it as short as
possible. I think we'll duck out quick. I'll say I have to be at the
office extra early to-morrow," he planned.

The Overbrook house was depressing. It was the second story of a wooden
two-family dwelling; a place of baby-carriages, old hats hung in
the hall, cabbage-smell, and a Family Bible on the parlor table. Ed
Overbrook and his wife were as awkward and threadbare as usual, and the
other guests were two dreadful families whose names Babbitt never caught
and never desired to catch. But he was touched, and disconcerted, by the
tactless way in which Overbrook praised him: "We're mighty proud to have
old George here to-night! Of course you've all read about his speeches
and oratory in the papers--and the boy's good-looking, too, eh?--but
what I always think of is back in college, and what a great old mixer he
was, and one of the best swimmers in the class."

Babbitt tried to be jovial; he worked at it; but he could find nothing
to interest him in Overbrook's timorousness, the blankness of the other
guests, or the drained stupidity of Mrs. Overbrook, with her spectacles,
drab skin, and tight-drawn hair. He told his best Irish story, but it
sank like soggy cake. Most bleary moment of all was when Mrs. Overbrook,
peering out of her fog of nursing eight children and cooking and
scrubbing, tried to be conversational.

"I suppose you go to Chicago and New York right along, Mr. Babbitt," she
prodded.

"Well, I get to Chicago fairly often."

"It must be awfully interesting. I suppose you take in all the
theaters."

"Well, to tell the truth, Mrs. Overbrook, thing that hits me best is a
great big beefsteak at a Dutch restaurant in the Loop!"

They had nothing more to say. Babbitt was sorry, but there was no
hope; the dinner was a failure. At ten, rousing out of the stupor of
meaningless talk, he said as cheerily as he could, "'Fraid we got to be
starting, Ed. I've got a fellow coming to see me early to-morrow." As
Overbrook helped him with his coat, Babbitt said, "Nice to rub up on the
old days! We must have lunch together, P.D.Q."

Mrs. Babbitt sighed, on their drive home, "It was pretty terrible. But
how Mr. Overbrook does admire you!"

"Yep. Poor cuss! Seems to think I'm a little tin archangel, and the
best-looking man in Zenith."

"Well, you're certainly not that but--Oh, Georgie, you don't suppose we
have to invite them to dinner at our house now, do we?"

"Ouch! Gaw, I hope not!"

"See here,