Father, home from the office, was full of indignation over
something "disgraceful" he had heard down town. Though the
conversation was held tantalizingly above Missy's full
comprehension, she could gather that the "disgrace" centred in the
bachelor dinner which Mr. Hackett had given at the Commercial House
the night before. Father evidently held no high opinion of the
introduction of "rotten Cleveland performances" nor of the man who
had introduced them.
"What 'rotten Cleveland performances'?" asked Missy with lively
curiosity.
"Oh, just those late, indigestible suppers," cut in mother quickly.
"Rich food at that hour just kills your stomach. Here, don't you
want another strawberry tart, Missy?"
Missy didn't; but she affected a desire for it, and then a keen
interest in its consumption. By this artifice, she hoped she might
efface herself as a hindrance to continuation of the absorbing talk.
But it is a trick of grown-ups to stop dead at the most thrilling
points; though she consumed the last crumb of the tart, her ears
gained no reward, until mother said:
"As soon as you've finished dinner, Missy, I wish you'd run over to
Greenleafs' and ask to borrow Miss Helen's new kimono pattern.
Pages:
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83