The Elk Mountain pilot., 1917-11-22


not even allowed all vegetables" think
Ing Of the small can of asparagus.
Hoping that enough wine would dull
their critical appraisement Of the din
ner. Helen had instructed Dora to keep
the glasses filed.
Mr.. Chandler was already in mel
lowed mood, but as Mrs. Chandler
drank most sparingly her critical fac
ulties were unimpaired.
won't you have some of the ounce
jelly?" urged Helen, for she had tried
to pad out the dinner with condiments.
"Dear, did you pass Mrs. Chandler the
olives?"
mo, thank you, don't care for
any," stifiiy. "No-no more wine," to
Dora, who started to refill her glass.
1t was an infinite relief when the
mortifying pot roast. not pathetically
depleted, was finally removed and the
salad brought on. At least Warren's
salad dressing was always success.
"Only couple of leaves for me,
dear. You know can't have It," eau
toned Helen, for there had been only
one head of romaine.
mo salad?" asked Mr.. Chandler.
"Why. I thought salad was the main
stay of a vegetarian diet"
"Oh, yes-it is" floundering, "but
the vinegar-Tm not supposed to have
anything acid"
Although the plum pudding was un-
.mistakably canned. there was enough
of it. And the sauce, made from the
branded peaches. was delicious.
in the library before the glowing gas
logs, Helen got out box of French
glacee mint leaves. But no amount
Of ultra frills could Danish the men,
ory Of the pot roast!
Warren and Mr.. Chandler were dis
cussing the investment values of Bronx
real estate. Mrs. Chandler. having sew
eral lots in her own name, seemed in
terested, and Helen was spared the ex-
ertion Of entertaining her.
At half past ten their car was an
nounced. As Mrs. Chandler put on her
wraps in Warren's room, Helen knew
that she saw his shabby slippers under
the bed and his old toweling bathrobe
caught in the closet door.
There had been NO time for the rigid
straightening-up and puttinK-out-sf-
sight process to which Warren's room
was always subjected before the ar
rival Of guests.
Still lashing her mind for some nnal
palliating excuse for the unguest-like
dinner, Helen could only murmur
laundering: 1.-The next time you come
Il hope we'll not be 30 upset. But
Dora had quite scare with that oven
and she's SO easily fiustered."
"Oh, Tn sure everything was very
NICE" protested Mrs. Chandler for
mally. searching in her nun for her
gloves.
Seeing people of was always awk-
ward. Helen never knew quite what
to say mt the last moment. Tonight
1t was doubly embarrassing. She could
have screamed with relief when the
door closed after them.
"Oh-oh, it was awful" dropping
down before the gas logs. "Oh. that
pot roast! That hideous pot roast! ~
"Yes, that wasn't exactly n swell
dish!" grunted Warren. "It stumped
her all right. Notice the way she
lamped it?"
"Oh, she'll tell everybody" wailing
ly. "She'll say we invited them to din
ner and gave them pot roast"
"Hope she does! Why the Sam
Hill Cont you write down your dates?"
II did!" running for the calendar
pad. "Look," turning to Thursday the
18th, "'The Chambers for dinner Oh,
I'm sure it was the 17th!"
"You are, eh? Well, whenever
there's a mistake-rll bank on 1t being
yours. Jove, II you ever get thing
right-it's a miracle"
Helen was too crushed to argue. Her
assurance about the date was shaken.
She had written the invitation, and
had kept no copy of the note.
Still brooding over the humiliating
evening, she went into her room to un-
dress. She was almost ready for bed
when the telephone rang. Through the
open door came Warren's deep "Hellol
Who? Oh. Mrs. Chandler!
How's that7 oh, that's
all right ~ with hearty laugh. ave
thought it was our mistake.
Not at all-it was pleasure.
Mono, don't bother to write-the
jokes on all of US. Yes, I'll
tell her.
Her face shining with cold cream,
and her hair tumbling over her night
gov ued shoulders, Helen came flying
in. But with maddening leisure War
rem ,it cigar before he would answer
her :empestuous queries.
'1-ooked up your note and found she
marked the wrong date! Guess that
pot roast set her thinking"
"Oh-oh" triumphantly. "Then 1t
wasn't my mistake! I did have the
right"