Evening star., 1927-05-17
The Governors Wife.

town Of Bluffs. Everywhere the word
went around-the governor was com
ing 1t was the first visit of such
high official in many years and 1t
mean A great deal The chief execu-
tive was scheduled to speak i'm the
park at noon and attend a luncheon
as guest of the Rotary Club imme-
datelv after. The governors wife
was to be the guest of honor at the
home of the mayors wife, Mrs. San
ford,
All the leading women of Rlufts
were invited to the Sanford home
to receive the states leading lady,
That is, all but Milliceut Tunford.
Just why the coveted invitation should
have failed TO reach the modest little
bungalow on the outskirts of the viii
lage Millicent could not understand.
And she was grieved. TO he ignored
by the women of her town at the
years most important social fete was
TO her disgra ace-almOSt disaster. II
meant everything. There would he
gossip-smail-toW gossip-and above
all. isolation. And there was her hoy,
and her husband-the postal clerk.
When Mrs. Courtley called Mrs.
Tunford on the phone and asked the
sort of dress she planned to wear al
the banquet Mrs. Tunford could only
swallow hard and say she did not
know. She mentioned the fact that
the invitation had not arrived to her
husband. lie merely laughed and
told her 1t did not matter--that, per
haps, anyway it was Just mistake.
But down in her heart Milicent
knew that Mrs. Sanford had 1nten-
tlonally omitted her from the list of
guests.
The days passed and the time for
the governors arrival drew near
The weekly newspape of the town
carried a long story about the re-
ception planned for his wife. Mrs.
Leonards. as we'll as the function
to he held hv the Rntarians for the
chief executive. The name of Mrs.
Tunford was still missing from the
published list AIillcent grew morose
and was too hurt even to go to the
stores for her shopping.
Mr.. Tunford was called on the
telephone a few days before the affair
and requested to serve on commit
tee to receive the governor, The
honor, of course, was small but 1t
meant a great deal to Mrs. Tunford.
1t meant that she was not keeping
pace with her husba nd--that she did
not mean to the women of the town
what her husband meant To the men,
She wept on Mr.. Tunford's shoulder
as she told him again and again how
sorry she was that she had failed so
misera bly, to keep her place among
the social set of the village. Mr.. Tun-
ford laughed and patted her soft black
hair.
why, you're as good as a dozen
Mrs. Sanfords." he told her. What
if Mrs Sanford does try to he catty?
The governors wife didn't send the
invitations
She looked up at him through tear
filed eyes.
"But-but-what will the neighbors
think" she sohbed.
Mr.. Tunford dismissed the neighbors
with a smile and a light wave of his
hand.
''It doesn't matter. love YOU just
as much. And I'm sure Robert does,
don't you, SON."
Robert clung to his mothers dress
and smiled his acquiescence,
The afternoon before the arrival of
the governors party Mrs. Tunford
resolved to think no more of the Incl
dent. she would forget the banquet
and go on Just as before. If the
neighbors talked-well, just let them
talk. As long as she had her husband
and Robert what else could matter?
She spent the afternoon cleaning the
house and getting things in order. At
least she could find some joy in hav-
ing her lawn and porch in a perfect
state of tidiness when the party
passed on the main highway to the
center of town. They were coming
he 40 fn +aI h 4
would pass the Tunferd bungalow.
And then it rained. Clouds had
been settling over the little valley
all the afternoon and at the
downpour started 1t poured inces
sanity for two hours and the soil
roads Of the county became great,
splashy mudpuddes. Reports came
in that many automobiles were stalled
in the sticky mud gumbo between the
town and the state capital. BY
morning the roads would be impass-
able
Mrs. Tunford was little sorry be-
cause of the disappointment of her
town in case the governor could not
come. He would very probably have
no other open dates for months
However, it would mean her social
salvation to some extent. She would
not ne ignored ny the reception Tor
Mrs. Leonards. because the reception
would, of course. he impossible.
II guess the big doings tomorrow
will he called off" Mr.. Tunford re-
marked. There is no train in the
morning on which the governors
party could possibly arrive in time
for the event The only chance
would be for his arrival on the flyer
at midnight. He very probably won't
do that" He resumed reading the
evening paper published at the capi-
tai. 1t carried a long story about the
governors prospective visit to the
neighboring village, the Rotarian
luncheon and the reception for Gov.
LeOnards' wife at the Sanford
home. The list Of invited guests was
published. MilIicent's name was not
included.
1t vas near bedtime when the
doorbeil rang. 1t was a Western
Union boy.
Day letter for Mrs. Tunford /"
The boy smiled a knowing smile. He
had evidently read the confidential
note the case usually in all small
towns. II hear the governors wife
is a friend of yours" he said