Show STUDENT LIFE w & APRIL 1903 THE COMING OUT OF CORDELIA Dick and I had just sat down to breakfast in our bachelor quarters when Jerome our colored housekeeper brought in an envelope addressed to Dick A look of surprise came over his face as he glanced at the contents and suddenly he broke out “Well of all things! An invitation to the coming out party of old Dunlap’s daughter Cordelia We arc both invited and we had better decide right now what to do” If I had been suddenly informed that my rich aunt had died and left me her fortune I should not have been more surprised Why had we been invited to the “coming out” party of Cordelia Dunlap? The only reason I could think of was that when Old Dunlap was a struggling farmer in one of the “back” counties Dick’s father and mine were on friendly terms with him Oil had been discovered on the Dunlap farm the result being that Dunlap his ambitious wife and only child Cordelia moved to the city She was a freckled-face- d school girl of fourteen with big blue eyes and curly red hair When I began to picture her dressed in “decollete” ready for the party I could not help but smile so I said to Dick “Well it does not make any difference to me whether I go or not It is just as you say” Dick replied: “You see if we don’t go Old Dunlap will feel hurt Perhaps he will think that we consider ourselves above his class of society and I would not do anything to make the old fellow feel badly lie was’good to dad and the folks when he lived near the old farm and I’m going whether you do or not” Dick’s argument was too strong for me so I decided to accompany him The night for the party finally came Dick and I donned our evening togs and calling a cab departed to the scene of action The Dunlap mansion stood in the wealthy district of the city and many people who were not acquainted with the Dunlaps claimed that it was the most expensive residence in town When the carriage came to a stop in front of the place we were amazed at what we saw There were no lights visible and everything seemed quiet Dick began to feel nervous and suggested that we had given the driver the wrong address Ilowever we hurried up the front steps and rang for admittance There came to the door a maid who was dressed in kitchen attire Upon being asked if Mr Dunlap lived here she answered “Oh yes come right in Hang up your things over there (pointing to some hooks fixed in the wall) and sit down and be comfortable I’ll light the gas and I suppose Cordelia and Mrs Dunlap will be down in a minute” After lighting the little gas jet she disappeared and left us alone to entertain ourselves In the glimmering gas light I saw the plagued look on Dick’s face He began to suspect that he had been “sold” but he tried his best to be calm We seated ourselves on a couch in one corner of the room and began to look around The room in which we sat led indirectly from the street It was papered with a red Caring design of wall paper and a carpet of greenish hue covered the floor Upon the walls hung some family portraits done in oil and also a dozen or more photographs of prize Jerseys In the center of the room was a little old table upon which stood a silver water pitcher and several glasses A grand piano filled up what would have been a gaping space in one corner of the room and chairs arranged at frequent intervals took away a little of the bare aspect |