New Britain herald., 1916-11-27

WhaG Happened at the Dinner Table.
do you like the mountains as we'll
as you thought you would, Miss
Graham 90
Mrs. Alls low, clear voice t1oated
across the supper table at the Cos
grove farmhouse. Something in it's
timbre made me wonder if perhaps
the English nationality, which she had
SO confidently asserted, was not mixed
with that of some other race. There
was just a trace of foreign accent, or
SO I imagined, in her we'll modulated
tones.
Much. much better, thank YOU" I
replied, smiling at her. / was de-
termined to put little extra cordial
ity into my manner toward her in
order to disguise the real but rather
unwarranted dislike I had of the
woman.
After all, my common sense told me
there was no real reason why [
should so dislike Mrs. Allis after an
acquaintance of less than an hour.
A stronger, she had aCcosted me in
friendly fashion on the train coming
up to the mountains, 1 had imagined
that she looked with approving, adj
miring eyes upon Dicky and she had
Snade the foolish mistake Of thinking
that Dicky and I were brother and
sister, q mistak: which Dicky in his
love CT testing had allowed to stand,
and which Mrs. Cosgroye evidently
wished to allow for some reason of
her own.
She was sitting opposite me. Next
to her on he1 left was the blue-eyed
boy who had carried our luggage,
while on the other side of her were
two we'll set up young men with the
rnrnista<able one-week holiday with
pay stamped upon them
Dicky and ] were the only occu
pants Of the table on our side, al
though there were vacant places to
the left Of me.
Jovial Mr. Cosgrove, with his kindly |
wife, sat at the head and foot Of the
table,
Supper is the only meal I ever sit
down to-" Mrs. Cosgrove had ex-
planned as she bore in two huge plates
heaped high with smoking hot biscuit.
!. Mr.. Cosgrove passed a plate of deli
cious looking broiled ham to Dicky.
"Oh, we're so glad we have new
people.' said little Mrs. Allis clasping
her hands with an affectation of pretty
ehiIdishness 1--WE have broiled ham
Just because you're here"
A Humorous Mystery.
A tiny flush stole over Mrs. Cos
groves face, and I caught the hint Of
a steely glitter in her eyes as she
looked toward the woman who had
lust thrown out the insinuation that
the first meals of new boarders were
better than the following ones.
=. But her voice was cool and placid
as ever as she spoke.
rive never have any hot dishes at
supper" she explained to me quietly,
Except warmed up potatoes and
dish of hot bread of some kind, but
when people have travelled all day,
as I assume you have, they are
hungry, so I simply have hot meat for
all tonight instead of cold
"And I particularly dote on brolled
ham" said little Mrs. Alls brightly,
especially Mrs. Cosgrove's. Her
broiled ham is not food, it's a poem.
That's the reason why I'm so glad you
were hungry tonight"
The flush faded from Mrs. Co.'S
groves face, but the hardness did not
leave her eyes, I saw that Mrs. Allis'
attempt at smoothing over things had
not placated Mrs. Cosgrove.
I could not help but admire, how
ever the adroitness with which the
younger woman had seen the effect of
her cat-Hke thrust and the skill with
which she had endeavored to change
the meaning of her own words.
There was no more conversation for
a little. We all did full justice to l
,the ham and potatoes, the hot biscuit |
and honey, the real cream and but
ter, and the homemade peach pre-
serves which heaped the table before
us. Then shrill whistle from out
side broke the silence in which we |
were eating.
There's Ned now!' EXCUSE me-"
the blue-eyed boy at Mrs. Allis' side |
got up from the table and hurried into |
the kitchen.
Med is my other son." Mrs. Cos |
grove explained.
In another moment a boy, who, to
my eyes, was the one who had just
left the room, reappeared completely
dressed in a khaki suit, and called out
cheerily:
1--WE got two Of them, and I'm
Starving"
I know Dicky's face was as be-
wildeTed as mine. For Mr. and Mrs.
Cosgrove, Mrs. Allis and even the
two strange youths burst into laughter.
"It strikes everybody that way at