The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-01-08

LAS said" Abner returned, there
is only two items for the palate that
I stick out fer an that is fried chick
en- an ice cream-an', yes, good, |
strong coffee to top off on
Ice cream!'' Sugart clapped his
hands as he began rubbing them
afresh. ''You surely have heard of
that famous Atlanta brand that has
the run clean to the Florida coast with
all the big bugs that stop at the palace
hotels? 1t amt any of your boiled
custard makeshift, but solid, thick
cream from the COW, froZe as hard as
a SNOWFALL. We are looking for three
freezers of it up on the GAO. AS for
chicken, your friend Pole Baker haul
ed in a coop of the latest that ever
pecked and scratched in a barnyard.
He said he would let them go fer your
df&ner, but wouldn't have sold them
to anybody e1se.,.'
About z o'clock that evening Abner
brought Mary to town in his buggy.
AS they drove up the main street to
the hotel they noticed that the long
front veranda over the sidewalk was
illuminated by many varicolored jap
anese lanterns.
At the head of the stairs on the par
Tor floor they met Howard and Frank
Raymond They were both in even
ing dress. Frank had a great tray of
damp buttonhole bouquets, which he
was pinning on the lapels of the mems
coats as they arrived. Abner submit
ted gracefully to his decoration, while
Howard piIoted Mary to the ladies'
dressing room. He was waiting for
her in the corridor when she came out
81 have never seen you look so we1l,'
he declared admiringly, as he looked
at her simple white dress and flowers.
"The drive has given you a splendid
color
Mary dropped her eyes. It was hard
for her to conceal the pleasure his
Words gave her. She elected to change
the subject
''Up to o'clock this afternoon she
said, II was in hopes that your moth
er and father would come, but they
decided that they'd rather not sit up
so late, and they heard that the hotel
was crowded too much for them to get
room. Oh, Howard, I wish you knew
how happy your mother is over your
success and remaining here. She can't
talk of anything else, and as for your
father
"Oh, he will always be sour over It, -
Howard said quickly. "He is downfon
Uncle Alb and will denounce anything
he touches. We simply can't listen to
him, Mary. We've got to be our own
judges and act accordingly"
f'But it has changed him. Mary de-
clared. He is not the same-not SO
vindictive. He made a little talk at
Sunday school last Sunday, and felt
rather sorry for him. It looked as If
he were trying to be more liberal
There has been so much said over the
New Clarion and its chances under
your care that he simply had to lay
aside open opposition"
81 have heard great many comp1i-
ments from the delegates I have met
today about your letters to the paper"
Howard said. s"They all like them. I
have just set up your last and corrected
the proofs. Has Uncle Alb mentioned
it to you yet? He VS. that little
later you simply must be our society
editor.'' ~
As they were going toward the door
of the parlor, whence came the music
of some one playing on the piano, they
saw Cora Langham, beautifully attired
in stylish gown, come down the stairs
and join Frank Raymond at the table
holding the flower tray.
81 did not know that she was to be
present" Mary said cold1y. ST thought
the entertainment was confined to-
t'She will not be at the dinner" How
ard explained, little awkwardly. "But
as guest of the hotel. In fact, all the
guests have been invited to look ON
and join in the dance afterward, if they
wish. You see, there is no other way
It wouldn't do, you know, to deprive
travelling men and summer boarders of
IL, II.
such warm weather.
81 think if had been in her place,
though" Mary said, 81 would not have
put on quite such an elaborate dress,
and surely she might have amused her
self in her room for one evening"
"But, you see, she and her mother
come away from the city to pass the
time pleasantly, and an affair like this
is, after all, a sort OF diversion"
ct will be to her, Mary replied.
"She will sniff and sneer at everybody
and everything
The conversation was ended by Alb
ner, who came for Mary with the in
tent5on of introducing her to the Dot
ters,'' who now filed the big parlor.
'They ali want to meet you," he
said, especially the men,
1'Ah, now is your turn.~ Howard
said teasingly BE careful, Mary.
Those fellows are just as much like
sheep as any of Cora Langham's adj
mirers, and if you don't miRd you may
have to take some of your own medi-
cine"
| At this moment Miss Langham left
Raymond pinning a boutonniere on a
| mans coat and came toward Howard
with a seductive smile on her lips.
II am awfully proud of you this
evening" she said. her wonderful eyes
| kindling as they met his. This is a
triumph for you in particular. You
are the center of it all. But for your
brains and energy all this would not
be taking place. Mr.. Daniel told me
/ Yesterday that the paper was doing