Beasley's Christmas Party

Book Excerpt: ...e to cats," she said, rising. "Spinsterhood" we like to call it. 'Single-blessedness!'""That is your kind heart. You decline to make one of us happy to the despair of all the rest."She laughed at this, though with no very genuine mirth, I marked, and let my 1830 attempt at gallantry pass without other retort."You seemed interested in the old place yonder." She indicated Mr. Beasley's house with a nod."Oh, I understood my blunder," I said, quickly. "I wish I had known the subject was embarrassing or unpleasant to Mr. Dowden.""What made you think that?""Surely," I said, "you saw how pointedly he cut me off.""Yes," she returned, thoughtfully. "He rather did; it's true. At least, I see how you got that impression." She seemed to muse upon this, letting her eyes fall; then, raising them, allowed her far-away gaze to rest upon the house beyond the fence, and said, "It IS an interesting old place.""And Mr. Beasley himself--" I began."Oh," she said, "HE isn't interesting. That's hi..