Four o'Clock Tea

by John Paul Tegner

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Well, Lillie! Lillie Murphy, of all people!... Let me look at you, dear

Yes, you have changed.. But gray hair is so much more becoming when you get to be our age. It softens the face. . . Unless I miss my guess, I've changed a little myself. After all, thirty years . .

Why didn't you phone me? George could have picked you up at your hotel.... He'd have been glad to...

Oh, he's fine, Lillie. George is just fine. I don't think he'd remember you. He was such a little boy the last time. No, I'm not working. George keeps us both very nicely now. It's such a satisfaction to him. I always feel he's trying to make up for the years when everything was such a struggle. It's not easy, being a widow with a boy to bring up.

Let me make you a cup of tea... No, really I'd love one, myself. It's just time. I usually have a cup of

tea about four, while I'm sitting here waiting for George. He works for an insurance company just down the street. . . It is convenient. I can run in any time.

It's a good steady position. I said to him, "George, you can make up your mind to like it," and after a while he did. He never mentions teaching any more . . . .

Yes, he did. He talked about teaching in a different place every year so he could see the country. Can you imagine! I used to laugh and say, "George, how would you expect your poor old mother to keep up while you went flying around?"

He never would have made a teacher. He was always too highstrung. Of course, I didn't say a word when he started to college, but I knew it was a waste of time..

No, he went only a couple of months. That was the year I had the

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