The Washington herald., 1914-07-13
DAILY SHORT STORY.
Am 10 MArRnMoNY.
ny MARTHA NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
Icnnrrirht MI


lcopyrishi. Isiil
Valerie danced down the lawn. waving
high. above her head thick cream-laid
envelope 'Ifs conel knew Y had to
comet she chanted. shaking It at Meg.
her elder sister. who sat hdgeting with
cups and spoons, the moral and pattern
Of weIl-bred impatience. There was beau-
tiful shade now-just what an artistic
tea table reQuired-but n the Tazewells
were an hour late. according 70 their
habit. level sunshine would make moving
imperative.
Vail wish you Wouldn't be SOCK
pansice" Mes said. frowning. Surely
it's nothing to get excited over
HIM! Beg to differ," Val retorted.
Maybe the Doogans have not got blue
blood-but my! they have. got worlds OF
yellow money. Also-they spend t-ano
know how. Their dance isNgoing TO be-
heavenly. You know II WIN. Besides
think OF the men? New. strange men
not the fellows we see every week, and
have been seeing ever since we were
born"
Il hate parvenues," Meg said severely.
Val half shut one eye. Dear mel!
she said. II thought you had quite
lived down that-prejudice. How about
the Hon. Mr.. DancyT cobblers son.
as i've heard him boast" -
"But-he Is in Consress-and likely to
go higher" Meg answered nushins
deeply.
Val half shut the other eye. saying,
'"Twixt honors and dollars, I've a
plebeian prejudice in favor of the dol
lars. Much handler to have about the
house; also more decorative"
you can't mean you'd marry that
young Doogan?" Meg cried.
Val laughed softly. Decision reserved
until he asks me-" she said merrily. II
was her whim to study law with her
father, Judge Cary hence the legal
phrase. Don't mind confessing," she
went on. Hes going TO ask me. II
can manage IL. Think what a weapon
he'll pc II I marry somebody else! How
l can say regretfully In the midst OF q
quarrel. I'd be Mrs. Patrick Doogan now
II had not been q young f0oL'
That depends" Meg said. laughing in
spite of herself Patrick isn't so bad.
1 confess / doubt IL he inherits the Doo-
gan knack Of money-making. The mill
lions are said 10 have come largely out
Of politics. Patrick strikes me as being
too honest. entirely. for that"
You have been sitting at the feet Of
Gamaliel-whose other name is Dancy-"
10
The Tazewells, only a quarter late!
Miracles are possible still. IL appears.
I'm glad they are-think / shall explode
IL had to wait much longer TO tell them
of the dance"
The Tazewells went in nocks-a mother
with six daughters has to move that way
II at all. Three daughters came this
afternoon-the eldest and the twins, who
were youngest. Tall and lily slender.
with pretty aenemic faces and lack-ms-
ter eyes, they made Val. rosy, round,
freckled and snub-nosed seem positively
coarse. Meg did not lose so much-she
had care for her complexion. even GO
Ing 20 far as to sleep occasionally in a
dough-face as was the TazeweH habit.
She had just got the flock well settled
and was handing tea and cakes when
Nine. Tazewell doomed rather than said
viii you believe II. Margaret, we have
been fnsulted? BY those Doogans, Think
OF their impertinence! Asking my family
to tango whirl!"
% do go madam Val cried before
Margaret could speak. 1T will be cruel
mot 10 let the girls see it. They needn't
oanoe II you know-but reaIly-Iooking
on Is an experience. And dancing! You
can't think how heavenly
Have you danced ii? You. a csrv,
Atter all the ministers even the bishops
nave satdi' madame cried aRhast
val nodded gaily. I'm very modern
she murmured- Il asked daddy-be s.id
l might try 1.-THE was sure, whatever :.
turned out to be I could hold my own -
meg looked distressed-she knew well
What partner had tempted her saucy sis
ter But madam was cautious. most
curious on that point. Il suppose yo,Ir
cousin Allan" she began primly.
Val cut her short Not he-he gets
giddy In just plain waltzing." she said
Patrick Doogan taught, NELLY played
Tor us whole half hour-and can rec
ommend hin1-to anybody in need Of in
struction."
Mrs. TazeweIl rose precipitately-it was
on her tongue tip to say a freezing good
oy, when she spied Allan Cary approach
Ing In company with several other young
fellows. Allan had been really her rea-
son for coming-she cherished a wild
hope of landing him for Elinor, who
had been out seven seasons So she sat
down again. murmuring mendaciously of
a foot given to cramps-then gave her
hand and many smiles to the new COM
ers.
II was hardly fair, she thought, that
those Cary girls who had at least a fair
competence in prospect, should have so
many beaux, when nothing masculine
nuttered her dovecote. Maybe she had
been a bit too stately. too particular
since the CArys had quite taken up these
raw Doogans, she must at least tolerate
them. Therefore she beamed mildly upon
Patrick, upon his chum, Denny Madigan,
his cousin, Barney O'Neil. After all,
they were as good as the Honorable Mr
Dancy-and look how folks were run
ming after him! He had been last Of
the men-Meg had given him her hand
and her warmest smile. Val had gen.
erously apportioned the Irish contingent
among the TaZewell girls-tea was not
half swallowed when she startled all by
crying out: I've sent for the music.
Patrick. The turf Is smooth; here and
now you are TO organize your first tango
class
Charmed" blurred Pat-the rascal
loved TO affect a brogue. IF yees'll foot
II wild me, mesilf will behave Ohm half
way TO hiven.
STOW your blarney-this Is serious"
Val returned severely. motioning to
black Judas to set the music machine In
the edge of the lengthening shade. "As
to dancing with you-no stree! I'm your
first assistant. Remember. I've had
lesson and a half
The other half is about due" Patrick
interrupted
She shook her fist at him. saying as
she turned to the stranger whom Dancy