The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1917-12-27

Have at last sold business to great
advantage. Have sublet apartment
here to Colin Dare, and will spend
the winter in travel. viii spend
Thanksgiving with you ut Raynor.
Love from father
This was the telegram that Mr..
Yates wrote week before Thanksciv-
ing. Il just couldn't boil it down to
ten words, mamma he said to his
wife as he read it. But the times
come when We can be little lavish,
now we've retired"
'HOrtense certainly will be surprised
poor girl" answered Mrs. Yates.
"She couldn't afford to come home
for the short holidays. Something in
her letters sounds as if she thought
you had been feeling hard tines
that's why she didn't spend the money.
When she learns what a wonderful
disposal you have made of your bust
ness, won't she be surprised?"
Shed be more surprised If she
didn't get the telegram"
You don't mean, papa, that you'd
just go out and surprise her? Well,
what a wonderful idea ~
Mr.. Henry Yates, 701 West Ninety
ninth street, New York city. Have
earned n little money tutoring. and
have decided to come home Thanks
giving. Love. Hortense."
Hortense struck her pencil through
a word here and there to get her tele-
gram down to ten words, and then
paused, with the pencil in mtd-air.
They would be a lot more surprised
If | didn't send the telegram she re
tiected. 'What Il wonderful idea"
AS an aid in effecting a perfect sur
prise, HOrtense rejoiCed that she had
in her possession Il latch key for the
small city apartment, whore her moth
er and father had made their home
since four years before she first fitted
off TO college. She arrived at three
o'clock the afternoon before Thanks
giving and. suitcase in hand. passed
quickly by elevator attendants to her
parents apartment on The second floor
II was not surprising to her that no
me was home. "Wednesday was her
mothers club afternoon, and She some
times remained out all afternoon, and
then met her husband downtown for
Inner. Hortense hoped this was to
be the case this afternoon, for then
She would have more time for perfect
ing the plans that she had in mind.
Hortense found hG. little chintz-
trimmed bedroom in immaculate at
tire, and, having quickly slipped on
a comfortable house dress, rolled up
Ter sleeves and donned an apron. she
hurried out to the kitchen
Down on her knees before the ice
BOX, she opened the door and shifted
rGd peered curiouSly into its interior.
Poor old mumsy,' she said 10 her
self, M she beheld a Ineager broiling
chicken, few apples aud onions and
l small measure of potatoes. Times
have been hard with dad, and she
lidn't even have a turkey"
HOrtense recalled that her mother
had written, some time before, saying
hat they expected to have Il quiet
little dinner together on Thanksgiv-
ng," but she thought that her hearty
Young mother and father had planned
TO feast off single squablike broiier
brought tears to Hortense's deep blue
yes.
She counted her money carefully.
folded her return-trip ticket and a
few new dollar bills into a little purse
that she put, for safe-keeping and be-
y0nd the temptation of green grocer
pr butcher, in little pocket beneath
the folds Of her bodice, and then count
ed out So besides. "Thatll get some
sort of spread she said, ''if | go to
The inexpensive places and make good
bargains She found an empty mar
ket basket, and having put her coat
and hat on, slipped her arm into the
basket and sailed forth.
1t was as HortenSc supposed Her
mother and father did not return for
dinner, and she worked interruptedly
on at cranberry sauce and small
pumpkin pie till long after dark. The
feast was not to be Il large one, but
Hortense was a deliberate sort of
cook, and so busy was she with cul-
mary preparations that she did not
take time to sit down or even to en-
ter the living rooms of the apartment
or her fathers and mothers bedroom
If she had, she would have seen OBJ
iects that would have disturbed the
serenity of her plans. AS she had re-
placed the broiler with turkey for
the Thanksgiving dinner, she satisfied
her own appetite-now well developed.
after all her many activities-Cn half
of the brOiler, and another tear stole
into her eye as she reflected that this
small bird had been intended to stay
the Thanksgiving ardor of her pa
rents.
When the living-roOm clock struck
ten Hortense concluded that her moth
or and father had determined to stay
downtown to the theater as had been
their custom before. Poor dears,"
she murmured. at is probably only
cheap movie show" Worn by her
travel and her eXcrtions she deter
mined to go to bed, but first she wrote
little note which, without taking the