The Winslow mail., 1912-11-23
| heir Good
Excuse

sNhS W give d ldI Se tdl VI 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"
"Well, ! suppose we'll be asked, all
right"
Eyes, 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
both declared that we'd never go to an
other"
Its simple enough to send regrets,
isn't it?"
Without any reason and cause an
old friend and neighbor to be offended
for life?"
"Then send an excuse. Say that I'm
Ill or that your Angora cat is under
The doctors care because of an attack
of the pip
Don't be silly, Tom. This is Sc.
rious matter. The Mathesons always
know everything that goes on in this
house. How could they live right
across the street and not know wheth-
sr l was telling the truth or not if
said you were i'll? No, we've got to
have some real reason for declining"
"We might run out of town." sug.
gested Allen. ''The fishing is fine"
"Fishing!" Mrs. Allen gave her hus
band withering glance. When you
feel impelled to go fishing, Tom, please
leave me at home. I've had enough of
leaky boats, wet feet and blistering
sunburn."
"Well, we might go to some other
city for g. little change"
"I'm not prepared to go away from
home. Ny clothes aren't in order and
have a .dressmaker coming next
week. I think we'd better just invite
some people to dinner the evening Of
the card party. Suppose we ask the
Doolittles?"
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
Tor 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
ner single trip to Paris? Why the boo
Titles. my dear?
"You know very well that we owe
them some hospitality. ] think Mrs.
Doolittle 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
lca1 moments
"Well. anyway, like them"
"No accounting for tastes, my dear.
[f asking the Doolittles to dinner will
satisfy 3 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 we'll have them"
"Oh, very WE'LL" 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-
arged and she's going to bring them
over to show US
"Has Doolittle had any photographs
taken of his moose story?"
"Tom, you ought to be ashamed
'I 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?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Well, it's awfully strange. Tom, and
I can't understand it at all-we're not
invited by the Mathesons.
"Not invited And the sacrifice on
the Doolittle altar is all for nothing?"
"But I can't see why they didn't in
vite u.s. persisted Mrs. Allen.
The night of the party after the Doo'
Titles had taken leave, Mrs. Allen
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. It appears to be an
unusually lively affair. I honestly can
not see why we weren't asked.
1--WE weren't; that's the main thing
to be 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 she worst bores among
our acquaintances. I don't see why
you insisted on having them
"Why, my dear. I never
''Now, don't deny it, Tom. You said