Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-30
CHAPTER <.
Discovers a Pepperment Tree

Horatio Discovers Pepperment Tree
Meantime Harriet Merle, in the happy
confidence that Horatio was about to
achieve q real oratorical triumph. had
been left by the Baxters at st. Timothy's
parish house, where the bazaar was to
De held. and had established herself in
modest seat near the door. whence. unob-
served, she might study the ladies Of the
parish who were already pouring in
A charity bazaar. generally speaking.
Is an invention designed to mitigate the
sufferings Of the rich during the painful
operation Of removing small portion OF
their super1uous wealth for the benefit,
of the poor. =.
Charity, however, to appeal successfully
to the taste feminine. must come in vari-
Gus shades and styles. and each OF the
ladies of st. Timothy's parish had her
pet shade. So it happened that the date
of this bazaar had been fixed and most
Of the arrangements completed long be-
fore the good ladies had agreed upon the
charity to be benefited.
1t was only after several stormy meet
ings that, for the sake Of peace. 1t was
agreed to leave charity out OF the ques-
ton. And then 1t was that the Bishop Of
gested starting branch OF the Progress
sive Mothers Society at Ippingford, and.
as the expenses Of stationery. stamps
and the salary of secretary must be
self without further discussion.
Thanks to the untiring energy and UNI
failing tact of Mr.. Ferdinand Spooner.
! secretary Of the Progressive Mothers So
| not only on actual speaking terms with
each other, but were working harmont-
ously together for the great cause. Each
| of these ladies was happy in the con-
| seriousness that she had obtained. not
| through undue favor, but in recognition
| of her peculiar social pre-eminence. the
| table occupying the very best position in
| the hall. This. also. it may be noted.
was due entirely to the unfailing tact OF
| Mr.. Ferdinand SpOoner.
| Whenever Mr.. Ferdinand Spooner was
asked to admire any particular table. he
praised it without stint, but he was ever
! careful to add that each Of the tables
was quite perfect in its own way. and.
| in the minutes of subsequent meeting
| Of the Progressive Mothers Society the
resolution proposing that a vote of thanks
be rendered to Mr.. Ferdinand SpOoner.
for his untiring energy and unfailing tact.
was moved, seconded and carried unani-
mously.
The bazaar had been advertised to open
| at half-past o'clock, and keenest inter-
est had been aroused by the announce
ment that. on account of the indisposi-
! ton Of DIR. Dibble. the address would be
delivered by the Rev. HoratiO Merle. AL
most every one in the parish knew Ho-
ratio Merle by sight More often than
not the curate and his wife were the only
occupants Of the Baxter Pew. but such
was his shrinking from gro%h-up human
society and so retired his walks that very
few knew him personally. Harriet. too,
| for reasons of her own, worldly reasons.
of which she was secretly ashamed, had
yr1oo tn no I'll lv q IL
vances of the ladies OF st. Timothy's.
Nor, in this respect. were the Merles any
exception in the Baxter household. Hiram,
| who with his son spent most Of his time
in America, regarded English society
very much as he regarded the English
climate and English business methods.
and Eleanor preferred - share his seclu-
sion to Drawing the leveled lorgnettes and
mOnocled StareS at Hirams hOmely Amer
lean speech and manners.
AS for Lionel Fftz-Brown and Kate
| Clendennin. they were sufficiently occu-
pied with each other and dismissed the
entire parish as "beastly BORE"
From her chair at the back Of the hall
Harriet Merle watched the clock anx-
iously. The hands now pointed exactly
to half-past 3. the time fixed for the OPEN
ing address. For twenty-seven hours
Harriet had waited for this moment. had
mentally rehearsed the scene to It's mi
nutest detail-the expectant hush that
would follow the Introductory remarks
by the harmless but necessary Spooner-
then Horatio. solemn, TRANSPORTED. in the
black surplice that Harriet had only the
morning before shaken from its long cam
phorous sleep. would slowly mount the
steps to the platform, looking neither to
the right nor to the left-and. when the
hush had become absolutely unbearable,
he would cough silently and
In sudden panic Harriet looked at the
clock. 1t was five minutes past the time.
The decorous applause that had followed
-. 30, vplro h. 1rrkf ~
progressive mothers "a progressive moth
er must be progressive-shem must nurse
her babies progressively. she must battle
| them progressively, she must punish
a long minute ago. The expectant hush
was becoming unbearable. Where was
Horatio? Why didn't he come? What
had happened?
Ferdinand Spooner tiptoed Importantly
| from one to another of the ladies of the
committee. People were beginning to
whisper. Harriet shrank into her meager
feather boa. She clasped her hands till
they hurt in her effort to keep from cry
ing Tears came into her eyes and drop
ped upon the white gloves that she had
worked SO hard to clean for the occa-
sion. Oh. why didn't he come? She had
sat up half the night with him and made
coffee to keep him awake till the ad-
dress was written.
She thought Of the money that Horatio
| would have received-one pound, perhaps
| even two pounds-and how she needed
that money. Now there would be moth
ing.
What was the secretary saying? He
feared that Mr.. Merle had been unavoid-
ably detained, and the committee had de-
| cided that the address should be omitted,
and he now declared the bazaar formally
opened, and he asked them all to join in
singing the national anthem. AS the
lharmonium grOaned the first bar Of God
Save the King and every one stood up,
Harriet, grateful. for the cover afforded
by this ancient custom. hut. for the mo-
ment, past all caring whether his mai
esty was saved or not made her way to
the door without attracting attention.
Her only thought was to get out out
into the air and away from people-away
from the sound of singing.
During this time Horatio. rejoicing in
the thought that he was leaving his
young protege, Hester Storm, in a peace
full and sheltered haven. had turned down
the shady drive on his way to the Pro-
gressive Mothers bazaar.
| At the first bend of the road the curate
came to a standstill. Here little green
lane, leading to the woods. sidled off al
luringly to the right. Merle shook his
head. mo. thank you; no short cuts for
me today" he said. aloud. and quickly
turned his back on the green temptress.
AS Horatio resumed his walk a small
plaintive voice close behind him caused
him to look round. why. Martin
/ 4. lot r,11 of,,Ns~