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"A party for the Blenkers--the Blenkers?"

Mr Welland laid down his knife and fork and looked anxiously and incredulously across the luncheon-table at his wife, who, adjusting her gold eye-glasses, read aloud, in the tone of high comedy: "Professor and Mrs Emerson Sillerton request the pleasure of Mr and Mrs Welland's coust 25th at 3 o'clock punctually To meet Mrs and the Misses Blenker

"Red Gables, Catherine Street R S V P"

"Good gracious--" Mr Welland gasped, as if a second reading had been necessary to bring thehome to him

"Poor Amy Sillerton--you never can tell what her husband will do next," Mrs Welland sighed "I suppose he's just discovered the Blenkers"

Professor Emerson Sillerton was a thorn in the side of Newport society; and a thorn that could not be plucked out, for it grew on a venerable and venerated family tree He was, as people said, a e" His father was Sillerton Jackson's uncle, his mother a Pennilow of Boston; on each side there ealth and position, and --as Mrs Welland had often reed Eist, or indeed a Professor of any sort, or to live in Newport in winter, or do any of the other revolutionary things that he did But at least, if he was going to break with tradition and flout society in the face, he need not havedifferent," and ott set could understand why Amy Sillerton had submitted so tamely to the eccentricities of a husband who filled the house with long-haired men and short-haired women, and, when he travelled, took her to explore to to Paris or Italy But there they were, set in their ways, and apparently unaware that they were different froave one of their dreary annual garden-parties every faonet connection, had to draw lots and send an unwilling representative

"It's a wonder," Mrs Welland remarked, "that they didn't choose the Cup Race day! Do you re a party for a black ott's the dansant? Luckily this ti on that I know of--for of course soo"

Mr Welland sighed nervously "'Some of us,' my dear--more than one? Three o'clock is such a very aard hour I have to be here at half-past three to taketo follow Bencomb's new treatment if I don't do it systematically; and if I join you later, of course I shall ht he laid down his knife and fork again, and a flush of anxiety rose to his finely-wrinkled cheek