El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-09-09

Mr.. and Mrs. Boothby listened with ev1-
When at last the piece was brought
| to a tempestuous, discordant end, Helen
murmured some verw vague words OF
praise.
Yes. we think she plays very well"
said MIS- BOOthby, cOmplacently- She's
only been taking three years. Marjorie,
Marjorie. like her sister, went TO the
piano without word of protest Her
piece was less. stormy, but her execu-
Then Mr. Boothby suggested that
they play their duet" And to Helens
horror they took down a thick piece
of music and began the Poet and Peas
ant Overture"
A Terrible Time.
Here Warren leaned over and gave
a Helen a sly nudge, and she turned
her uncomfortable laugh into a forced
cough. The poor cheap piano groaned
and quaked under the onslaught of the
four strenuous hands The loud petal
worked overtime. ana when at last
they finished both girls were flushed
and perspiring from their vigorous ef-
forts.
Helen had no words with which to
commend It's performance, so she
clapped her hands applaudingly. nudg
ing Warren to do the same.
Yes, we all like that piece" said
Mrs. Boothby with the same pleased
complacency. How long were you
About three MONTHS answered EN-
ma, who was now lingering selfcon-
sciously the end of her sash.
oh. what lovely doggie"' muir
change the subject She stopped over
to pet the fat and aged poodle that
now came shifting around her skirts.
The dog ignoring the caress. suddenly
sat down and began scratching an elu-
sive flea
Go show the lady how you can shut
the door, Pughy,' demanded Mrs.
Boothby. Go on" as he continued to
scratch. shut the door Pughy: Shut
Sullenly ne waddIed over to the half
open door, backed up against it and
showed il to, then promptly sat down
again in pursuit of the flea
Dear. let's go as soon as we can,
Helen managed to whisper under cover
of the laugh that followed
But it was fully half an hour more
decided to go back by motor bus, and
Mr.. Boothby went with them down the
hill and put them on.
When they had waved him a goodby
from the top of the bus. Helen sat
back with a sigh of relief.
'Oh, dear, / thought we would never
get away. Wasn't that music dread
full? And the way Mrs Boothby an
nOunced. Now well have some MUSIC
and those girls going up and playing as
a matter of course. And that fat old
gave an excuse to laugh. thought I'd
explode when they played that over !
ture."
A Curt Reply.
Well. it's not exactly good form to |
call on people and then make fun of |
them" said Warren, CURLY.
Helen looked up in surprise, why. |
dear, didn't mean to make fun of !
them" 4
Sounds mighty like it"
But that music-why you were al /
most cOnvulsed,"
They're mighty fine people, 1 tell you.
and it's devilish bad taste on your part |
to laugh at them"
But, dear helplessly. q didn't mean
it that way"
Then cut it out When you accept !
peoples hospitality have the decency |
not to ridicule them"
Just what had ruffled Warren. Helen
did not know. But she had learned to
accept these unreasonable outburSts of
irritation without argument or protect.
She might have recalled to him many
instances where he had ridiculed their
host OF hostess far more severely than
she had done now-but she wisely re-
Trained
A quick sidelong glance showed her
that Warren was still scowling
Dear, those herring sandwiches |
we're delicious-weren't they? concil-
But his only answer was a reluctant
grunt.
And as so often before when these
fits of unaccountable grumpiness would
come over him: Helen could only re-
main silent. And now she resigned
herself to an evening of churlish irrit-
ability, which she knew would follow.
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