Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1919-06-04
CHAPTER !.

AS usual nowadays, instead of
knocking at the door Fate called up
on the telephone.
Though the bell shrilled almost in
Mrs. Kip's ear she would not answer
it. She WINGED, shook her head, agi-
tated her rocking chair with petulance,
embroidered vindictively, and hardly
so much called out as sighed very
loudly toward the hallway:
Daphne! Ooh, Daphne! the tele-
phone again!"
On the stairs there sounded
muffied scurry like the rush of an
April shower chased down q hillside
by the sun. An allegory of April dart
ed across the room and raised the tel
ephone to her lips as if it were a
beaker of good cheer.
Her mother was used to this humor
of Daphnes and paid no heed till a
sudden frost chilled the warm tone of
the girls voice. The smile of hospi-
tality wasted on the telephone had
given place to look of embarrass-
ment.
Mrs. Kip whispered anxiously, "Who
Is it?",
Daphne motioned her not to inter-
rupt, and her voice grew deep and
important. 1t became what her brother
Bayard called her reception voice."
In her grandest contralto she said:
'This is Miss Kip. Yes, have. Yes,
he does. beg pardon? Oh!-Oh! Oh !!
How do you do, Mr.. Wmbwm."
"Mr. Who?" her mother keened.
Daphne whispered to quiet her, "a
young man from New York-friend of
Bayard's-same Office. / haven't got
his name yet"
Into the telephone she was saying,
and bowling and nodding the while
with her politest face Indeed I'll try
to be. OF course Cleveland's not New
York, but By the way, do you
dancer That's good. That's right /;
might as well be deaf if you don't
How long will you be in Cleveland2
Oh, is that all? Well, then, you must
come out here and have tea with US
this very afternoon. I'll call for you
at the hotel in my little car. No; it's
not one of those; it's an electric. !
run it myself. Afraid to risk It'll
Brave man! I'll be there in fifteen
minutes, and you might be ON the
steps. Goodby, Mr.. Wmbwm."
This last was said in the fond tone
of ancient friendship, and she hung
up the receiver with a gesture like
shaking hands.
She turned to find her mother thin.
ming her lips in long, tight line; her
cheeks bulged explosively. Daphne
forestalled her:
"He's young fellow in the same
firm as Bayard. Says he's here or
business for ten days. Bayard told
him to call me up and tell me to be
nice to him. That sounds like BY
Also said he hadn't time to write. That
sounds liker still. Bayard told hin
to kiss you for him, so he must be al
right. I was going to take him tt
the hotel to tea-dance, but though
I'd better give him a look-over first
So I'll roll him out here. Get out tn,
nice china and the napkins I mono
grammed, and"
"But, Daphnel Waltz I can't"
II haven't time to argue with you
mamma. Please do as I tell you fol
once, and don't fuss. Mr.. Wmbwn
will probably have lot of news t.
tell you about your prodigal son
G'byw
She popped kiss on the forehead
that anxiety had turned to corduro!
and ran upstairs like another Apri
shower chasing the sun uphill. Sh,
dashed down again with hat ant
gloves, and, with nose repowdered
slammed the front door gayly
thrummed the steps, and strobe across
the long lawn to the little electric ca