The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-12-14
Wegk7na MHRDER a!EEEz' SEEA

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 Tell me this, MT Shaughnessey," she spoke quickly, with an appeal ing upward look partly due to his stature, though also deliberately charged with guileful admiration, "I have so wanted to ask you - does American country life - this sort of thing" she gestured vague ly, differ very much from the same thing in England as much as it seems from books, at least?"
 He looked utterly astonished at her urgent question, and well he might, for before she began speaking she herself had not had the least idea what she would say. T ought to lead him to Cousin Amos," she thought. He's the only one I haven't talked to about it--but I simply can't plump right down into it without any apparent cause. He'd think me insane." From his expression, however, she wondered whether she had not al- ready conveyed that impression.
 "I mean" she plunged desper- ately, T have t paper to give-on the development of club life in America--and it seemed to me per- haps that there lay one of the real ly fundamental differences between the English and the American so- cial scheme of things-the Amer ican dependence on all sorts of clubs and the English people just taking each other for granted. A locality or a social stratum in a locality forming its own club, so to speak"
 She had fioundered ahead des- perately, but 1t struck her as on the whole not bad for an extem- pore performance. He looked at her with more the effect of really seeing her and, taking a cigaret from his case Chat simple act made her relax a little), answered quite directly and with less of the professional Irishman in his voice and manner.
 That's an idea" he said. "A little rough now = and of course England has few clubs" She caught his slightly malicious twin kle.
 "Oh, yes-golf-and what's their names?-those stuffy ones in Lon don."
 Their members would be flat tered"
 q derive this impression from reading English novels" she re- torted loftily.
 sThen you haven't been abroad lately, Mrs Averill?"
 Mot since I was a little girl" Linda confessed. Before the war. And then more on the continent it, hA pvif Tc1A Int always wanted to go there most and Ireland must be wonderful!"
 
 There was something in his sceptical glance that made her little uneasy over this last att tempt. Perhaps he was not as sus- ceptible to blarney as he was adept at administering it. He spoke with suggestion of grimness.
 Your sentiments were not shar- ed by others of your family, Mrs Averill."
 "Tom?' Linda was honestly sur prised. Then as she realized his meaning-"Oh, Cousin Amos! No, I'm sorry, MT Shaughnessey-" her mind flashed back to the din- ner the first night of this hapless weekend. "He was-opinionated. I hope in view of what happened you've forgiven his rudeness."
 There's a well-known proverb, :" he remarked dryly. Latin it is about nothing ill of the dead"
 'Well?" Linda faced him trifie defiantly. The unsuppressed bitter ness of his tone seemed, now, drag ging feud from the grave. After all---''
 After all---" he seemed launch ed upon a flow of that easy, wordy picturesque indignation which was apparently reused by the slightest affront or, in this case, the memory of one. But jEst behind her, at the easement giving on the terrace, Toms voice spoke and their guest checked himself without any sign of apology or contrition.
 "Oh, here you are! thought you'd both be on the terrace with Statlander! I ran over to the ga- rage - left some sales figure wanted to show him in the pocket of the car and came around the end of the house thinking you'd De there. Why stand here in the dark? Come on out--the airs a little clearer, at any rate. mot quite so hot!"
 Linda. added her word of agree ment. "Do come, MT Shaughnessey We'll have some cool drinks-and If those two fiends for business talk shop we needn't be so foolish"
 Thank you. mo-" He spoke to her but his eyes were on Tom. T must get back, if you'll excuse me. Your delightful--and isolated-ga ! rage is too great temptation. Even I have no excuse for not working when the gods provide such an ideal spot. I hope you found what you wanted, MT Aver III. Good night"
 (To 3c Continucd)