The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1916-06-08

TT was q brave and lustrous banquet;
and a noisy one. too, because there was
an orchestra among some plants at II
end of the long dining room, and after
a preliminary stiffness the guests were
impelled to converse-necessarily at
the tops OF their voices. The whole
company OF fifty sat at n great oblong
table, a continent of damask and lace,
with shores of crystal and silver run
ming up to spreading groves OF orchids
and lilies and white roses-an inhab-
tied continent, evidently, for there
were three marvellous, cleaning build
ings; n In the center and one at each
end, white miracles wrought by some
inspired craftsman I'm sculptural icing.
They were models In miniature. and
they represented the Sheridan build
ing, the Sheridan apartments, and the
pump works. Nearly all the guests
recognized them without having to be
told what they were. and pronounced
the llkenesses superb.
The arrangement of the table was
vislbly baronial. At the head sat the
great Thane, with the flower of his
,amily and Of the guests about him;
hen on each side came the neighbors
OF the "old" house, grading down TO
vassals and Observation-Disclosures
cashiers, heads OF departments, and the
like-at the foot, where .be Thames
lady took her place as a consolation for
the less important. Here, 200, among
the thralls and bondpIen. sat Bibbs
Sheridan, a meek Baa1rs. wondering
how anybody could lock ut him and
eat.
Nevertheless. there was q vast, con.
tlnuous eating and Che talk went on
with the eating. necessarily. 1t rose
over the throbbing OF the orchestra and
the clatter and blinking OF silver and
china and glass, and there was a
mighty babble.
And through the interstices of this
clamoring Bibbs could hear the con
tinuai booming OF his. fathers heavy
voice. and once he caught the sentence,
Eyes, young lady. that's just what did
1t for me, and that's just what III do IL
for my boys-they got to make two
blades o. grass grow whore one grew
before!" 1t was his familiar flourish,
an old story to Bibbs, and now jovially
, detained for the e%difcation OF Mary
yertrees.
II was a great night for Sheridan
the very crest of his wave. His big,
smooth, red face grew more and more
radiant with good will and with the
simplest, happiest. most boylsh vanity
He was the picture Of health. of good
cheer, and OF power on a holiday.
He dominated the table, shouting
jocular questions and railleries at
everyone. His idea was that when
people were having a good time they
We're noisy; and his own additions to
the hubbub increased his pleasure,
and, of course, met the warmest en-,
enlargement from his guests. He kept
time to the music continually-with
his feet, oil pounding on the table with
his fist, and sometimes with spoon OF
knife upon his plate or a glass. with
out permitting these side-products to
interfere with the real business OF eat,
Ing and shouting.
.Tell en- to play Nancy Lee'!" be
would below down the length OF the
table to his wife, while the musicians
were In the midst OF the s'Toreador'
song, perhaps. ASK that fellow II
they don't know Nancy Lee" And
when the leader would shake his head
apologetically In answer to an obedient
shrek from Mrs. sheridan. the .Torea.
dor continuing vehemently, Sheridan
would roar aforementioned fragments
or NANCY Lee" naturally mingline
some Bizet with the air of that uxori-
Gus tribute.
No external bubbling contributed to
this ef~rervescencs; the Sheridan's table
had never borne wine, and, more be,
cause or timidity aboEt II than convic.
lion, Ii bore none nov. And certain.
" no wine could have inspired more
turbulent rood spirits in the host. Not
even Blbbs was an alloy in this nights
happinesa, fog, 81 Mrs.. Sheridan had
md: be- had pinns Tor Bibbs'-plans
which 3 going to s~traighten out
l>one tIfnss that had gone wrong.