The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1942-12-11

Couples were leaving the dining
downstairs rooms were scene OF
wild disorder.
During this busy, hurried time,
messages were constantly coming
downstairs from Mrs. Porter, up to
whose room Cherry ran dozen
times. Her employer wanted bland
ly to know if everything was going
nicely, was enthusiastic as to her
own share of the festivities and
would like another cup of that de-
licious madrilene. Ming Wo so rare
ly made madrilene and she had al
ways been so fond Of it!
The dinner party had progressed
to the breast of milk-fed chicken
with Virginia ham and mushrooms
and to procure another cup OF the
soup was like returning to some
event of the dim past. When that
was accomplished, Mrs. Porter was
delicately picking at some rich con-
coction of crab meat and allowed the
soup to cool untouched.
Bridge and backgammon had been
set out in one of the parlors now;
the orchestra concealed behind the
inevitable palms was playing pro-
vocative dance music.
Couples were leaving the din
ing room to dance for few min
uteS.
were returning to play absently
with alligator-pear or frozen pud-
ding. Cherry looked into the upstairs
bedroom to find Alma and Hatty
deep in a muttered conversation.
They're dom notl1in' but maxim
fun of the old lady," said Hatty.
''Her champagne's good enough for
them, and her dinners good enough
for them, but oh, amt she a
scream and Amt this a queer old
Vault and Lord, my dear, you let
me into this; never would have
come"
can they says, How early can
we get out and 60 somewhere and
dancer added Alma.
Cherry was the more disturbed
to hear the maids views because
they confirmed an uneasy and
ashamed impression of her own. An
impression that the f1attery and
kisses that went on in Mrs. Por-
ter's room were not sincere, that
behind the old lady's back there
were patiently resigned signs and
shrugs, and good deal of the rails
ing of amused and contemptuous
eyebrows. Mrs. Porter's dinner
dance for the debutantes would be
long remembered, but not with the
gratitude she imagined. The words
s'horror'' and lawful" and lousy"
and "just about the limit!' would
be used more often than more COM
plimentary terms. Cherry felt a
sudden rush of resentment, of pity
for her employer.
Stepping back into the hall, and
going to look down at the lower floor,
to see if the dinner was about over,
Cherry was shocked suddenly to
hear the sound Of sobbing. Who
was crying?
It came from Dorothy's room.
Cherry went softly toward it, and as
the door stood open crack, she
pushed it further open and went in.
Dorothy, her party frock crushed
into stringy limpness, was lying
across the bed crying bitterly. She
had chiffon handkerchief pounded
into wet ball in her hand, and was
digging at her eyes with it, and
snuffling and sobbing like heart
broken. child of three.
The endless evening dragged its
way to midnight, and the guests be-
gan to dispense. Mrs. Porter, when
they came in to say their good-byes,
protested kindly. It was early yet!
Why, when she was girl they had
often danced right into the morningl
But the pretty girls and the hoarse,
polite young men were firm. Some
of the boys were working, they ex-
planned; they had to keep early Of
fee hours. By twos and tours they
dwindled away.
Cherry knew that they were all
going off somewhere else to dance.
She heard them promise one another
to meet later. She heard them laugh
ing at their evenings entertainment,
and their "Whewsl" of relief as they
disappeared into the darkness out
side the front door. The whole
thing had been ridiculous and fail
ure, she decided. going downstairs
for the twentieth time that evening
to see if the bridge players were
still at their game.
Fran was playing hard. Two 9TH
er tables were deserted, Uttered with
cigarette ashes and chocolate frills.
scrubbed scores and torn paper. She
was returning upstairs again for the
purpose OF asking Emma if she
could stay up to put out lights, when
Kelly Coates came down stairs,
met her hallway. smiled at her and