The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-04-22

4 our dinner, but in order that you may
feel perfectly at home and rest certain
OF the fact that feel no resentment
on account of your natural mistake /
have taken the liberty of asking you
to join me in one of these, SIR hold
ing the goblet as If pledgfng my
health.
.'This delicious fluid should be slipped
only while sitting. but as the family is
assembled for dinner / will ask you
to forego the pleasure of chat over
our juleps and drink standing.
Ipledge your health, sir, and that of
your kinsfolk, the friends of my young
manhood"
1t was the, first JULIEN I had ever
tasted, and shall never forget with
what delicious force the straw threw
the liquor against the roof of my
mouth. The goblets were soon emp
tied. and 1 was ushered into the parlor.
where we were evidently expected. for
the occupants were standing.
''Mr. Palmer, let me present you to
my wife. Mrs. Turpin; to my daughter.
Ellen. and to my son. Howell Cobb.
whom / hope you will soon address as
Bud. Ellen, my. dear. bid our guest,
Mr.. Palmer. welcome. for he is a k1ns-
man or my old friends the Palmers OF
Kentucky. of whom you have SO often
heard me speak"
Amy friend whom my father brings
! to US is welcome. Mr.. Palmer. but we
make you doubly welcome on account
OF the ties which bind our house to
yours"
She extended her hand, which I took.
and for the first time looked into that
frank. open face did not think her
| n oWaoH
for the subtle ease and grace OF man
ner and the exquisite poise of her head
and the patrician face that was turned
to me without any sign OF embarrass
ment whatever. Her eyes were large
and brown and her hands small, and
white. These were the only things
about her that sank them into my
memory.
'sMr Palmer, father has taken us
somewhat by surprise. and you must
excuse many things, but we make you
right welcome, and when you get tired
of playing billiards with Ellen and
talking politics with fathcr l have a
good dog and gun at your disposal"
The young man who was addressing
me was tall and big. and when had
first entered l had mistaken him for a
lubberly farm hand. but here he was.
tulhluS u1G MGICOLuS VIII Tie ease OIL a
courtier Mrs. Turpin was a small.
delicate looking woman. but was gown
ed in a faded royal purple velvet, evil
IDENTITY the remnant of an anterior date.
You young people can make plans
at the table. In the meantime Ell
lens roast is getting cold" said the
colonel. Then remembered about the
cooking and thought for a moment
what a sacrilege it would be to devour
anything prepared by those lovely
hands, but a sudden convulSive pang
| of hunger banished my SENTIMENTAL
thought, and offered my arm gladly
to Mrs. Turpip. while she led the way
to the dining room. 1t was. in fact. an
immense hall, wainscoted with oak.
but the walls above the paneling were
stained and. as far as could see. even
moldy. 1t was a gloomy looking place.
but the table was made bright and
cheerful by two big candlesticks. On
the table was a Drofusion of dishes.
some silver. others of rare old china.
and, as 1 saw later, there was hardly
one of the latter which was not broken
OF Clipped. but each steamed with
some savory vegetable or meat, and 1
soon fell in the way of handing plates
around the table and helping others
from the dishes in front of or near me,
just as we We're wont to do in the rail-
road eating houses in New England
when i was boy. The conversation
was easy and homeiike, and l saw
at once that L was not looked upon as
a stranger. No questions were asked
me about myself, for which | was
thankful. and soon saw, too. that the
colonel did not intend to relate the
details of our meeting that morning or
to account to the other members of the
family F0r his sudden impulse to in
vite me to become a guest at the
Pines. So. as If by mutual consent. we
refrained from making any reference
to the matter. and ] determined to
leave it to the colonel TO make any eI-
plantations which he might think to be
best