Tensas gazette., 1917-12-14

x.s., R.,c.r u,., Oh" In STAN
mering excite
ment, 'they can't be coming for din
ner! I invited them for next Thurs
day-the 17th! Oh, they cOuldn'
have such a"
you've got your dates mixed" witt
a snort. "What're you going to d.
about 1t? Quickp
There's not a thing for dinner 7
frantically. "Oh, we"
well. we can't keep them standin,
down there" Then into the phone
"Send them up"
"Oh, Warren, we can't have them Z
with hysterical shrtllness. "We'v,
only pot roasti'
Say you made q mistake in thu
date! If they've got any sense they'll
clear out"
"Oh, no-no, she'd be furious! It.,
a quarter Of seven-we've half hour
You receive them. Say we-oh, wha,
excuse can we give? Say the oven ex
plOded-the maid burned her arm
dinner'n be late"
IN say nothing Of the sort! Now
we'll not cOmplicate things by lying
You must She'll be insulted if
Oh, there they are nowl"
As the door bell clamored, Helen
dashed out to the kitchen. Jerking
the bread knife from the astonished
Dora. she wrapped the girls apron
about her hand.
Its the Chambers! Go to the door,
but keep your hand in your apron.
You've burned it-understandl
Hurryr"
While the girl was ushering In the
unexpected guests, Helen made fran
tic survey Of the ice box and pantry
shelves. The Chambers for dinner
with only a pot roast!
"Open this-quick I" handing down
a can Of asparagus, as the bewildered
Dora reappeared. ut only has to be
heated"
For the next ten minutes the kitch-
en- was he scene Of desperate, nerve
tensioned haste. Dora, stimulated by
a promised dollar, moved with unac-
custcmed speed. Behind the drawn
folding doors she changed the cloth
and reset the table with all the "com-
pany" frills.
Everything responded to he emer-
gency exigencies-except the pot roast.
That remained a pot roast-ignomini-
ously cheap and plebeian. Helen's
fertile brain had not yet concocted
lie that would excuse it.
The hors-d'oeuvre on the table, the
cocktails mixed, the wine opened, and
Dora piled with countless instructions,
Helen rushed in to dress.
The pot roast! She was still strug-
Cling with the intractable pot roast
as she fiuttered into an evening gown.
A quarter past seven, flushed,
breathless. and effusingly apologize,
she hurried in to greet her guests.
I'm so sorry to have kept you wait
ing! l suppose Warren's told you
about our accident-the oven exploded
and the maid burned her wrist"
"oiicu idu uOt tOlu tueIl. daVlnS
stOlidly refused to "lie out of it." he
had made not the slightest explana-
tiOn for the half hours wait, and now
he glowered darkly at Helen's glib
excuses.
What would they think when the
pot roast appeared, anguished Helen,
as they went into the dining room.
The burned wrist could not explain
that.
The italian hors-d'oeuvre was a nov
city and most appetizing. but the soup,
having been diluted to make four por-
tiOns, was suspiciously thin. AS Dora
removed the plates, Helen, with deep
ening color, awaited the august en-
trance Of the pot roast.
At last 1t came, meager dark
mound with its accompanying gravy
and Drowned potatoes. Helen saw Mrs.
Chandler's astonished glance
While Warren carved, she kept her
eyes fixed miserably on her plate. Un-
tile the very last she had hoped her
feminine agility for fabricatiOns would
come to her rescue. But for once her
resourcefulness failed her. She could
Invent no plausible excuse for this pot
roast.
1t was a scant roast, too-barely
a pound and a half-and Warren was
into 1t recklessly. To have
pot roast-and not even enough
'01lld tnlr 30
lgnominy?
mo, give that to Mr.. Chandler" as
Dora placed before her thickly
carved slice. Then to Warren: Dear.
just some Of the potatoes for me.
You're always forgetting about my
diet"
"Eh, what's thatT He looked up,
the knife suspended, but Helen's swift.
flaming glance was telepathic.
"The doctors put me on a strict
diet" in nervous explanation. I'm
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 filled.
MIR. Chandler was already in a mel |
lowed mood, but as Mrs. Chandler
drank most sparingly her critical fac
ulties were unimpaired.
Wont you have some Of the ounce
)elly?' urged Helen, for she had tried |
10 pad out the dinner with condiments.
Dear, did YOU pass Mrs. Chandler the