Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-17

Margaret read it slowly. Well. l
don't blame her. she said, looking UP.
She never had been to Florida, you
know. And John Thomas and his wife
will certainly give her the time of her
life But the dinner" Margaret drew
long breath I've ordered the flowers
and a great quantity of cakes. l thought
maybe she'd like to take some home with
her TO nibble on in remembrance. And
Id planned to have the ice cream mold
ed I'm rose form. I'm disappointed, Aunt
Fan
Don't speak about disappointment to
me- said old Mrs. Rhys. and her chin
auivered. It's the first time in sixty
Look said Margaret, quickly. glanc-
ing out of the window. There goes your
old enemy. Mrs Bedford, out to take her
morning airing.
Mrs Rhys turned her head Before
the house opposite a shabby victoria
waited and down the steps limped an old
woman muffied in black. The old woman
was hoisted into the vehicle and the fat
black horse trundled off between the
shafts.
Margaret laughed playfully. 1T amuses
me so TO see how you look at each other
and never speak. And you must have
known each other for years and years.
Haven't you?" she asked.
For all Of sixty years" replied Mrs.
Rhys
What brought it about. Aunt Fan?
She stole my beau, the mink! He
wasn't my first beau. but | thought
liked him well enough to make him my
last. ] can remember 1t all just plain
as day. Ann Bedford-she was Ann
keene then-lived right over there where
she does now, only in the old house 1t
was DR.. Bedford who built the house she
lives in now. l lived here. and Thaddeus
Wells used to come to see me. He was
visiting some relatives he had in town
that summer and I had met him at a
party. We sat out a good many after
Moons on the veranda together. And no
sooner had we got seated than Ann
keene, dressed in her best bib and tuck
or, always would come. take chair and
begin TO do her talking. Thaddeus would
gaze across at her. Distance lends en-
chantment they say. l could see, after
q while. Thaddeus was interested. but he
never said word. One evening-my. it
doesn't seem any farther away than yes
terday-oi Mrs. Rhys sighed-''we sat
down on the steps in the moonlight 1t
was as bright as day, and that still, Ann
sat on her steps all alone. and you could
see her quite as plain as II she were out
In the sunlight
She had her chin in her hand and she
began to sing softly as If to herself But.
"a, knew she was singing to Thaddeus.
She had a mighty pretty voice. and
tnougn l had ten times her locks I
couldn't sing note Well, Thaddeus fid-
geted and fidgeted. 1 tried my best to be
entertaining. but could see all the time
ne was thinking of something else And
at last l got angry. Who would not? 1
1ust got up and said right out: 'Thaddeus
Wells. II you want to go over there and
SIT with Ann keene so bad. why don't
you Coz He got right up and made me
a bow. With your permission / WILL he
said And he went. I walked in and
slammed the door hard. That was all
the goodbye we ever took. Ann got
him. and she didn't want him. either, for
she was engaged all the time to DR. Bed
ford over in Aries. And it turned out
1haddeus had girl where he came
from" Old Mrs. Rhys laughed with rel
fsh- so / couldn't have had him. any,
way, even II I'd kept on wanting him.
But 1t made enemies Of Ann and me- We
never spoke from that time on
why don't you make It UP, Aunt
FanT asked Margaret
Make 1t up" cried Mrs. Rhys la
she wouldn't. And I don't know that j
want to-"
But sixty years., argued Margaret
gently. is long enough surely for two
women to be. bad friends over one tickle
pated young scamp who didn't want either
of them, 1t seems to me I'd bury the
Ratchet"
old Mrs. Rhys laughed. Bury the
hatchet.' she echoed. why, child.