The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-03-15


to supply ideas for talk. Having done
justice verbally to all the weather she
could remember at the moment, Cora
lapsed back into possibilities.
II did think we might put OFF the
party till tomorrow" she said, though
mothers cream cakes won't be good
after today. l did start to phone you,
Millie, to tell you not to come, but
they said your line was busy. I was
sure it wasn't, / told them" Cora
had the more or less happy faculty of
being able to manufacture talk about
every subject that came up. She went
into monologue about the bad SER
vice the phone company gave, her thin
pinched face growing thinner and
more pinched as she complained bit
terly that it was all because Nellie
the day central-ran around half the
night with a lot of boys
at was busy" Mile interrupted
Humphrey phoned he was coming
home"
Silence! Each woman made note
of the fact that as soon as Humphrey
his afternoon at home rather than in
the office, Millie rushed forth even in
the worst rain of the year to attend
party that was sure to be a failure.
Even Mile, who made the remark
in all innocence. felt the waves of
thought and speculation, comment and
criticism, that began to surge around
her-and Millicent was anything but
rSy or ,cif In 70
would have characterized such ideas
as the most utter nonsense.
Nevertheless, the silence made her
uncomfortable. She suggested they try
three handed rubber of bridge She
bid wildly, hoping for cards in the
| dummy to make good her bids, and
/ never getting them. They did not play
I for money, of course, that would have
been gambling" they played for for
| feits, the loser being obliged to spend
! so many hours knitting or sewing for
| charity, the winner being relieved OF
! so many hours of work.
| The result of this complicated sys-
, tenn instituted by one of the leading
church members, was that each mem
Der of the bridge club had a credit and
debit account of hours of work which
she had to keep. The good players
| naturally did no work, the poorest
player was at this moment in debt
| some S54 hours, time enough she com
planned, to knit sweaters and socks for
all the poor in the county.
Cora's mother brought in the cream
cakes that would not keep, and more
coffee, and sandwiches. Guests and
hostess alike knew that the olives and
sailed nuts and mint candies that
were an invariable part of every
| bridge afternoon, were saved for the
/ time when the whole party could come
together and feast and enjoy.
Millie rose as soon as they had fin
ished, used Humphrey as an excuse
i donned her rubber things and left
! Maude pulled her chair to the stove
and picked up her embroidery
Not having any Humphrey, | need
not go till this downpour lets up" she
observed comfortably. Cora, do yol
believe they're happy? 1t was pretty
evident she didn't want to spend ar
afternoon talking to him, otherwise
she wouldn't have rushed across towr
day like this. Mile hates rain
Mabye they've quarreled"
Maybe" Cora agreed, quite willing
to discuss the affairs of best friends
But / guess they're happy enough
Been married ten years. N
she ought to be happy, she has
i everything she wants. He makes sil
4 thousand year they say of his bust
ness, and they've put away quite
bit. | have heard
II Tomorrow-"Humphr