200 THE GARDEN OF A 



" What if I do wish to show you to all the peo- 

 ple that have known me ever since I was a kitten, 

 even if some of them are well original! Surely 

 there is nothing strange in that." 



Then I, too, was forced to laugh at the complete 

 way in which I had committed myself. 



" We will allow a double motive, then, if you wish, 

 but doing so is a compliment to you, for which you 

 must pay by telling me how to entertain them. Of 

 course they will not come and go as people do in 

 the city when bidden to tea at four, but arrive at 

 the beginning and stay for two hours. Even your 

 charms, great as they are, will hardly withstand 

 such wear and tear. Shall we have some one to 

 recite, a lecture on foreign missions illustrated by 

 magic lantern slides of the India famine and pious 

 Chinese, or will a palmist and some coon songs 

 do?" 



" Neither one nor the other," Evan answered em- 

 phatically. " Put all your strength into a substantial 

 hot collation, order it from town, but do not mention 

 the fact. Food bought ready made suggests hash or 

 something warmed over, as well as a shirking of 

 trouble to the simple rural minds of all countries. 

 Having done this, give them plenty of time to talk, 

 and your succes is assured." 



