The Washington herald., 1914-11-15

..wE,st ala father have to say?" she
ssled- in a dull tone already despair
!:well. YOU see, your poor governor"
Has lost all his money"
We'll, yes-in a way
IFS getting TO be rather habit with
the poor old boy, isn't it? Is he smashed
up badly:
Pretty badly"
The house in town and the country
place will have to go?"
I'm afraid So"
THE cars and the horses-my car, too?
Looks like IT.
Then 1 needn't worry about it's being
a last years model" she laughed. Willie
stared at her admiringly.
Cad but you're a good loser.
4 try to be; an easy winner an easy
loser. I'm awfully sorry for father'
though. Did you-did you tell him any
thing?'
I told him We were engaged"
She shivered and mumbled, What did
he say to that
He seemed immensely relieved. He
said. God bless her. His voice was very
faint, but 1 think that's what he said
You didn't agree to marry beggar.
II want TO marry you-just you ne
pleaded. The engagement stands.
You're terribly polite, but l can't
not for charity" :.
..Cbaritv-bosh"' he stormed. II can't
get along without you. You couldn't get
along without a lot OF money, Persis. II
If you'll let the engagement stand III
put your father on his feet again. III
I'll do anything"
.'Thinl, what people would say. 1t looks
60 hideously mercenary on my part
We can prove that We were engaged
before this thing threatened. Every
body will have to confess it's a true love
match on both sides. Please, please, Per
sis! pretty please"'
She resigned herself TO all the shames
she foresaw, and sighed:
.'Au right, Willie, it will brace Dad
up a bit
She broke from him and hurried down
the steps He overlook her halfway to
plead:
Let me announce our engagement now
to the people here"
Not now" she pleaded: mot here!"
And she ran on. But he followed chuck
ling. He had a great dramatic idea
That was an extraordinary dinner. The
famished a-istocracy hovered about the
kitchen porch like waits, pleading for
the privilege OF assisting. Ten Eyck
wanted to scour the caks-dish or put
raisfns in something. He and the rest
we're set 10 work busting the palatial
dininE-haIl and bringing forth the best
Enslee plate. Willie stood by and warn
ed them to be careful. He was in so
triumphant a humor that he felt nearly
like breaking something himself.
It was one Of the necessities OF the
feast that the entire body of guests
should be also the corps OF walters. The
service would have appalled, the shah
hest butler. There were woeful COLI
sions at the deadly swinging doors; wine
glasses that had been mado in Bohemia
and rnonogrRmed there were Splintered.
A wonderful soup tureen OF historic asso-
Citations was juggled and lost 1t fell
on a venerable rug Of every color except
spilled soup. The tureen was picked
up empty and badly dented.
But nothing could check the riot. There
were battles around the serving tables
in the kitchen and the pantry and at the
sideboard. Those who got their plates
aIed rushed to their pl-ces like fed dogs
dispensing each with its bone.
Winifred was exhausted by her long
days work She made no pretense of
toilet. but followed her viands in and
slumped into her chair with sleeves roll
ed up. knees apart. and the general col
apsed look of cooks.
Forbes had taken off his coat for his
ltchen work. Winifred would not let
him put it on again.
Ny butler and footman eat with their
livery on the back Of their chairs she
said. Wen make this a regular ban
guet in the servants hall"
The idea pleased everybody but Willie.
They had all happened into the serv-
ants dining-room during the meals OF
those weary ministers. so now they
Sprawled and gobbled and chartered in
he best imitation they could impro-
yisr.
When the kitchen and dining-room
.hores were done to the satisfaction of
Winifred, who demanded as much of her
amateur scuIlions as she would have de-
handed of her own servants, they were
all exhausted Returning to the living
room. they sprawled in those inelegant
attitudes that tired laborers assume.
Their minds were jaded with their mus
rles.
4 never understood before why my
~eTvants are So snappy at night" said
Mrs. Neff. IF anybody speaks to me I'll
cry"
Pull down your skirts, at least,
mother said Alice.
''Thcr're too far away" sighed MTs.
Neff And nobody's interested i'll my
old legs
Alice, with the fierce decency of the
young rose wearily, bent down. put her
mothers ankles together, and covered
them with the skirt.
Isn't il odd" sighed Mrs. Ncff. how
We pretend that old people must 20 along
to chaperon the Young? 1t ought to be
the other way about
Alice was too tired to get up. She
sank on the floor and laid her head on
her mothers knee. And Mrs. Neff put
out a thin, white hand upon the girls
soft hair.
It's a nice little girl, sometimes" she
sighed.
And it would be a nice little mother"
aid Alice, If"
Don't say it. my child. He's not the
man fo7 you at all. I know best. I'm
thinking of your happiness" Alice shrug-
sed a skeptical comment.
Her mother went on: DO you remem
bNr how YOU had all the chocolate creams
YOU wanted-once? You couldn't look at
one for a year after. Well, living on
love alone is like trying to live on
chocolate creams alone. And he couldn't
afford even to keep you in chocolate
creams"
Alice made no answer. She sat studying
her own thoughts.
Forbes felt a sudden l5inship with
Alice's absent lover and beloved, this
Stowe Webb, whose crime was lack of
money. He imagined that Persis' mother
had told her the same cold things that
Alice was hearing now He began 70
believe that many daughters must hear
such financial talk against love from
their mothers. He had heard so many
married women soon at love as a delu-
sion. He wondered if. after all. il were
not really man, rather than woman. who