The Press., 1916-01-12
Sinclair Inn
Story of a Christmas
House Party
BY SARAH BAXTER

1t was Christmas eve. A young lady,
plainly dressed, emerged from Sinclair
station and called cab.
''Take me to the Sinclair House"
she said to the cabman.
There were two houses i'll the place,
one the Sinclair inl, the other the resi-
dence of Mrs. Sinclair, rich and
fashionable woman. The hotel had
been named for the Sinclair family,
who had for generations been the
mainstay of the town. Mrs. Sinclair,
like most fashionable women of those
days, had taken up u fad in the serv-
ant problem. Her theory was that
servants should be treated with the
same consideration as governesses'
secretaries and persons of that ilk.
They should associate with their en-
| ployers, in small families, where there
were but one or two persons, eating at
the same table with them.
! But Mrs. Sinclair was endeavoring
to work out her theory for others, not
herself. In her homestead in the vii
lage Of Siuclair-everything was Sin
Crair in the place-her servants treated
her with the utmost Difference. 1t
happened that when the lady who had
just arrived at the station, Miss Mil
bred Abercrombie, was being driven
, to the Sinclair House Mrs. Sinclair
was entertaining a Christmas house
party. The cabman, who was very stu
pid and a recent conner to the place,
got the two houses mixed in his mind
and drove Miss Abercrombie to the
| private house.
| Now, it happened that several of the
| guests were sitting in the wainscoted
| hall before a huge fireplace, on the
hearth of which blazed the Yule log.
Naturally they were merry, and their
principal amusement was cracking
jokes at one another. When therefore
Miss Abercrombie entered and asked
if the proprietor were in, one of the
young men, Mr.. Jack Edwards, arose
and said politely:
81 am the clerk Would you like a
roomT
Eyes; 1 would like a room for the
holidays"
The party sitting before the fireplace
repressed smiles or hid them while Mi.
Edwards took the lady's handbag and
other light articles, set them in cor
ner handed her a chair and said:
"Mrs. Sinclair runs this house. will
see her, and a maid will come and
show you to your ROOM"
With this he vanished and reported
to the hostess that pretty girl had ar
rived who had mistaken the house fol
a. hotel and it would be jolly good
fun to permit her to remain for awhile
in ignorance. Mrs. Sinclair, who felt
the responsibilities of an entertainer,
seized upon the idea with alacrity,
called maid and, going to the new ar
rival, welcomed her and sent her Inn
mediately to a room, The young lady
having gone upstairs, the hostess
charged her guests to keep the secret
from the new arrival, each one striving
to carry out the joke.
An hour later, when the guests were
dressing for dinner. Miss Abercrombie
went downstairs to the hall or room
used for lounging, where she found the
hostess, whose manner was so friendly
that she at once won her guests conf
dence.
81 have come away from the city,
said Miss Abercrombie, "to escape
Christmas-not that would not gladly
welcome the holidays, but during the
past few years l have lost all who
might make them enjoyable for me. l
felt this year that could not remain
at home, and, hearing of your family
inn that it was comfortable and home
like, concluded to pass the holidays
here
81 can understand your feelings per-
fectly," replied the hostess, land we
will endeavor to alleviate your loneli-
ness so far as possible. My guests are
all en- rapport and will be happy to re-
ceiye you into the circle"
IT have heard of lady of your name
in the city who is endeavoring to solve
the servant problem"
Mrs. Sinclair pricked her ears. An idea
came and developed into a purpose.
'That Mrs. Sinclair Is connection of
mine and l am Il convert to her theory
! have not dared, however, to put 1t In
practice all at once, but am expert
menting by treating certain of my-as-
sistants, / call them-as my equals. My
clerk. of course, is superior to serv-
1
! have one maid who, being more re.
fined than the others, is treated as one
Of us. My butler is treated likewise.
Then, too, several Of my lady guests,
having been captivated by the new
idea, are putting their maids on the
same footing with themselves"
That's very NICE" replied Miss Aber-
crombie. 81 have always pitied poor
girl in a family keeping but one maid
the lonely life she is forced to lead. i
assure you that while a guest in your
house l will do all in my power to
carry out your benevolent plan"
Mrs. Sinclair excused herself and
fastened upstairs to coach her guests
before they SHOULD come down to din
ner that their dupe had been prepared
to consider some Of them servants.
Bob Elliot, an inyeterate joker, was
appointed to play butler. the regular
butler lending Bob q livery. Miss Ster-
ling, success in private theatricals,
was uniformed as chief maid for the
inn, and several other girls were to
play ladies' maids. All prelimiparies
having been attended to, the guests
one by one went down to dinner.
AT one end of the table sat Mrs. Sin
clair, Mt the other Bob Elliot In but
ler's livery. Next to Elliot Miss Aber-
crombie was given a seat. There were
one other man in livery and three girls
in the black dresses and white caps
and aprons of maids, the ladies' maids
sitting next their mistresses and min
istering to their table wants.
Bob Elliot was very attractive
young man. Moreover, he had a SYM
pathetic way with him, and after pre-
tending for awhile to have some doubts
as to Miss Abercrombie's treatment
Of butler as an equal and finding her
e9mpaisant lie became a charming
dinner companion He and Miss Aber-