The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-10-25
FRIENDS
CHAPTER 81

AS in most undertakings, the begin.
ming is always the hardest.
Had Mrs. Clarke not been in, had
the maid who answered her door a
stiff and severe expression, had there
been uneongenial guests. Pan would
have fairly quaked In her shoes, ami
probably given up her attempt to make
new friends.
But Mrs. Clarke was in and delight
ed to see her young American friend.
The tea hour, as the girl had already
found out, was the great period of the
English day, and Mrs. Clarke was the
most English of English women.
She's just changing her gown,
mem" the maid said She'll be down
in a moment" While they waited, the
maid came and went with trays of tea
things.
There's going to be party, I
think frankie observed, counting the
articles that loaded the large table
There's sanoyar for the tea, and
five kinds of big cake and a whole
plate of little ones and she's going out
for sandwiches, 1 heard her say So
Greedy eyes scanned the table.
You mustn't count the dishes,
that's not NICE" Pan rebuked him sc.
cretly worried for fear strange people
were coming.
But there was no party. They were
the only ones.
ITS SO sweet OF you to drop in on
and old lady like me-" Mrs. Clarke
fairly bubbled, rustling into the room
She kissed Pan and shook hands
with the child, knowing that small
boys prefer this to kissing, and plump
zen herself down behind the tea table
This deliberately set table, Pan found
later, appeared every afternoon, some
times a dozen people came in, some
times Mrs. Clarke in great splendor of
heavy black silk and jet tassels, sat
and drank her tea alone.
''You like it weak, don't you-and
one lump? Yes! Plunket, bring Mas
ter frankie a glass of milk, he's too
young for tea. frankie you're eyes
are devouring that little pink cake
your mouth had better follow suit
Now. my dear. what's this story hear
OF Mrs. Gates clipping with that odd
Mr.. Collins. Is it true?"
Dear me, how lovely!" Her plump
many ringed hands were moving about
among the silver and china, she scarce.
~ waited for an answer. but ratified on
Dear me! And you're alone. You
must come to us for dinner-aren't
you lonely?"
Il have frankie" Pan managed to
say.
"Oh yes. of course-and children
are so companionable, aren't they?
Much more so than some grown ups.
Frankie's such mature child too.
can quite see you wouldn't be lonely
with him around all day Here's the
milk, frankie. But of course, the eve
nings are different-yes, you must
come to us for dinner. Do come to
morrow night at eight and I'll think up
all the nice young men / know to meet
you. Now do tell me all about dear
Mrs. Gates-such a charming woman
I've heard she was so-well, you know
-" sidelong glance at the child
showed that she dared not refer openly
to Gloria's past misfortunes In his
presence.
But she sent him off presently with
the maid, to be taken to play in the
garden, and then, with her third cup
of tea, she settled down for a lot OF
gossip, always of the kindliest, about
Gloria and her present young guest
Pan often remembered this visit, the
first Independent attempt she had
made at friendship. She remembered
the plump, pleasant woman with the