The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-04-27
His Aunts Companion,

That was the advertisement that ap-
peared in a newspaper of a rainy Mon
day morning in November, -.
| CHENILLE was nothing more than little
| country settlement, with a red brick
town hall and labyrinth of narrow
streets which seemed to have been laid
| out with special reference TO the be-
| wilderment of any chance passer who
/ might find himself involved in their maze.
Mr.. Reginald Chillingf1eld, who had been
! out for walk in the street, was met on
! the threshold Of the hotel by the boot
boy, who said:
| 20, please sir. there's lot Of EN- all
| a-askin' for YOU
"a lot of what?" demanded Mr.. Chill
ingfeld.
Reginald Chillingfeld was tall and slen-
| der and handsome with bright blue eyes
and a straight nose-which latter feature
he rubbed as he stood staring at Mike
| Uptown.
"of ladies. sir. Come to answer the ad-
| vertisement"
90" said Mr.. Chillingham," ST recol-
| lect now''
The array of feminine faces, all ex-
pectantly turned toward him. was enough
| to awe the stoutest bachelor heart, and
| Reginald Chillingfield closed the parlor
door with a bang
| Jones'" he said to his familiar friend.
who had just lighted a cigar in the read
ing room, what shall I do?'
| In respect to what?"
| MY Aunt Polly's companion. There's a
dozen of 'em there, apparently all ages
! from is to 50. Ny Aunt Polly doesn't want
| twelve companions
Have EN- admitted one by one." sug-
| gested Jones. and on this hint Mr.. Chill
! ingfeld promptly acted.
| You sit and pretend to be reading the
newspaper" whispered Chillingfield, land
| if you like the applicants looks, cough!
If you don't crackle the newspaper! Dear
me, my shirt collar is wet already; my
! face is burning. Why could not Aunt
| Polly have hunted up her own compan-
ion? Yes, Mike. all ready. Ask one of the
| ladies to walk in"
And with a grin, Mike announced:
| Miss Zerinah Hall"
| Miss Hall was tall, scant-haired, and
| specialized, in a robe Of Bingham and a
| drab silk hat.
| L am seeking a situation, young man."
! she said, mot from necessity, but because
! in middle life one feels the lack of COM
| partnership. I hope the elderly lady men
| toned in the advertisement is a church
| member"
| Crackle! cracklei went the newspaper.
| Chillingfeld glanced guilty. at his friend.
/ ~ N'4AS 4tOti l4icl IS lA4llh- per
| haps, younger person. You did not
say how old you were, Miss Hail.
Miss Zerinah went out, closing the door
behind her with bang
| Mrs. Hawkesbury, the next candidate,
was a clairvoyant and spirituahst.
II think I could amuse the old lady
with foreteling the future" she said.
THAT wa sthe way I did at my three last
situations
'aThreew repeated Mr.. Chillingfeld.
Zones, dear fellow, don't rustic that pa
| per so vehemently. Did so you say three?
How did you happen to leave those situa-
| tions?"
''The visitation of Providence, sir" said
Mrs. Hawkesbury. They all died-the
respected ladies whom it was once my
| duty and my pleasure to"
The next was too deaf. the next too
| f1eshy, the third was unwilling to live
with any lady who did not keep a man
| servant, the fourth wanted to high a sal
| ary-so on, ad infnitum, until the news
paper was fairly cracked to pieces. Until
at length, there was, so to speak, a tie
between the last two candidates.
Ruth Coke was just 10, pretty as a sweet
pea blossom, and ready to undertake any
description of service, to escape from her
stepmother and nine turbulent half-broth-
ers and sisters.
| Helen Howard was a queenly young
woman anf five-and-twenty, who read like
Mrs. Scott-Siddons, sang delicious Scotch
ballads, and frankly owned that she need
ed a home!
Mr.. Jones coughed himself purple in
the face over both Of them.
You couldn't do better, Reginald, -
said he. than to take
(which one?"
| Both
But you must remember that I have
only got one Aunt Polly. A choice must
be made"
| t'Toss up a copper"
you irreverent VILLAIN
Draw cuts, then. Look 1 write
Helen on one, Ruth on the other. Pres
to! Change! Now draw! Ruth has won
| the day.
So Mr. Reginald Chillingfeld took Ruth
| Coke home with him to the domiciliary
abode of his Aunt Polly by evening train,
leaving Helen Howard sad and quiet.
you are disappointed" said he. II
wish I could engage you both"
Yes" said Helen, II am disappointed,
I confess. Life is hard and stern 10 me"
Reginald Chilingield thought over her
| words They haunted him-and not only
! her words, but the garnet brown shadows
! of her eyes And a week afterwards he
| went back to Chenille.
Eyes, Miss Howard is at home" said
| the shabby maid-of-all-w at the third
rate boarding house where Miss Howard
| lived walk in
! And Chilling1eld walked in, to find Miss
| Howard tete-a-tete with Mr.. Jones.
"Heuo," cried Jones. who would ever
| have thought of seeing you?"
IT might say the same" laughingly re-
torted Chnlingfeld, as he took Miss How
ards hand. But I have news for you'
| Miss Helen"
Il have heard OF an excellent situation
near my aunt's-an invalid lady, whose
! husband
Hang the invalid lady and her hus-
| bandr' interposed Jones. II was just 60
| ing to write you about IT, old boy We are
! TO be married tomorrow"
"Now cried Reginald. ''Then III stay
! to the wedding. But
| "Wen?''
isn't it rather sudden arrangement"
Life is full OF sudden things" said
Jones philosophioally. Helen IS willing
| to run the risk"
Ard so the troublesome question was
settled satisfactorily to all partes.-New
| York Daily News.
| Globe sights.
young girls are the best looking, but
a.