'm sufferin' enough to git some good out of it."

As Essie turned away Mrs. Terriberry kissed her cheek kindly.

"Keep a stiff upper lip, Essie, don't let them see."

"I can do that," the girl replied proudly.

Innovations are nearly always attended by difficulties and
embarrassments but even Andy P. Symes had not anticipated that his
effort to establish a local aristocracy would entail so many awkward
moments and painful situations.

If the printed invitations and the unusual hour had filled his guests
with awe, the formalities of the dinner itself had the effect of
temporarily paralyzing their faculties. In lieu of the merry scramble
characteristic of Crowheart's festivities, there was a kind of a Death
March into the dining-room from which Mrs. Terriberry had
unceremoniously "fanned" the regular boarders.

The procession was headed by Andy P. Symes bearing Mrs. Starr, tittering
hysterically, upon his arm. Mrs. Symes's newly acquired _savoir-faire_
deserted her; her hands grew clammy and Sylvanus Starr's desperate
conversational efforts evoked no other response than "Yes, sir--No,
sir." Mrs. Terriberry, red and flustered, found herself engaged in a
wrestling match with little Alva Jackson, which lasted all the way from
the door of the dining-room to the long table at the end. Mr. Jackson in
his panic was determined to take Mrs. Terriberry's arm, whereas she was
equally determined that she would take his, having furtively observed
her host gallantly offering support to Mrs. Starr.

A sure indication of the importance attached to the affair was the
number of new boots and shoes purchased for the occasion. Now,
thick-soled, lustrous, in the frozen silence of the procession, these
boots and shoes clumping across the bare floor called attention to
themselves in voices which seemed to shriek and with the fiendishness
of inanimate objects screamed the louder at their owners' gingerly
steps. A function of the Commune when Madame Guillotine presided must
have been a frothy and frivolous affair compared to the beginning of
this dinner.

Adolph Kunkel, who had attached himself to Dr. Harpe to the extent of
walking within four feet of her side, darted from line and pulled out
the nearest chair at the table. Observing too late that the other guests
were still standing, he sprang to his feet and looked wildly about to
see if he had been noticed. He had. Alva Jackson covered his mouth with
his handkerchief and giggled.

T