The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-12-05
TheEDenin6 Story
Tea for Two

Copyright 1919 by " wernsrb
l.---------s---
Lucinda simpson descended .he
steep. uucupeted stairs taat led
from The upper hair ot ths house
which She occupied 20 the iovu
half The door opened upon the .n
slant and there hood Matilda
flushed, and arDuea from chin to
instep
Ob. irs you He-,saId aneu
cioQsiy II was looking iol soms
one else
eyes. it's ne. Lucinda replied .n
her small gentle voice I've come
20 ask you .o tes with me Matilda
I've made IS fresh r3Sin c4Ae and
. wan you -o have some Course
you mustn't expect anything e.abor
arc. bat such a- I've got you're well
come to- She looked up at NATL
ga wls.tully Lucinda was lIuis
old woman WHO wore glasses which
were never straight ON her nose
Matilda was tailor bt ha.f head
and stout SHE wore no glasses. Tor
her eyes Rero excellent Those eyes
now measured Lucinda rather
haUehu'y why. I'd love 20 come
she said "klt you see I've invited
in company 20 tea Mrs Chapman
and Miss Beta are coming I'm
JUST as much obliged Lucinda, for
your invitation as Tho Id accepted
H."
I'm real sorry you can't Lucn-
da sighed She turned away 10 hide
her disappointment There + some
one coming n now guess lhat
must be who you're looking for
Yes. it is-the boy with Che Oys-
ters," said Matilda loftlly
Lucinda went slowly back up
stairs. AS she closed the door be
hind her her face began 90 culver
with tears She dropped down upon
the edge of a chair and for a mo-
ment wept quietly She never
asked me-" The thought came 90
he- with a cruel hurt And she
could as well as not And She 8 go.
ing 90 have oysters J"
Lucinda wiped her eyes and
looked torlornly about the room II
Was not very warm. tho the tiny
coal stnxe MaA ElnMinE lis hrlghl-
est les only comforts were worn
rag carpot and rocking chair i's
only ornament a red geranium which
Mrs Pell had given her Lucinda
had so little 30 live upon that n
was a wonder she could live az all,
and vet her rem was always paid IN
advance and She always had coal in
the box and something IN the way
OF food m the larder Her chief
trouble was that she was so lonely
There vas no reason for Lucin-
da's being lonely There was com
panionship for her right in Abe
house II IL had not been withheld
from her Matilda Dodd, widowed
and childless, like Lucinda, rented
the better rooms downstairs. She
had more means than Lucinda. FOR
relative sent her the wherewithal
for many little luxuries dear 10 an
old persons heart. But instead %
being made kindly and charitable
hy her superior fortune. Matilda was
only made naughty and self-opin-
donated When there was no better
company 20 be had she made much
Of Lucinda, but when either Mrs
Chapman or Miss Bates was by she
ignored Lucinda completely. II LIZ
ciuda bad not had the gentIest, mos
forcivine spirit in The world she
could not have endured Matilda
arrogance AS n WAS she over
looked IL constantly
For some days the weather bad
been had and Lucinda had seen no
one Matilda had not been upstairs
or admitted her when she went
down Matilda had for some time
been very distant 20 Lucinda, as the
result OF having had too much on
better society But now Lucinda
could endure It, no longer she must
Sc Matilda So she made the little
round raisin cake after her choicest
recipe and some thimble biscuits
and opened one ~ her three precious
Jars Of blackberry jam and went
down 10 ask Matilda 20 tea And
all the time she bad been planning
for Matilda. Matilda had been max
ing ready for Mrs Chapman and
Miss Belts. With no thought OF her.
She never asked me Lucinda
mourned again "She doesn't think
M ltten company for her friends
And once long years ago when We
were both girls az home her father
used 10 cobble my fathers shoes.
But. land. don't hold that up
against her Mauldas just AS God
made her. ] suppose only / shant
care for that raisin cake. know
it'd choke me i ] tried 10 swallow
a mOrsel Lucinda composed her
SELF TO bear her appointment ass
brayely as she could
she had borne very many disap-
poin,ments. poor s0ui i'm the course
az her $50 years Life had indeed
ADnn- a1e- lauz- TIL and scrroM-- I1llt-
there bad been fecks ~ sunshine.
shrcds ~ rose color. and these she
cherished So che got ONT her
crochet work She was making
tea posy for Mrs. PsIl az a return
TO- The gifr OF the Eeranium. 10
was 4 gay little green and red
thiug and she became quite cheer.
ful Just from handling g.
When She heard some one come
ar the front door she said go her.
seif hat Matilds's company was ar
irving. But when footsteps sounded
on ihe stairs she got np and went
10 her own door There stood Mrs
Peu with a basket IN her hand