The Rich Mrs. Burgoyne

ng group in the long drawing-room. Mrs. Apostleman, with an open book of reproductions from Whistler on her broad, brocade lap, had the armchair next to the guest of honor, and Barry's quic

e to them both it was with difficulty that even the commonplace words of greeting were accomplished,

there was no other light. The windows here were wide open, and garden scents drifted in from the recently wa

of the dinner. When, after nine o'clock, the ladies went into the drawing-room and settled about a snapping wood fire, Mrs. Lloyd could not resist whispering to Mrs. Apostleman, "For a COMPANY dinner!" Mrs. Adams was entirely absorbed in dec

ask you if I may put your name up for membership, Mrs. Burgoyne. We are all members here,

rgoyne began, but the

sic, and books suggested for the week, reports, business, and one good paper-the topics vary; here's 'Old Thanksgiving Customs,' in November, then a debate, 'What is Friendship,' then 'Christmas Spirit,' and then our regular Christmas Tree and Jinks. Once a month, on Tuesday, we have some really fine speaker from the city, and we often have fine singers, and so on. Then we have a monthly reception for our visitors, and a supper; usually we just have tea and bread-and-butter after the meetings. Then, first Monday, Directors'

that do?" sai

schools; Miss Jewett, from Sacramento, read a splendid paper about it. There's a committee to look in

said Mrs. Adams, an

med Mrs. White, "Founders' Day, Old-Timers' Day, and

ny juvenile-court wo

if we COULD get some of the ladies interested-! Then here's the Frenc

your clubhouse,"

. A Miss Carroll is to sing, and Professor Noyesmith, of Berkeley, will read a paper on

enormous lot of gardening for afternoons. They never tire of gardening if I'm with them, but, of course, no children will do that sort of thing alone; and it's doing

every bit of that off your hand

daresay you've never seen it; it is quite unpretentious, but it has a large circulation. And these mothers write me, some of them factory-workers, or mothers of child-workers even, or lonely women on some isolated ranch; you've no idea how interesting it is! Of course they don't know who I am, but we become good friends, just the same. I have the best reference books about babi

sti, Emil Posti, he studied with Leschetizky, you know, who comes up from

little Miss Davids from Old

men together. And Mrs. Apostleman

s explained, "and she told me of this girl. She's a sweet girl; n

know? What's her method?" demanded

perhaps; but, then, neither is either of the girls. I just want them to play for their own pleasure, read accompanime

nnoyed; but she broke her sentence off abr

" she demanded. "We never think of going there. Th

l," supplemen

ontributed; "but she's good. She made your

nk herself; the othe

te said. "Did you tell Wayne you

his wife. "Sh! Here they come!" And the conve

bsorbed in an animated conversation; for the gentlemen, who were delighted to be getting home early, delighted with a dinner that, as Wayne Adams remarked, "really stood for something to eat, not just thin

rker Lloyd. "Old Von Praag himself sa

! Of course we haven't eight millions, but I would be ashamed to serve a cocktail, a soup-I frankly admit it was delicious-st

erry, the steaks were broiled to a turn, and the salad dressing was a wonder. She had her cheese just ripe enough, and samovar coffee to wind up with-what more do you

s wife on his arm, fe

"it was a man's dinner, Will. It was just what a man likes, served the way he likes

are a long way from the authorities here, but I think we will find out pretty soon that simple dinners have become the fa