Evening star., 1922-09-03

der Tea for Ave, Miss Like that
And Inez looked so peeved over II
that 1 had to chuckie. well, what
did you say?" 1 asked
"Me?" says Inez. Il don't say any
thing at all. was gonna give him
a mean look and shut the door in his
face, but he'd turned around and was
helpin' out some ladies. So 1 just
came up here"
And blessed II they aren't all
streaming into our living room at
this minute" says I.
Some nerve." says Inez. Say,
shall go tell em this amt no public
hotel and that they can chase them
selves?> Eh?"
1t was about then that this freaky
idea struck me. you've been COM
planning about how Lonesome it was
up here" says I. land only today you
figured out all sorts Of signs to show
that company was coming. Well, here
they are. So why treat 'em rough?'
"You-you amt gonna give 'em
tea, are you? gasps Inez.
"Posi!tive-ly," says I. And by the
looks Of that limousine and the French
chauffeur 1 have a hunch they're going
to pay lobster district prices for the
service. Why not nick 'em for two dol
lars per person, when they come throw
ing orders around reckles? Say. hurry
down the back stairs and tell Sairy
to rush along a pan of those little
biscuits, while I drape myself in
something fancy and tea-roomy."
Huh says Inez. IT would tell 'em
to shuffie along. Why should they
stop here, anyway"
Haven't you got it yet?" says I.
Aren't we inviting EN-, with Ezra
Judd's tavern sign up there? And so
long as it swings I expect we've got
to make good. Let's give this road
side Inn stuff a try and see how 1t
seems"
MEANWHILE was digging into
ANI trunk of costumes I'd been col
lecting and I'd remembered sprig-
ged muslin with a quaint little
bonnet to match that I had bought
with a chest full Of other dresses that
must have belonged to somebody
great-grandmother. Sairy Jewett had
done up the, muslin only last week
and it was as fresh and dainty as II 1t
had just been made. And must ad-
nit that when I'd got that buttoned
up the back and had drawn the old
bonnet down over my carroty bobbed
hair, and laid on. a rosebud complex
ion over the freckles. was kind OF
picturesque to look at.
Anyway, when I fioated down into
the big living room and pulled a jan
ice Meredith ,curtsey. l had 'em bug
eyed for a minute. Two Of the classy
old DANES gasped and inspected me
through their lorgnettes, while both
of the men perked up at once. 1t was
the young lady in the party, though,
who spoke right out.
isn't she simply perfect?'' says she,
with no. effort at a stage whisper.
"Tea will be ready in five minutes
says T.. please make yourselves
quite at home. And If the ladies
would like to"
They didn't care to. Your real
limousine tourists don't need to wash
OF the, dust and rearrange their per-
manents. And this bunch were genu-
inc smart settlers. They wanted tall
glasses with, cracked ice in 'em. and
ginger ale on the side, and then out
came the silver TASKS and the cigar
cite cases. I made them comfy IN
rush bottomed, chairs around a gate
legged black walnut table and then
faded TO the: kitchen where sairy was
taking a pan of biscuits from the
oven. 1T: 49, %*
/ shall. Mile take the things in?''
she asked.
l T took one. glance at the husky
Millie in her khaki knickers and golf
stockings and shook my head. !
couldn't see how she would fit into
the picture.
eeNo. thanks. says I. I'll sub in
for her this time" l 9
-. A