The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1921-12-15
Genius
at Tea Making
BY MARTHA MAcwILLIAMs.

Bradley, when she undertook 90 intro
duce MIR. Bradley's twenty-year-old
daughter to little group OF her own
particular friends whom she thought
u would be desirable for her to know.
To understand the confusion one must
understand the Penley Bradley me.
mage. IL was located I'm an apartment
hotel-the apartment was the same
that Mrs. Bradley had once occupied
before her second marriage. II had
been changed only by the addition of
hundred OF the books that Penley
Bradley could not be parted from, n
pipe or so, a new chiffonier containing
his ralment and, ON occasions. Penley
Bradley himself. lie had hoped thnt
when he married the brilliant aud eff.
cient Mrs. Duane he would persuade
her to give up her work ut Burton's
and the $4,000 year that went
with II.
Bradley had dreamed of house I'm
the suburbs, gardens and lawns, and
room enough for thousand books In.
stead OF the hundred that seemed 10
crowd each other In the living room nj
the apartment hotel where they lived
| instead
And now the new Mrs Penley Brad.
ley was giving n little tea TO introduce
her new daughter to some "worth
while people" She was frank about
II and Alice. the daughter, came back
quite as frankly. They did not In the
least dislike each other.
"And now. Alice" Mrs. Bradley
called from her room where she was
hurriedly dressing after speeding
home from Burton's, while Alice was
arranging flowers In the reception
room beyond, NOW. Alice, | expecI
you to fall In love with and cnptIvate
one OF the three men | have picked
out as eligible for you. They will be
here this afternoon. Roger Steele
could give you all the money you
could dream OF. and he Is quite nice
sort OF stay-at-home, fireslde- loving
creature besides. Tom Greene hasn't
a cent In the bank--never has. but
he makes lot and he's brilliant.
You've read his plays. And there Is
Harry ainbridge-awfully English.
over here studying silk worms or to-
bacco, or sailbonts or something.
don't remember, but I've heard all
about him. He's quite catch II You
can Impress him. and" Mrs. Penlev
Bradley looked at her watch and IN
terrupted Alice. who had framed n
protest. "Whnt do you suppose has
happened to that maid? | told them
TO send her mp by half-past three. The
lemons aren't cut. and don't believe
there Is any sugar. They were going
to send the things up from down
stairs, but dear knows what's han
pened."
II wish you had let me get things
ready this morning, mamma" scoldad
Alice. Il knew 1t would be too much
for you"
II couldn't let you be worried"
Mrs. Bradley was trying 10 get tele-
phone connection with the ldntry In
the hotel dining room below stairs
ut really Is an awful job getting up
q tea" and then. TO the steward down
below: 81 wish you would send IN
some other sandwiches. ordered
watercress and they sent lettuce, and
there isn't any butter on them and
and will you hurry that maid along?
Our guests will be coming soon. There
will be about twenty"
When her stepmother was through
telephoning Alice summoned courage
to say:
"You didn't send cards to Morton
Gray. did you-mother?"
"Of course not came back frankly.
Morton isn't In class with the
people I'm asking today. He's nice
enough In way-Alice you don't
mean to tell me you care about hlm?'
The frankness Of this query rather
took Alice's breath away. She was
not as frank In her rejoInder "I only
thought ne was an old friend. II was
through him that you and papa met.
We ought at least to feel grateful"
"Oh, IL that's ALL won't argue
with you. But you see he's just gen.
eral business manager at Burton's. In
a business way he may be a genius,
but the people I'm asking this after.
noon are different. They are the
people ! want You to know"
would you be ashamed to intro
duce him to these people-Roger
Steele. Tom Greene and the Balm
bridge individual. meanf'
"Don't follow me up so." came mas
tily from Mrs. Bradley. "Don't you
see that I'm all upset over the re-
freshments? They haven't sent the
maid and there isn't speck of but.
ter on those sandwiches. No. you
can't go and get things; the guests
will be here any time and you must
be ready with me to receive them"
A half an hour later the guests had
arrived. Some had even spoken Of
leaving. But still no refreshments
had appeared. There was tea service
In one end Of the room but no boiling
water had been sent up with which
to make II. And no maid had come.
Mrs Bradley did not send her COM