The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1912-08-23
Their Good
Excuse

i've heard that the Mathesons are
going to give a large card party next
week Friday" remarked Mrs. Allen to
her husband.
Been invited?" asked Allen. not
looking up from his paper.
mo, the invitations aren't out yet"
We'll, / suppose we'll be asked, all
right"
I Yes. that's the trouble"
- TROUBLE" echoed Allen, laying
down the paper
Yes. trouble. You know, Tom,
Just can't bear those stiff, tiresome
parties Mrs. Matheson is always CIV
Ing The last time we went to one We
both declared that we'd never 60 to an
other"
It's simple enough TO send regrets.
isn't it?"
Without any reason and cause an
old friend and neigh Dor to be offended
fox life?"
Then ser d an excuse. Say that I'm
I'll or that your Angora cat is under
the Doctors care because of an attack
OF the pip"
"rtnt lie Sly. Tom. This Is Sc
riCUs nate" TIE Mathesons always
know ey, ling that gees on in this
house How cou,d they live right
ac"Ccs tie Street ard not know wheth-
er | was tsH.Gg tie truth or not If
scid you we're T.? No, we've got to
have SOME real res N for de."ni-g."
We might run est &C town" sug
Fishing" Mrs. Allen gave her hus-
band a v,:keri!.S ~'arce. Wien you
feel impe.lcd TO 80 hshing, Tom, please
leave me at ho~ e. I've hid enough of
leaky let's, wet feet and b.isteriag
sunburn"
well, We might so to some other
city for little change"
I'm not prepared to 80 away from
home. My clothes aren't in order and
/ have a dressmaker coming next
week. think we'd better just invite
some people to dinner the evening of
the card party. Suppose We ask the
Dooittles?"
do you think" inquired Allen, that
an evening with the Doolittles will be
any more enlivening than a party at
the Mathesons? Have l got to listen
for three hours to Doolittle's maunder-
ing talk about his one hunting expedi-
ton to the Maine woods and to Mrs.
Doolittle's bromide. "reminiscences of
her single trip to Paris? Why the Doc
Titles, my dear?
"You know very we'll that we owe
them some hospitality. l think Mrs.
Doollttle is quite interesting and that
story Mr.. Doolittle tells about the
moose he missed is really exciting"
Eyes, the first twenty times you hear
It. After two dozen repetitions my hair
has ceased to stand on end at the crit
zeal moments"
well. anyway, ! like them"
mo accounting for tastes, my dear.
If asking the Doolittles to dinner will
satisfy a soul craving of yours, ask
them by all means. Never mind me-"
Don't be ridiculous, Tom. You
know I'm not crazy over them, but as
long as We have to have some one,
think we may as well have them"
"Oh. very WELL" replied Allen.
When he left the house a few min
utes later he dropped note Of invi-
tation into the nearest post box and
grinned.
Three days later he asked his wife:
"Are the Doolittles coming?"
Eyes, Mrs. Doolittle telephoned an
enthusiastic acceptance. She has had
some of her Paris photographs en-
larged and she's going to bring them
over TO show u.s."
HAS Doolittle had any photographs
taken of his moose story?"
"Tom, you ought to be ashamed"
81 am, my dear; but I'd rather be
ashamed than hear that story again.
BY the way, did you remember to
send your regrets to Mrs. Matheson?"
mo"
"Why not?"
"Well, it's awfully strange, Tom, and
/ can't understand 1t at all-we're not
invited by the Mathesons."
mot invited! And the sacrifice on
the Doolittle altar is all for nothing?"
'But l can't see why they didn't In
vite u.s." persisted Mrs. Allen.
The night of the party after the Doc
gazed dolefully from her front win
dows. "Just look how gay it is over
there. Toni" she said. after our dull
evening the lights and laughter are
really alluring. 1t appears to be an
unusually lively affair. / honestly can
not see why we weren't asked"
I'VE weren'tI that's the main thing
10 he thankful for"
I'm not bit thankful. I'm greatly
disappointed"
"Why, thought you never wanted
to go there again."
-" T didn't, but I don't like to be left
out and you know yourself, Tom, the
Doolittles are the worst bores among
our acquaintance. / don't see why
you insisted on having them"
"Why, my dear, l never"
"Now, don't deny It, Tom. You said
for me to have them by all means.
Those were your exact words. Look.
they've begun TO dance over there,