hudsons here on the 18th
Of next month and not tell me a word
about it,
Under the horrible injustice of the
charge Hilary went red with fury.
It's a downright lie!' he blazed
coming rapidly round the table and
snatching the letter from his wife's
grasp.
The reply that he took into his hand
was very brief. Socially the Hudsons
were Of some Importance, and as 1t was
an act of condescension for them to
IN he