The Washington herald., 1914-10-18

Il. Andt Wllar we get Tor coming up
6siore the place has been set to rights
Willie grumbled Il suppose YOU girls
VIII have 70 draw lots for my ROOM
Wiilie's self-saerihce was Of the par
simonious sort that made acceptance
impossible. None Of the women would
deprive him OF his bed. Mrs. Neff
was assigned 70 Wiilie's mothers
room, and Alice and Persis to those on
/ either side. Forbes and Ten Eyck were
exiled to the southwest wing.
| Martha and Prout offered their serv-
ice, but Winifred would not let them
mar the perfection of her Swiss Family
/ Robinson She overawed Willie and
drove the old couple back to their own
cottage
In front of the great fireplace was a
divan almost as big as a lifeooat, and
cushioned into such a cloud as the gods
rested on. Winifred and Mrs. Nef
and Alice were loIling on il, and Muir
ray Ten Eyck sat on the edge Back of
It was the usual hying-roofn table with
4 pile or two Of books and magazines.
Persis paused for a moment, looking
over the books to select something to
take up to her room. She pushed them
about with indifference
Last years novelsl" she smiled "As
thrilling as last years birds nests"
She turned up an illustrated society
weekly of a former spring. The from
uspiece held her a moment, and she
shook her head
And last years regulations. Here's
big portrait of Mrs. Richard Lam
thorpe and her two children" She read
the caption aloud: Prominent Young
matron who IS just opening her New
| port villa. Though a devoted mother 10
her charming little daughters, Mrs.
kanthorpe IS also wen known as a
skilful whip"
Good Lordr said Winifred. reach
ing out her hand Let me see the eat,
A whip, ehs You could drive a coach
and four through her reputation now"
Mrs. Nef took the paper from her
hand. Her husband got the kiddies.
Pretty little tikes. too"
She sold EN- for the Newport villa"
said Alice, looking over her mothers
shoulder. Mrs. Nef turned on her with
a glare of amazement.
things?'
I'm not children" said Alice. and
the papers were full of il"
Mrs. DiclSy was up here last spring
for weekend with her husband" said
Willie. And so was the other man.
What's his name? Later l heard that
people had been talking lot even then,
but | never suspected anything till
You never would, Willie" said Mrs.
Nef. She stared at the picture.
PersIS strolled round to the divan,
took Murray by the ear, and hoisted
him from his place.
No thanks, Murray" she said. 81
couldn't think of taking your seat" And
dropped into it
What are we going to do for amuse-
ment tonight said Willie. who
wants to play auction?-
l don't want TO be entertained" said
Persis. I'm never so miserable as
when I'm being entertained.
Everybody approved Just to be let
alone was a luxury.
Forbes and Ten Eyck stood at either
end OF the mantel, mere supporting
statuary, their heads in shadow. Willie
teetered at the center of the hearth,
toasting his coat tails.
The four women occupied the divan,
Sketched out brilliantly against the dark
Ike group portrait of Sargent's. The
light worked over their Images as a
painter works, making and Illuminating
shadows, touching strand of hair or a
cheek-bone with high light, modelling
with a streak of red some lifted muscle,
then brushing it off again
The poses of the women were as
various as their bodies and souls. At
one corner Mrs. Neff sat erect among
the cushions in a sleepy stateliness.
NinIfred filed the other corner like
another heap of cushions. hardly NOV
ing except to flick her cigarette ashes
on the floor to the acute distress of
Willie's neat soul. Alice dropped with
arched spine in a young girls slump,
and clung to hand of Persis'. doubt
less wishing il were Stowe Webb's Per-
sis sat cross-legged, a smoking Sultana,
her chin on the back of one hand, one
elbow on one knee
From his coign of shadow Forbes
watched them. Vague reverie held
them all The very shadows seemed to
breathe unevenly in restless meditation.
The tre logs alone conversed aloud in
- Se~AAOtS hhlSPClSi Win SId$h44LlS
epigrams.
And Persis: what were the thoughts
that burned within her soul and twitch-
ed at her fingers, or tugged at her eye
brows, shook her eyelids, or frightened
her lips? Was she thinking Of Forbes
as he was thinking OF her?
Suddenly her dropping bosom eX-
panded with a great breath, her lips
parted, her eyes widened, her hand rose. e
She was about to speak. What would
she say?
She yawned. Her hand automatically
came up for politeness' sake, but lin
gered to pat her straining lips as if in
approval Her eyes blurred and fairly
writhed. All the muscles of her divine
beauty were contorted She was not
so much yawning as yawned She was
enjoying il, too, and as it ended she
sighed over it as over sweetmeat. The
musing goddess had been suddenly re-
stored to humanity with thump
Her comfortable sigh was echoed
and her yawn outdone by, Winifred,
who moaned:
I'm so internally sleepy I'll turn in
here If the rest of you will get of to
bed"
Then Alice yawned and wriggled, and
Mrs. Neff gsped with slight restraint
and staggered TO her feet.
I'm on my way I'd be bored to
death if l weren't 50 excited over the
wonderful Sieen II, 20 have | hone