The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-02-28

| humorous look about.
 l Lucky the manners and customs of
 the summer folks aren't carried over l into the winter he said. Imagine l Mrs. Clark asked to sit at table with | the mayor of Reuton and his pictur-
 esque but somewhat soiled friend, MT. 1 Max. I hope the dinner is a huge sue l cess.''
 I The girl laughed.
 s~The natural nervousness of host,'' she remarked Don't worry The
 hermit and his tins won't fail you"
 Together they strolled to window.
 The snow had begun to fall again, and
 the lights of the little hamlet below I showed but dtmly through the white
 blur.
 l q want you to know,'' said the girl,
 s'that I trust you now. And when the
 time comes, as it will soon-tonight-I am going to ask you to help me- l She stopped and looked very serious
 Gy into Mr. Magee's face.
 'I'm mighty glad,'' he answered in a low tone. From the moment l saw q you weeping in the station I've want ed to be of help to you. The station agent advised me not to interfere. He
 said to become involved with 9 weep ing woman meant trouble. The fool. As though any trouble-
 I "He was right" put in the girl; it i probably will mean trouble" fl ..As though any storm," finished Mir. 1 Magee, would not be worth the rain l bow of your smile at the end.
 A very fancy figure" laughed she. ii &sBut storms aren't nice.
 There are a few of us, replied Ma q gee, .srho can be merry through the
 worstiof them because of the rainbow
 to come
 l For answer she flattened her finely
 modelled nose into shapelessness against Il the cold pane.
 .I What MT Magee fippantly termed his dinner party was seated at last, .sl and there began meal destined to .I finger long in the memories of those
 who partook of it. Puzzled beyond -i words. the host took stock of his :. guests Opposite him. at the foot of l the table. he could see the lined tired l face of Mrs Norton, dazed, uncompre- hending, little frightened. At his
 right the great red acreage of Cargan's s
 face held defiance and some amuse- $ nlert; beside it sneered the cruel face ] of Max; beyond that MT. Bland's coun- f fenance told a story of worry and inn
 potent anger And on MT. Magee's
 left sat the professor, bearded, speeta- a cled, calm, seemingly undisturbed by # this queer furry of events, beside the
 fair girl of the station, who trusted E Magees at last. In the first few mo-
 ments of silence MT. Magee compared her delicate features with the coarse.
 Knowing face of the woman at the ta-
 ble's foot and inwardly answered No 7
 Without the genial complement of 5 talk the dinner began MT. Peters ap-
 peared with another variety of his can
 ned soup, wlereupon the silence was
 broken by the gastronomic endeayors
 of MT. Max and the mayor. MT. Ma
 gee was refecting that conversation
 must be encouraged, when Cargan sud I1 q hope I ain't putting you folks out 9 none, he remarked, with obvious sar-
 easm. Tt aint my habit to drop in
 unexpected like this. But business
 Were delighted, Pm sure,'' said MT.
 Magee politely
 I'm here,' the mayor went on. seWeIl'' i he hesitated,.ft's like this''-
 Dear MT. Cargan,' Magee broke in, spare us, I pray, and spare yourself. s We have had explanations until we Q are weary We have decided to drop s them altogether and just to take it for granted that, in the words of the song, we're here because we're here
 All right replied CarGan, evidently relieved sArhat suits me. Pm tired ; explaining anyhow There's bunch L of reformers rose up lately in Reuton. :. Maybe you've heard about lem. A lIoveIy bunch A white necktie and q : half portion of brains apiece. They say they'Fe going to do for me at the next eIecfion.''
 t Mr. Max laughed harshly from the n vicinity of his soup.
 They wrote the first joke book, r them people,, he said.
 . .sWeIl,'' went on Cargan, there ain't
 nobody so insignificant and pif1iing that 2. people won't listen to lem when they attack q man in public life So I've Q had to reply to this comic opera bunch, and, as I say, I'm about wore out ex- : plaining. I've had to explain that I [ never stole the town I used to live in
 in Indiana and that I didn't stick up my father with a knife. It gets mo g netonous. So I'm much obliged to you
 for passing the explanations up. We
 won't bother you long. me and Lou. l got a little business here, and then : : we'll mosey. along. We'll clear out U about 9 o'clock. ;
 : ANo,'' protested Magee .sSo soon
 We must make it pleasant for you , While you stay I always hate hosts
 who talk about their servants I have e a friend who bores me to death be j. cause he has Jap butler he believes :. was at Mukden. But I think I am Il Justified in calling your attention to l. ours. Mir Peters, the hermit of Bald
 pate mountain Cooking is merely his 7, ayocation. He is writing a book''
 '9That guy?" remarked Cargan, fn- O credulous.
 r .sWhat do you know about that ?'' l. asked MT. Bland "It certainly will 7. get lot of hot advertising if it ever f appears. It's meant to prove that ali