Show RE al Z C MUM ansi evv henvir BY MINNA THOMAS ANTRIM ANTRIM copyright by J B lippincott co among the joys that came in the wake wake of dons five years was an invitation to dine at seven with his mother and keith two nights weekly with his usual tact keith had delicately suggested of course aside that don should honor his mother in the man ner of his garbing gabbing gar bing your eyoul black velvet will make an excellent dinner coat gravely said his father by mar ariage I 1 the two were in the drawing room awaiting dons mother keith was ap appropriately coated as usual and looked to don a very personable specimen of his class furtively the boy watched his father chum and unconsciously ly imitated him to the mans secret mirth don dines with us tonight to night hIght mr air kennedy reminded his wife as she approached pro ached As guest of honor I 1 suggest he take you in he chuckled the young pair happy beyond words laughed at their guest of honors serious expression and when keith swung the lad whom he loved as his own flesh up on oil his shoulder marion kennedy smiled the brooding smile of happy wife and mother her chalice of life was filled with wine of a rare vintage and so began dons social life among the elders now the boys table manners nursery table were of the best but as every one knows to dine amid unaccustomed customer cus tomed forks spoons and sundry portable stuff for the first time Is not an easy matter later in life than five even when a novice has the certainty as had don that ills his presence is regarded joyously the boy wished to honor himself as well as ills his host in his deportment and so came swiftly to grief with the oysters he got on well he ignored the to him loathsome objects with the soup came woe being hungry the child stood not upon ceremony but began at once he regretted his haste and stared at his mother reproachfully its hot he gasped winking with exceeding celerity its awful hot you must not begin before mamma does whispered marion sympathetically but mulver over went the water glass for which the burned child was eagerly reaching this was not noticed apparently by any one save tua emergency man who hovered continually near happily it wits was the tablecloth that was deluged rather than don the test rest of the dinner passed without further disaster thanks to the whispered suggestions of dons dona hostess mother not only into his hip appreciative small mouth went novel things but dons attentive ears were as bountifully regaled it must be understood that ahat except for ills his parents don had lived his life as a child not among older people words such as he had never before heard were uttered and phrases phrased used that filled him with profound interest finally he felt he be must make certain inquiries so placing two very chubby elbows upon the table he leaned toward keith i detest lie he asked eagerly twice his mother had used the curl curious wo word rd twice had he murmured mur it after her it means dislike sweetheart answered marlon marion before her ausba husband nd had bad time to but why do you ap pp do I 1 what detest de test mr carey hes nice capt he aint why Is he at our house many times keiths eyes twinkled dons literalness always tickled ills his soul just it kiddy mamma thinks he Is here too many times but protested don who was fond of the man inan in question ciamma mamma asted mr carey to turn tum adain you mulver Mar marions lons face reddened 1 I 1 I am afraid I 1 did son to be polite you know don did not know but that he should before he left the table tabla lie he decided hence continued he when ladies dont want gemple mans at dere house must dey say turn tuni denvy soon adain aint at a storyteller story teller innocently the blue eyes challenged Alar marions lons keith chortled but the questioners mother looked troubled when you are older dear you will understand she hedged the while handing don his dessert but excellent as it was the sweet didt did not dl di vert dons thoughts the insincerities were quite now to him to tell a lie he had been taught was deplorable if ills his dear mother found mr air careys carels visits tiresome was it not a 1 I a storyteller story teller to look into his face sweetly as ills his mamma had and make his welcome sure in advance furtively he looked up from his pudding was his dear mamma a but no lie he would not even whisper such al heresy she was not a a he could not now even frame the word in his pure little mind sometimes it is to say sayf ings ats stories he asserted anxiously to be polite is a rather complicated edmaster matter old man sat said d keith hurriedly he saw that marion was really distressed at at complicated pom asked don quickly A mix up laughed keith hastily pushing some nuts over to th tho A child lets see who first gets a dozer dozen nuts opened for mamma lets cried don proceeding to use his pretty teeth as crackers marion glanced at keith gratefully it was her natural desire to remain all that was trustworthy in her childs eyes and while keith was rehabilitating her infallibility for don she vowed to herself to eschew the usual social prevarication prevarications s with unusual care in dons presence dinner over they were expecting callers so to his entire satisfaction the guest of honor was left with keith ho he bad something to conal confide de to his chum lets go toast our toes suggested keith leading the way toward the roaring fireplace im glad we is side aide ourselves I 1 dot dunifin to show you whispered don doll mysteriously 1 I dont want ingv ver to see it ile he held up tip a piece of car cardboard deboard upon which were some weird lines and marks dist dis said the boy is a horse its all done mr air kennedy looked at tile the mo monster rister with serious eyes the poor creature seems to have met with an accident wats at don doll stared anxiously at ills his horse it has lost both of its ears oh said don calmly 1 I to make em for a few moments 1 here ere was silence tile the artist worked with absorption finally the ears cars were facts though very badly accomplished plis shed lied of this however don remained unaware as ills his chum would have borne with worse eyesores eye sores thin than the boys monstrous production rather than offend a little child now breathed don will you please your breaf an never tell a lie ile ill cross my breath old man keith made the usual sign en never tell a lie and hardly ever tell a lie responded keith with a chuckle don doll gazed rather dubiously into the handsome face looking so merrily into his but lie he half understood and believed for the rest moreover time was short and there was something lie he wished to confide to ills his never fail ing adviser Us its a secret lie ho whispered 1 I tween jest jes you and me ill keep it mirk dark never fear kiddy DIs horse is for mammas present pwe sent don doll stopped to note keiths glad surprise en I 1 want a dold feame for it will you buy me one kelf keif before keith could verbally promise the expected callers had interrupted gieir their confidences nevertheless e eret re don doll went to bed lie he managed to slip his masterpiece into keiths pocket whereat a wink of understanding passed between th the e two allies it would seem dryly said mr air kennedy several hours later that we had better choose our dinner table topics with exceeding care cafe when don is our guest of honor marion laughed especially she answered mischievously will it behoove us its to eliminate elj minate certain names and eloquent adjectives very wisely said chuckled keith |