The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-05-09
THE FARMER: MAY 9, 1912

with sudden change or manner, as he looked toward the dining-rooni. he tin up, suh."
 Brookfield returned.
 Harvey
 "Yes suh."
 The ladies will have their coffee in here"
 ssYes, sul1."
 As the ladies were already follow ing, Brookfield crossed, warningiy, to Denning and introduced him.
 "Alice. this is my friend MT. Dem ning-my sister Mrs. Campbell"
 Alice nodded to the young man now awkwardly conscious of his tweeds.
 Helen was saying to Viola, about whom she had put her arm. 'I never take coffee even after dinner. and at this hour-never."
 Jack finished his introduction of Denning, and, resolved that there should be no misleading opportunity for impolitic commonplace. he took the young man by the arm and led him toward the dining-room, saying as they went:
 "Mr. Denning,s just left the foun- dry, and he is very hungry" "And thirsty" Denning added, with prompt seizure of the chance.
 "Yes, and thirsty" Jack courage ously accepted. Uncle Harvey is go- ing to save his life" And with dis embling heartiness he pushed Dem ming from the room.
 .'The foundry?' Alice inquired. with characteristic naivete.
 Never did a days work in his life," Jack smiled. why, that's Tom Denning."
 big race-horse," Viola volunteered. from one of her fields of special in- formation.
 Yo S1, ,ie,F FA11 is named after the race-horse."
 What does he dor" asked Helen.
 His father" Brookneld explained. Fathers in the packing business frs Kansas Cfty-this fellow has four men shovelling money away from him so he can breathe
 "Oh, Jack!" Alice exclaimed, in amused protest.
 "Yes," insisted Jack, I'm one of them" Then in quick recovery from his inadvertent admission of his trade. he added as he paused on the thres- hold, You'll find cigarette in that box"
 "Jack!" Mrs. Campbell rose from her chair with that extravagance of fession.
 Not you, Alice dear said Jack. with apologetic stress almost equally disclosing.
 Well. certainly not for me, Uncle Jack Viola answered. honestly, as he looked toward her and Helen. "Of course, not you, dear" Thank you, Mir. Brookfeld," Hel- en deduced, in a. fraternal pleasant ness which Jack remembered so well. Mrs. Campbell, as usual, one step behind the mental procession when ever 1t departed from the heaviest marching order, came to the defence .Of their p1leaf My dear brother. you confuse tho Kentucky ladies with some of your Eastern friends" Careful, Alice. careful. Helen lived in the East twenty years, re- member"
 "But even my husband didn't smoke.'
 "No?" Never in his life" 'In-his-life," Jack repeated, with malicious analysis. Why make such a pessimistic distinction ?" "Jack!" his sister gaSped again. in fluttering approximation; and then, as she came to him. murmured plain lively in an audible undertone, How can you say a thing like that?" She's the mans widow" Brook field offered. in sympathetic opacity to Alice. i've got to say it if any one does"
 Harvey turned the trend of con- versation by his appearance with the tray of coffee. ~...s.-
 "Mr. Denning get his tortoise. has Marse Jack; yes, suh." The old darky chuckled.
 "Ill take it, Uncle Harvey" Jack referred to the cup that Helen had declined. "I think three or four of them might help this head of mine. Brookfield had confessed once or twice earlier in the evening to a him, with an infection that indicated Ia repeated offer:
 Why don't you let Viola cure your headache?"
 "Yes. Uncle Jack. do', Viola put down her cup as she she spoke; ;, '-Eit hero while you drink" Viola pushed an easy-chair from the end of the table.
 .No, no, Viola; 1t isn't bad enough for that. I'll conserve your mesmeric endowment for a real occasion" Brookfield took the contents of the demi-tasse at a swallow. .'Just to please me-" his niece per- sisted.
 Jack boucher her caressingly under the chin. and. shaking his finger in concentrated accusation, lost upon all his hearers excepting Helen. said. "I don't want to spoil your awful stor- lies."
 Brookfleld 'rejoined the gentlemen in the diniug-room, where Harvey was passing the cigars. Left to themselves. the ladies be- gan to evince the personal disposition toward ease which marks the absence of self-consciousness, even self-con- sciousness so slight as that invited by the presence of the most intimate male relative
 Viola curled into one corner of the old colonial sofa that raked diagonal ly from the fireplace. She had taken from the table an uncut magazine and Ia huge tusk of ivory, shaped at it's broader end into spatulate paper cutter. Her mother sought an easy chair, regretfully expostulating that she had read somewhere that 1t was wise to stay on ones feet for twenty minutes after each meal. Helen leaned on the back of another chair in restful contemplation of the room which she had been but hurriedly in he- first passage through 1t before the supper. She was as yet unable to decide which object or group of ob- jects gave 1t that quality of witchery of which she was becoming conscious. Perhaps it was not the room itself; bination with the owner, of whose un- canny power and indefinite quality she was singular1y aware Tn the moment her mind her moved on its ; circle about this central Idea, and by B. double association the question seemed to utter itself: "Is Viola magnetic healer, tOo?'