The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-09-05


And Just after she had worked her
self into fine nervous state, from
which she would issue forth palId and
forlorn, messenger, brought her
most amazing note. It was from Jer-
ry Douglas, and it calmly invited Miss
Winthrop to attend a little supper he
was giving at the Empire restaurant
In honor of his promotion. 1t would
be served on the upper floor Of the res
taurant at Thursday midnight, after
the rush was over, and would she
please come, because Mrs Ned Landers
had agreed to act as chaperon and
every one knew that Mrs. Ned was q
host in herself.
Here was perfectly legitimate ave-
nue. OF inquiry which even the Win
throp pride might not hesitate to fol-
low, so she bathed her eyes, summoned
the Winthrop brougham and drove to
Mrs. Ned Landers smart studio apart
ment OF course she could not accept
the invitation and she would not de-
cline without making inquiries.
Mrs. Landers, shrewdly reading from
the white, tired face that something
had gone amiss, made tea directly, and
Harriet slipped it appreciatively.
"You know, mother is bit old fash
ioned"-
"She even disapproved of studio fats
instead of houses?" inquired Mrs.
Landers, with dancing eyes.
"She thinks you are the most won
derful manager in the world, but res
taurant supper-I mean that particular
sort of restaurant
81 understand. and I am just bub-
bling with the secret. I've been wait
ing to tell every one for weeks, but
Jerry Douglas made me cross my heart
and swear no. My dear. he is a hero,
the sort you don't often find in this
day of spoiled millionaire sons and
fawning parasites. When he finished
his college course and started to read
law with an old friend of his fathers
| down in Virginia he made what was
to him an awful discovery. His In
heritance had paid only his bare ex-
penses at college. ALI the little pleas
ures, accessories, the social end Of the
game, his mother had made by her
own handiwork She had been doing
exquisite embroidery for woman's
exchange and a New York department
store to keep him at college as his fa-
| ther and grandfather had been kept be-
| fore him.
"His first feeling, being Virginia
man Of chivalric pride, was deep hu-
initiation. am afraid he was bit
hard on the little mother for daring to
do such thing. Then he turned his
back on the law and came north, go
ing straight to the father Of young
ster he had known at college. the sort
| who roll in wealth made in single
generation The boys father has all
sorts of commercial interests, includ-
ing q chain of quick lunch counters,
and he promptly offered Jerry the
chance to act as cashier In one OF those
dreadful lunch rooms"
Harriet was leaning forward. drink
ing In every word oblivious to the
fact that Mrs. Ned was studying her
face with matronly amusement
"well, this particular lunch room
was in badly dlsorganized state, and
Jerry not only made changes, but he
fred the cook, who had been making
trouble, and cooked himself until he
could get decent man. He stopped
auarreling among the waitresses-and
now he is going to Mexico for the man
who was Just trying him out In a
lunch room. and. what Is more, he Is
going on most tickllsh and impor'
tant mission"
Harriet leaned back with sigh that
might have meant reaction or some
thing deeper.
"And so he has asked just six OF us
to have that little supper, for which he
agrees to cook all sorts of things, from
pancakes to something he calls butter
, cakes. Anyhow, 1t can't be worse fol
our digestion than some of the New
burg messes our friend makes In chat
Ing dishes. Will you go?"
Harriet rose instantly.
'If you won't think me abrupt, I'm
going home this minute to telephone
: my acceptance"
Wise Mrs. Ned did not suggest tina
: In her hallway was telephone instru
ment. which Harriet had ofttimes used
and the girl went her way. Later al
/ she hung up the telephone receiver II
the Winthrop library her eyes seemed
to shine like diamonds, and sof
r flush mounted to her pale gold hair
/! And from th6 library she went straigh
! to her own room, climbed up to ,
, clothespress shelf and lugged forti
: two photographs. Then, with her chiI
t resting in the palms of her hands, sh'
: sat down. studying them with eye
/ that still shone with the light tha
= once must have frightened the face o
4 the ancestral belle at the tournament