Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-01


could get nowadays and had been
with them IA years, there are certain
things which you don't care to trust to
servant.
Miss Jeanette took the front parlor by right
of seniority and Miss Catherine the back parlor.
That left the library for Miss Lucy. MISS
Lucy never entered the library without catch
ing her breath. 1t had been the lair OF dear
Papa a white-whswered old gentleman VINO
had never surrendered the tradition of family
authority.
On the table, between Papa's cigar humidor
and the paper weight he brought from Naples
in the '70s stood Cousin Claudia's picture
Miss Lucy always saved the table until last and
admired Claudia as she busted her. Claudia's
grandfather had been dear Papa's brother and
although the Skinner sisters had not seen her
since she was little girl, she was their closest
relative.
The picture showed her in a glittering evening
GOWN. with her short black hair brushed close
to her head and earrings that hung almost to
her shoulders. Claudia lived In New YORK.
She had married man who was something IN
wall street and had gone to Europe on her
HONEYMOON and had sent the sisters picture
post cards Of the Castle of Chillon and st.
Marks in Venice, which they kept to show Mr..
Monroe when he came to Sunday tea, because
Mr. Monroe had been to Europe, too, and was
awfully well informed.
On the 7th of october, which was Claudia's
tWenCy-IOQTLn DlfIlQay anniversary 0nACo 10Sy
gathered little nosegay of late chrysanthe-
NUNS to stand before Claudias picture, and
thought how wonderful it was to be so young
and so lovely and married to the man Of your
choice.
And that very day Claudia and Fred staged
the battle of the century. 1t was about money,
of all things Fred had been losing money in
the Street, though man shouldn't be in Wall
Street at all except to make money; and, In
stead of apologzing, he began to preach economy
at Claudia Economy on her birthday anniver-
sary-and he had even forgotten what day it
was!
CLAUDIA was more hurt than angry at first.
- It was their first real quarrel, and they
might have made it up If Fred hadn't descended
to sarcasm. For Claudia took refuge in the
simple statement "a girl can't be expected to
20 around in last years hat"
As, Of course, she can't. But Fred retorted
with loud guffaw, "As if you ever went around
in last weeks!"
Claudia went to the telephone and dialed
Western Union.
Her telegram reached the Skinner sisters in
the middle of busy week. Old Miss Beiknap
came twice a year to do their dresSmaking.
Miss jeanette wore purple Miss Catherine gray
and Miss Lucy brown. Miss Belknap had a
paper pattern for each of them. When the
patterns wore out she cut new ones by the old.
The Skinner girls bought the best material and
handsome trimming, but, as Miss jeanette said,
they didn't believe in changing with every
within of fashion"
The telegram caused a mild Juror. Miss
Catherine wondered out loud who was dead,
but Miss jeanette sent Matte for a paper
cutter and opeend the envelope. Busy as they
were, of course they sent word for Claudia to
come at once.
New York seemed to the Skinner girls long
distance from Milwaukee, where dear Papa
had amasSed a comfortable fortune by being
too conservative ever to sell any Of his real
estate. But two days after her telegram came
a taxicab actually set Claudia down at the
Skinner house-three stories, painted gray, with
a darker gray trimming, just as it had been
when a small Claudia in rompers had perched
on the porch railing and been fed with hot
cookies.
The sisters came rushing to the door to well
come her. Claudia kissed them all around
majestic Miss jeanette, aquiline Miss Catherine,
who always walked little sidewise with her
elbows pressed close to her ribs, and plump Miss
Lucy whose thick hair had faded instead of
grazing and whose near-sighted blue eyes were
kind when they forgot to be frightened.
I'VE should have met you at the station, y
said Miss jeanette, "if you had let us know
what train you were coming on"
"You have look of the SINNERS about your
mouth said Miss Catherine. 1.-The SINNERS
were always considered a very handsome family.
Miss Lucy didn't say anything. BY the time
her turn came there usually wasn't much left
to be said But seeing that Claudia was even