Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-31
"0ld Mrs. Trip. .

YULTA GRTGGS set the table care
fully with the tablecloth which
had been borrowed from old
~ Mrs. SWANS store-Mrs, Swain
was Mrs. Halford 5 mother
and the cheaD silver and the two
pieces of cut glass, which were all the
ELalfords' china closet contained
Wien the two pieces of cut glass
were out of the china closet, it took
r. good deaf of clever suhterfuge to
conceal their absence.
Julia sighed as she stood contem-
plating the table, partly because 1t
looked shabby in spite of all she
could do. She had better silver and
linen and. china az home in the dear
little house which she was trying
hard to pay for-the dear little house
where she had TO steal an hours
quiet now and then and forget the
Halfords' existence.
The door opened and Claire Halford
entered with "A vase of roses. Claire
was the elder of the two Halford girls,
and the plainest--a dumpy little per.
son, with the set expression of q
papier-mache doll. without noticing
Julia. she set the flowers in the mid
die of the table. Her sister Nan and
Mrs. Halford just then appeared.
ooh, dearr' Nan said What made
YOU ERI IRN FUSES dStlkls Ntiil G.
wanted pink"
why didn't you get pink then in
stead of leaving ii TO me?" snapped
Claire
Julia" Mrs. Halford. dumpy, set
faced like her daughter. turned to
her maid t'aS we are to have so many
people TO lunch today, you won't be
able 20 have your usual time off"
Julia flushed. It was Sunday. She
I 4, zf
week. but Sunday was different. Sun
day she wanted a bit of time to her
self She went back to the kitchen
without saying a word. She was tired,
and the tears came to her eyes.
Fl declare / feel childish" she
thought. when you hire out you
must do as your employer says.
try not to forget that, yet-oh, did
want to so home for little while
today"
She went TO the window and stood
looking in the direction Of her home.
Julia was widow. and the house had
been left to her by her husband VINO
had died before he could finish paving
for it. Her dream was to get it paid
for, and have enough saved up to
constitute a little income, which she
could add to by taking boarders and
keeping a few chickens.
Suddenly her attention was called
TO the fact that the Halford girls
We're quarreliug in the next room
with their mother.
Mother, you don't seem TO have a
mite of sense" Claire said. The
idea of your inviting old Mrs. Tripp.
And with the Eiastmans. too. And
Jud Payne It's going to be a very
queer partly can tell YOU
ford YOU know | tried my best 10
get the Clevalands hut they wouldn't
come, and so ! had to have some
body, SO ! asked her for filler"
Mighty poor filler" said Nan bit
terly. That old woman"
I'm tired OF this sunday enter-
tanning anyway" said Mrs. Halford.
ct never get q chance for a nap any
more. But you girls are so obstinate"
'Wel"' Claire spoke hotly. We
don't have a maid every day. My idea
IS to entertain everybody We can this
Winter. and then they'll have to ask
rs back. We ought to have invitations
TO last a year after this. It's only a
pig who viii eat your dinner without
Offering one in return.
They went out Of the dining room.
as the doorbell announced the first
arrivals.
Julia seasoned tile lunch and dished
it up. They had very ordinary food
ut the Halfords', deliberately garnished.
The chops had paper ruffies. Some
times Julia thought If the quality of
the food had been better, and the gar
nishing less pronounced the guests
would have been just as well pleased.
Mrs. Halford ordered very close, and
today Julia perceived that she would
have to make her own lunch out Of
bread and vegetables. In counting
noses Mrs. Halford always made the
mistake of leaving out the maid.
When the guests were seated at
the table, Julia slipped off her kitchen
apron. put on her white apron and
served the food AS she passed the
chops to old Mrs Tripp. the old
woman looked up ut her sharply
"Why--how-do julia" she said.
Mrs. Halford looked down. Nan bit
her lip, Claire glared at Julia, as If
Julia were to blame. Julia flushed
She had always known old Mrs. Trip,
but she had not intended to appear
to recognize her. Mrs. Halford's maid
"a R ~ IN "