The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1943-01-06

like one. Not nouveau richie,
not devoted to crude, extrava-
CANT display. Oh, no. But solid,
assured, and in his particularly
calm manner altogether opulant
Did the Hunt "a trifle embar-
rassed for funds) wish the
hounds walked for a month?
Colonel Merriwether would un-
dertake the burden: daily food
for the 20 dogs and keep for
their handlers. Not too readily
Not too eagerly.
He would hear the secretary
of the Hunt and the master OF
fox hounds explain the situation
listening most gravely-and
then, after some moments OF
consideration and in the quiet
est of tones, he would say, ii
think it would be a pleasure
gentlemen. am always glad 10
be of such assistance as ! may
manage"
Did the beagling crowd look
about little wistfully for some
body to serve breakfast after
the Sunday morning coursing?
Stone House was gracious in its
hospitality, ample with its food,
and positively distinguished
with its Fish House punch, With
in whose aromatic bowls the
bouquet of -Clicquot -'29-Was
never missing.
When Cynthia grew of an age
to undertake the duties of host
ess Ono Mrs. MerriWether had
ever been seen or even mention
ed) the entertainments within
those broad and enviable rooms,
upon the terrace, at the pool and
the tennis courts, became more
lavish. Everybody who was
anybody felt at home there, de-
spite the magnificence, and in a
confused and troubled world
Stone House was a haven Of
quiet merriment and all Of its
atmosphere was of ineffable Sc
curity.
There was only one curious
note. The guests at Stone
House were, without exception,
the people of Gull Point (and
their own week END or summer
guests. Nobody ever appeared
from the outside world, nobody
from that existence which the
MerriWethers must, perforce,
have lived before their arrival
in the community.
1t would not be a precise state
ment to say that Mrs. Porter
West enjoyed the hospitality of
Stone House. Naturally, she was
on the guest list prepared and
kept carefully to date by Nit
chell Grace, the Colonel's secre-
tary. She even foreWent her
native antipathy to invitations
by-telephone, and invariably &C
copied them. But the verb Ito
enjoy" has connotations peculiar
TO itself. Mrs. Porter West was
too shrewd a woman to spend
her opportunities in the vain
pleasures of the fleeing hour.
When she went to Stone House,
she went on business.
And she found out, early in
deed, enough to convince her
that here, despite certain unsat-
isfactory details, was the Main
Chancellor her Frederick, and
not incidentally by any means,
for herself.
Then the insufferable Henry
Prentiss appeared. Four years
ago, wasn't it? Yes, about four
years. He, too, seemed to come
out of nowhere. Oh, one or two
of the boys remembered playing
polo with him on the coast, at
Midwick and the Uplifters. But
what was that? Hollywood.
And before Hollywood? Who
could know? Probably born in
Flatbush.
She had addressed her son
upon the subject within month
of Henry Prentiss arrival. by
the way, Frederick" fluttering
of the newspaper and sudden in
terest in some obscure item).
Yes, Mother?
"Oh-What?"
vYou were saying something
Dear me-what could it have
been-Oh l was just wonder
ing, who is your friend Henry
Prentiss? Seems a rough and
tumble sort of chap
HANK" Fred laughed. Salt
of the earth, Mother. Don t
bother. He'll not contaminate
your precious Gull Point, The
mans positively moral. BY Joe,
Mother, the most moral citizen |
ever knew
II don't care for your lang
uage. | asked you a simple
question: Very simple, '--------