The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1912-12-31
The FORGOTTEN PARTY
BY ]. ]. MCCARTNEY.

luHh iu Tue Ddck OF bis brain OF some
thing left undone Struggle al he
might, he could not get Il into CON
crete form, yet trying to forget It
only irrltated him the more.
IN the midst Of hls luncheon a light.
ming flash cleared his head and with
sickening chill he knew what he
hadn't done. He had forgotten to re
to the dinner party which Celia Bell
had given the evening before.
He had not the ghost Of an excuse
because he had not been dead at the
time, which would have been the only
valid excuse IN the eyes Of hostess
He had simply acsented himself from
the affair because OF an inexplicabIs
lapse Of memory For an instant he
wished that he dared telephone the
explanation that he had heen knocked
down and rendered unconscious BY an
automobile and had just come to. Man
lfestly It was totally impossible to
call up Celia and airily say, Excuse
me for thinking SO little OF your inyi-
tation that It slipped my mindin
The fact was that he thought a lot
Of Cellas invitation. Indeed. he was
beginning to realize that he was going
70 think lot Of Celia He had scarce
ly begun to do so as yet, because their
acquaintance had hardly advanced be-
yond the formal stages, but he real
lied that his captivity was inevitable
and he was more than resigned to the
prospect This made the scrape in
which he now found himself all the
more tragic.
He had heard Of mon who had for.
gotten dinner parties and had been re-
stored to human society and federation
only after weary years OF contrition
This tedious process did not appeal
to him. lie was afraid that IN the
meantime some one else would run
away with Celia he racked his brain
for a more speedy solution Of the din.
Guilty.
Celia was no weak, gentle, doormat
variety Of girl He could imagine Just
how her wonder at his nonappearance
had grown to surprise. then to wrath.
and how her wrath was growing hour
by hour
II was without doubt a most difficult
situation
The average man would have tried
to placate the injured hostess BY
bushel Of roses or ten pounds Of candy,
contrlte note or desperate call 10
person. Young Plunkett showed his
really superior intellect BY the fact
that he did not do any Of these things.
For q few days he did absolutely moth.
ing. This required selfrestraint, for
every hour that Celia hated him was
a blight But when the next Mopaay
evening came around he attired him
self carefully IN the prescribed soci
ETY. ralment and sailed forth
On bis way be ran into Smith. "Hei.
To-" said smith. are we going out
among them tcnight?"
Yes said young Plunkett, cheer
fully y en- going 70 a dinner party
at Celia Belle
On. said Smith. SIS she entertain
ing again ] went 70 a dinner at her
home last Monday night
rDid Tcu~ murmured young Plum
kett intsrestedly. and passed on
WITH firm step he mounted the
steps 70 TIE home Of Celia and the Wig
orous peal OF the bell sounded not
like The summons Of one in terror. Ad-
mitted 10 the reception hall. he waited
ia all bis immaculate splendor After
a while Celia came Ia. She advanced
with the outraged dignity OF an OF.
Tended stage princess and when she
said Good evening IN q questioning
tone young Plunkett felt like an unwel.
come book agent. Yet he olung grim.
" to TIE purpose with which he had
started out
"Am / the arst one?" he asked,
oheerlly
Miss Bell was puzzled enough to re-
lax her frown a Bit First one foI
what? ! don't understand she
said.
Young pmnkett's face was a picture
OF ingenious amazement Why, aren't
you giving a dinner party this eve
ning4r he demanded
Miss Bell sat down Imply u an
mott" she informed him. y gave ons
last Monday night; however-and
don't believe you have seen fit to ex
plain why you we're not present
Last Monday nightw cried young
Plunkett. why, you've made an aw
ful mistake OF some sort When vol
invited me you said distinctly a weel
from next Monday night Do YOU thinl
for an instant ! could have misunder
stood an invitation from YOU? Why
rye counted on this evening for day
-and nov you tell me that you hal
the party a week ago don't under
stand, really
For a moment Celia stared at him
II ever there was a disappointed AM
reproachiul individual on earth It va
young plunkeiL al that instant.
Celia wavered then she fell.
I'll never did such a thing befor