Show vwe alok GERRY dar X T talbott A L B 0 T 1 5 S 1114 1 r ca binnek D I 1 N N t k james said gerry talbot sud denly looking up from the letter he bad just received iou ou needa tj mind about the rest the dinner will not CO come n 0 off it after all T the h e decorated end of the big sump studio looked oddly distasteful to gerry talbot since the reading of miss wakefield s telegram which bad had shattered his enthusiastic plans he had kad her and for chaperon age her brother and his bite ife to a christmas studio dinner which he meant to make as festive as possible ot of course her rejection at the last hour had been a gentle invention pre pared to avert a greater disappoint ment for he had let her know tal ably how it was with him and he 17 W I 1 gazing wistfully had been so hopeful of success that he had selected a ring tor for her christ toas mas gift a little golden circlet set with a clear white solitaire 0 the streets were thronged with bustling christmas shoppers glad of heart with merry expectant faces and here and there a wistful one too looking on but not buying As talbot turned toward the restaurant her noticed two little girls gazing wistfully into a confectioner confectioners a window yes min I 1 would I 1 d do it fust thing said the taller of the two oh my f wouldn t it be nice to be rich an invite all your friends to a big turkey an ice cream dinner dinned minnie who was of less sanguine disposition said there gasn wasn t any good in wishing cause nothing ever came true anyway but her friend kept up a flow of charitable aspire eions that interested talbot in spite of his gloom they were very poorly clad thin featured and III nourished but not unpleasant to look at talbot was conscious all at once of an inex impulse to gratify the first child s wish so you would really like to give your friends a christmas dinner said be he smiling down at her aston dished eyes I 1 have a great mind to let you have your wish oh dear me min she gasped I 1 can cant t hardly believe it can you it sounds just like a make believe thing won wont t mis alls posey be s an jonas an meg an tom I 1 oh won wont t they be jest too pleased how many shall you invite tal hot bot asked gravely taking out his note book you see we haven t much time to spare so well we 11 have to begin our preparations at once how many guests well there a aunt kitty an am uncle tim an the baby mis posey jonas boggs dogg s meg an pat cooley min can you think of anyone else lame betsy an moll how many s that asked lou twelve counting us three talbot nodded gravely can you give me some idea what they would like to have tor for dinner there 11 be turkey wont won t there certainly with sauce and IN t yes talbot wrote down the various items while they added sundry incon articles don t you think it would be nice to have a little present beside each plate he asked both girls gasped but looked ira densely pleased suppose you two go around with me 00 a and 11 d pick out what you consider suitable for each of your guests be cause I 1 should not know what to se lect elect they set off toward sixth avenue where they soon found themselves in a whirl of belated shoppers talbot consulted his list as he followed tha the children from counter to counter now I 1 think aou QU had bad better both run home and let your parents eee see that you are safe add sound then set nin t v tai 0 s q i bild ild talbot fren when the cab stopped before his own wn door t 4 at precisely 12 0 cloch the bell rang for the first time to 0 o announce the ar rhal ot of the guests talbot shook hands all around with a merry Christ christmas mast after which they all took their places at the beau 1 ticul table the like ille of which none of that humble party had ever looked upon but it was a kindly madness that pose sed the host of that boun dinner for his ct stories were ot of 1 the pleasant est and his watchful care was unflagging now and then talbot rose to refill an empty glass or replenish a halt half emptied plate and in the midst ot of one of his excursions around the table the hall bell thrilled merrily a pro longed intimate expectant trill that sent all the blood rushing madly to his face there was a pause then james quiet well trained voice said yes madam he Is at dinner in the studio the door swung inward and well talbot knew that he was not dreaming when she came toward him with outstretched hands and a ripple 0 of explanation of which be he one word indeed to him one isolated tact fact filled the world that smiling up at him with a great prom ise in her eyes he ile heard himself say something about a delightful surprise which she interrupted with a halt apologetic question concerning his guests balbot beamed around the table A little friend of mine wanted to give her friends a christmas difaner dinner and I 1 persuaded her to let me share it he explained jauntily it has been a great treat to me we miss aliss wakefield read the whole truth for herself as she looked into the good homely faces that reflected their hosts host s arales in every glance she said nothing but her eyes told what talbot would have given all he possessed to hear from her lips then mr wakefield and his wife ventured in and talbot be bethought hought himself to ask it if they had dined which they had not I 1 warned grace that we d jai jar somebody s plans by running in at this hour but she thought we might as well look in on our way home said her brother leu lou and talbot made room for three plates here and there and as there was a plenty of crullers and turkey and ice lee cream all went well to the very end of the function when the eleven originally invited guests rose and made their adieus with glad hearts and beaming faces talbot saw them all safely stowed into the ele vator cage when with a happy new ew year and many jolly returns he hurried back to the studio miss wakefield stood before the grate while her brother and bis his wife examined a row of pictures halt half hidden d e n behind the holly wreaths I 1 waa was sorry to disappoint you yesterday she said but poor ted beds teds s tel agram was so urgent that we were afraid he was worse and hadn haan t the heart to refuse him when I 1 dincov ered that we could take an early train home I 1 made up my mind to run rim la in 1 t 49 4 1 44 ro Z yes now he repeated and wish you a merry christmas any way and so we came you see talbot thought of the ring he ile had bad taken it from its hiding place for a long while I 1 have wanted to ask you to accept this and what goes with it he said simply holding the glittering bauble toward her A red glow crept into her face dont don t you think you are taking a rather unfair advantage of me ger ry she asked yes now he repeated she made no audible answer but when the young couple at the other enu end oi of the room sauntered toward them they were smiling new york times |