COMMUTER'S WIFE 89 



"It's awfully nice, my dear, much easier than 

 giving a garden party, no trouble, no fuss, man- 

 aged like a Cook's tour in Europe. He tells you 

 everything you ought to see, so you don't have 

 to think, you know. I went once this year across 

 the river where I was visiting. There were twenty 

 ladies in such becoming outing costumes, and such 

 a delicious lunch, served quite in the woods, my 

 dear. When we were eating we saw a quail ! Yes, 

 with its feathers on and all. Did you ever know 

 anything so appropriate ? 



"We learned two other birds besides, a blue 

 Jane, and the other was a red-eyed virago" [vireo]. 

 " I remembered the name as so appropriate because 

 the bird sang or scolded, I don't know which you 

 would call it, all the time we were lunching." 



As I think of that well-meaning, awful woman 

 I nearly choke, and it is a relief to hear Delia 

 creaking upstairs with my luncheon, which, as 

 father has gone across country on a consultation, I 

 am going to have spread on the window seat as of 

 old when it rained and I was housed. 



