The Luck Runs Out (26 page)

Readers would have been as charmed as hubby Harry and Your Humble Correspondent were by the beautiful tea which President and Mrs. Thorkjeld Svenson gave on Sunday afternoon to announce the engagement of their daughter Birgit to Mr. Hjalmar Olafssen of Buckbury Lower Falls and to celebrate the recent marriage of Professor Daniel Stott to the former Miss Iduna Bjorklund. (Ed. Note: See
Society,
page 6, for complete details.)

Pink-covered tables dotted the lush green lawns of the Svensons’ gracious home on Valhalla like giant roses, each with a cute centerpiece of bachelor’s buttons and hollyhock ladies fashioned by the clever fingers of Mrs. Philip Porble, wife of the College Librarian and chairman of the Garden Club’s Horticultural Committee. We’re so proud of our talented Grace!

To everyone’s delight and astonishment, as we partook of a delicious smorgasbord prepared by Mrs. Sieglinde Svenson and her lovely daughters, President Svenson raised his champagne glass and announced that this was—surprise!—a triple celebration. It was his great pleasure to announce that Royall Ames, Class of ’75 and only son of the distinguished Professor Timothy Ames of the Soil Management Department has returned from his exciting trip to Antarctica, bringing with him a charming bride!

She’s the former Miss Laurie Jilles of Downer’s Grove, Illinois, who was also a member of the expedition. They were married smack in the middle of the Ross Sea by Captain Amos Flackley, leader of the expedition. Asked if they planned a return to South Polar regions, Roy whispered in Your Demon Reporter’s ear that he and Laurie have both been offered teaching fellowships right here at Balaclava and will be making their home with Dr. Ames at the Crescent. Thanks for the scoop, Roy!

By the way, Captain Flackley sends his sincere apologies to all his family’s old customers in Balaclava County. Seems he didn’t hear of his aunt’s sad demise and the outrageous impersonation by Ferdinand McSpee, who pretended to be a member of the family and was in fact a former maintenance man at the Carlovingian Crafters, among other things!! (Ed. Note: McSpee, alias Frank Flackley, has been arraigned on a charge of murder and grand larceny. See complete details page 4.)

Captain Flackley asked Roy to tell us that he will be back at the Forgery Point smithy, ready for business, as soon as he puts the finishing touches to a documentary film of his Antarctic expedition and finds a good home for a pair of very well-behaved Adelie penguins. Hang in there, horse lovers!

And here’s a final tidbit for all you folklore enthusiasts. According to the erudite Dr. Thorkjeld Svenson, Iduna was the Scandinavian goddess of youth and springtime. She kept the golden apples which the gods ate to preserve their eternal youth. Hubby Harry says jokingly that having an Iduna around town sounds bad for his business; but some of us gals in the Garden Club could sure use a few hints on growing those golden apples. How about it, Mrs. Stott?

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

copyright © 1979 by Charlotte MacLeod

cover design by Mauricio Díaz

978-1-4532-7754-6

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