"You always did have the making of a philanthropist in you, Dave," said
Andrew thoughtfully. "You're a near-one at present speaking."
"Philanthropist go hang--the rest of the week I have spent getting the
old Confeds together and having everything in shape for the unveiling of
the statue out at the Temple of Arts. I tell you we are going to have a
turn-out. General Clopton is coming all the way to make the dedication
speech. Caroline is about to bolt and I have to steady her at off times.
I've promised to hold her hand through it all. Major is getting up the
notes for General Clopton and he's touching on Peters Brown only in high
places. It'll be mostly a show-down of old General Darrah and the three
governors I'm thinking.
"The Dames of the Confederacy and the Art League are going to have
entries on the program without number. I have been interviewed and
interviewed. Why, even the august Susie Carrie Snow sent for me and
talked high art and city beautiful to me until I could taste it.
"And all that sopped up the rest of the week when I ought to have been
delivering pork steaks and string-beans at people's back doors to please
Phoebe. Money grubbing doesn't appeal to me and I don't need it, but from
now on I'm the busy grub--until after the 'no man put asunder'
proclamation."
"How you can manage to do one really public-spirited job after another,
'things that count,' and then elude all the credit for them is more than
I can understand, Dave," said Andrew as he smiled through a blue ring of
smoke. "Some day, if you don't look out, you'll be a leading citizen.
In the meantime hustle about those flowers. Time flies."
"I'll send them right up," said David as he donned his coat and hat and
took up his crop. The hours David spent out of the saddle were those of
his indoors occupations. "I'll be back soon. Just fix the flowers; Eph
and the cook will do all the rest. And put the cards on the table any
old way. I want to sit between Phoebe and Caroline Darrah Brown--well,
whose party is it? You can sit next on either side."
"Wait a minute, are--"
"No, I must hurry and go brace up Milly for a pair of minutes. She
wouldn't promise to come until I insisted on sending a trained nurse to
sit with old Mammy Betty and the babies until she got back to 'em. Billy
Bob is as wild as a kid about coming, he hasn't been anywhere for so
long. I talked a week before I could persuade Milly, but she's got her
glad rags and is as excited as Billy Bob. I tried to buy that boy twin
for Phoebe's present but Milly said I had better get an old silver and
amethyst bracelet. It's on my table in the white box. Bye!" and Kildare
departed as far as the front door, but returned to stick his head in the
door and say: "You'd better put Hob by Caroline Darrah on the other side; he's savage
when he's crossed. And tack in Payt opposite her. I invited Polly the
Fluff for you--she is a débutante and such a coo-child that she'll just
suit a poet."