The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1938-07-08
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from the shower, slender and love-
ly in her slip-took her turn while
Linda watched, and the two chat
tered happily together.
When Mrs. Sentry was dressed for
the luncheon-Mrs. Keith Urban
would call for her-she went to ask
whether Barbara would be at home
for luncheon. Barbara explained:
mo. I'm lunching with Linda, and
we're going to movie, and tea at
the Ritz"
Tires grated on the drive, and
Mrs. Sentry said: Here's Mrs. Ur-
ban. Then I'll see you at dinner,
Barbara" She went down the stairs.
Luncheon was pleasant, even though
Miss Glen-she was an English nov
elist-did monopolize the converse
ton. Mrs. Sentry, listening to her
lecture afterward, thought Miss
Glen interesting but inclined to pa
tronize. She remembered vaguely a
phrase, "On a certain condescension
in Englishmen," and wondered who
said it, and it annoyed her that she
could not remember certainly, and
then she began to be sleepy, and
had to stifle yawns, and wished
there were a window open some
where. Mrs. Furness' furnace
must be on. It was too early to
start furnaces, Mrs. Sentry thought.
Open fires were enough to Danish
the occasional chill of these early
fall days. Eli had protested yester-
day at the amount of firewood he
had to carry in every day. She Won
dered again whether Eli knew why
the office had telephoned for Arthur
this morning; but Arthur would be
home by a little after five, to tell
her. It was past four now.
Then Miss Glen had finished; and
Mrs. Sentry, when she and Mrs.
Urban were in the car, said in dry
distaste, "Alice feels she's response
BILE for our cultural life, doesn't
she?"
II like Miss Glen's books" Mrs.
Urban confessed.
They're good enough" Mrs. Sem
try agreed. "But it's a pity a woman
who can write as well as Miss Glen
does should feel called upon to try
to talk. I thought her deadly!"
Mrs. Urban subsidized meekly.
Very few people argued with Mrs.
Sentry. She prided herself on speak
ing her mind, had sometimes Bit
ing tongue; and when she expressed
an opinion it was in the tones of an
oracle. Mrs. Urban was family re-
lieved to drop her presently at her
own door.
Mrs. Sentry expected to find Ar
thur already at home; but Oscar
said he had not yet arrived. "Miss
Sentry and Doctor Ray are in the
living-room," he explained.
Mary, when Mrs. Sentry joined
them said, "Neil brought me home,
and made him stop for tea.''
"Have you rung?" Mrs. Sentry
asked. Mary had; and Oscar pres
emily brought in the tray. Mrs. SEN
try poured, and she suggested that
Neil stay to dinner; but Mary said:
''He can't, mother. I'm dining out.
At the Lorans'
She saw the older woman's ex-
preston of surprise, and said: 'Oh,
I know, mother. But Mrs. Loran
asked me three weeks ago, by tele-
phone; gave me no chance to think
up an excuse. What could ! do?"
Nothing" Mrs. Sentry confessed.
Mrs. Loran was of course vulgar
nobody, whom she herself had al
ways held at a distance. Barbara
would simply and honestly have de-
clined this invitation; but Mary's
standards were conventional as her
mothers. There were things one did
not do. Mrs. Sentry herself would
have felt compelled to accept an
invitation given three weeks in adj
vance, unless the truth would serve
as a reason for refusal.
Neil Ray said now in jocular
tone: "Pshaw, Mary! You know
you'll enjoy yourself. Mr.. Loran al
ways makes love to you."
'He makes love to everyone when
he's had a drink or two"