Omaha daily bee., 1918-08-31
Author OF "Pollyanna."

again.
Mr.. Smith attended with Miss Mag
gle. Mrs. Hattie had very kindly in
cluded him in the invitation. She had
asked Father Duff, too, especially.
though she knew, OF course, that he
would not go-he never went any.
where. Father Duff bristled up at
this, and declared that he guessed he
would go, after all, just to show them
that he could, if he wanted to. Mrs.
Hattie grew actually pale, but Mis-
Maggie exclaimed joyfully that, of
course, he would go-he ought to go,
to show proper respect! Father Duff
said no then, very decidedly; that
nothing could hire him to go, and that
he had no respect to show. He de-
clared that he had no use for gossip
and gable and unwholesome>e eating;
and he said that he should not think
Maggie would care to go, either
unless she could be in the kitchen
where it would seem natural to her!
Mrs. Hattie, however, smiled kindly,
and said, of course, now that she could
afford to hire better help than Maggie
Caterers from the city and all that,
so Maggie would not have to be in
the kitchen, and that with practice she
would soon learn not to mind at all
being round among folks in the par
lor.
Father Duff had become so apoplec-
tically angry at this that Mr.. Smith.
who chanced to be present, and who
also was very angry, was forced to
forget his own wrath in his desire to
make the situation easier for Miss
Maggie.
He had not supposed that Miss
Maggie would go at all, after that. He
had even determined not to go him
self. But Miss Maggie, after days
thought. had laughed and had said,
with her eyes twinkling: "Oh, we'll. it
doesn't matter, you know--iS doesn't
really matter, does it," And they had
gone.
1t was wonderful party. Mr.. Smith
enjoyed it hugely. He saw almost
everybody he knew in Hillerton, and
many that he did not know. He heard
the Blaisdells and their new wealth
discussed from all viewpoints, and he
heard some things about the missing
millionaire benefactor that were par
ticularly interesting-to him. The
general opinion seemed to be that the
man was dead; though few admit
ted that there was possibility. OF
course, that he was merely lost some
where in darkest South America and
would eventually get back to civiliza-
ton. certainly long before the time
came to open the second letter of
instructions. Many professed to
know the man we'll through maya
z.ne and newspaper accounts (there
were times when Mr.. Smith adjusted
more carefully the smoked glasses
which he was still wearing); and
some had much to say of the mil
lionaire's characteristics, habits and
eccentricities; all of which Mr.. Smith
enjoyed greatly.
Then. too. there were the Blaisdells
themselves. They were all there. even
to Miss Flora. who was in dead black;
and Mr.. Smith talked with them all.
Miss Flora told him that she was
so happy she could not sleep nights,
but that she was rather glad she
couldn't sleep. after all. for she spent
the time mourning for poor Mr., Full
ton, and thinking how good he had
been to her. And that made it seem
as if she was doing something for
him. She said, yes, oh, yes, she
was going to stop black mourning
in six months, and 60 into grays and
lavenders; and she was glad Mr..
Smith thought that was long enough.
quite long enough for the black, but
she could not think for a moment of
putting on colors now, as he suggest
ed. She said, too, that she had de-
cided not to go to Niagara for the
present. And when he demurred at
this, she told him that really she
would rather not. 1t would be warmer
in the spring, and she would much
rather wait till she could enjoy every
minute without feeling that-well,
that she was almost dancing over the
poor mans grave. as it were.
Mr.. Smith did not urge her after
that. He turned away, indeed, rather
precipitately-so precipitately that
Miss Flora wondered if she could
have said anything to offend him.
Mr.. Smith talked next with Mrs.
Jane Blaisdell. Mrs. Jane was look
ing particularly we'll that evening.
Her dress was new, and in good
style, yet she in some way looked
odd to Mr.. Smith. In a moment he
"