Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-07-23
MIR. AND MRS. BABoOCK ACCEPT
-. GEORGES INVITATION.
CHAPTER CXXXYI.

cock were to visit us. That is, Mrs
Babcock was coming with her husband
and they would spend the two days
they were in town. with us.
''Shall we give little dinner fol-
them9" | asked George as soon as We
heard that Mrs. BabcoeA was surely
coming.
"Yes-a small one. Wen ask Can
field and his wife; the Hoberts and
Bert and Geraldine Ross. Garfield
and Hobert are on the board, and will
appreciate meeting Mrs. Babeoek, and
you will feel more comfortable if we
have Bert and Geraldine
81 certainly shall! What a nice par
ty we will have Just ten of us. /
, win make out the menu and let you
see it. What shall we do the first
night9"
Nothing, / think. You must re-
member that Mr.. and Mrs. Babcoek are
not as young as YOU are. L think we
will dine quietly, then have some music
afterward. You can ask Merton Gray
to drop in and help out, if you like.
He might be willing
"Certainly / will--if you like" l
replied, flushing a little as | always
did when his name was mentioned.
often thought of Merton Gray and his
declaration of love for me. / was 50
happy, that he had continued to be my
friend even after / had told him it
Al - Fn 10 nv
one save George. Yet, at times, 1 felt
a sudden embarrassment when George
spoke of him.
MERTON GRAY ACCEPTS.
After George left,I called Merton up
81 am going to ask favor" l
said after we had talked moment.
"It's already granted"
"Mr. and Mrs Babeock of Chicago,
business friends of Georges, are to
spend couple of days with us. They
are very musical. Would it be asking
too much for you to drop around, We'd
nesday evening, and help me entertain
them?"
"No, indeedl 7 shall be delighted to
do So Shall l bring my viohnH"
"Please dol"
Ever since first met Merton Gray,
he had been so willing to do anything
to give me pleasure, that it is no won
der | liked him. That he was con-
sidered rather lion and that hostesses
We'd with leach other TO secure him
at dinners or other social affairs, Of
course did not make me less pleased
that he never refused my invitations
1t would not have been natural.
They were to arrive in the morn
ing, and / proposed that I go to the
station in the car and meet Mrs. Bah
cock.
"He may want to go directly to
the office with you, and it may please
her to have me meet her." said.
at surely will, George replied.
"She is just the kind to appreciate
such an attention. That she is so
much older than you are, is all the
AGAIN HELEN PLEASES HER
HUSBAND.
That was all George said about my
offer to 60 to the station, but | knew
bv his manner that / had pleased
him by proposing it. And, as always,
when / knew L had accomplished that
once seemingly impossible thing, | was
happy. So l went singing about the
house, consulting the cook, talking with
James about the service, and making up
my menu
L had determined to have very
simple dinner, the first night they
came, when we were to dine alone,
but the next night, when we gave the
dinner party, as finished a dinner as
could possibly give.
fused an hour in the guest. room,
altho Annie always kept it in perfect
order. | carried some little things
from my own boudoir to make 1T more
homelike, and put "a couple Of late
magazines beside the reading lamp
Before I went to the station the morn
ing of their arrival, l would put fresh
flowers in the vases, and then it would
be complete
| was very proud of my beautiful
home. nowadays. At first | had not
cared so much for it, as it was asso'
in my mind with my efforts to
be a social success; with my failure
to please George, with my need for
Instruction, and my rebellion. mad
often told Evelyn that l would rather
live in little cottage and not be
society woman at all, than to have
my lovely home and have to be thinking
ali the time whether could live up
TO it. She would laugh and tell me
TO wait while-that some day would
be proud of my home-proud to be IT'S
mistress.
She had been right. l WAS proud
Of nv lovely home. 1t was neither
quite so large nor so elaborate as MIS-
Babcoek s, but it was delightfully."- com
plete in every particular, thanks TO
George. My servants were well train
ed, nv cook an unusually good one.
So | had no worry on any score save
that of my own ability to prove en-
tertaining; and to decide the menu
(To-morrow-Mr. and Mrs. Babcoek
Arrive.)
- aNn - ....4osro1 avau pxfapds