The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-21
THE QUELLING OF MISS IDLEWILD.
The story of an Elderly Guardians
Love for His WiIIfuI Pretty Young
Ward.


Love for His WiIIfuI Pretty Young
Ward.
BY Carrie E. Garrett
Matthew Halliday sighed. She was so
wayward so provoking, so lovable, so
pretty!
But he was much too old.
Matthew came of Quaker stock in the
City of Brotherly Love. ne was tempera-
mentally sedate, and at IS felt himself to
be quite a Methuselah. Besides, she had,
so TO speak. grown up at Matthew's knee,
he having stood to her and her brother in
loco PARENTS for something like twenty
years-ever since Matthews best beloved
friend Howard JOY, took his invalid wife
away for a sea voyage leaving his two
children in the good care of a maiden
aunt, and his business affairs in the safe
hands of Matthew Halliday, banker-even
since the good ship Aurora went down in
fearful gale in the West Indies.
Aunt Patty tried to do her duty by the
children thus suddenly bereft. but she was
one of those dear, dumpy. yielding spins
tiers born 10 be the prey of youthful van
dals The young people loved her dearly,
ruled her ruthlessly, and laughed at her
being
IT was at her hysiercal behest that
Matthew stepped in al this juncture and
took the reins Of government 1t was he
who planned the education of the chill
dren, and who, deaf to their wailings, kept
them steadily to their tasks. IL was he.
too, who made their holiday glorious and
gave them splendid rewards of merit.
But now the term of Matthew self-im-
posed guardianship was over Howard
Joy, Jr., mad made a successful start in
the world and was quite ready to give dear
old Mat any pointers he needed about life
in general
AS for Miss Evelyn Russell Joy Gas she
invariably and unabbreviatingly sub
scrbed herself-whom Matthew called
Eve" or oftener Miss IdleWild" well
She too had made successful start in
life after the manner of girls. She was
nineteen Gust half my age. Matthew often
dismally rehecteD; she had charm with
all it's power of winning love, she was CO.
quehe to the finger tips, and she was
most fair to see. Besides all this. she
was little bit of an heiress-and many
SWANS came riding by.
Matthew watched AL this with a pa
tient sort of despair. Fool! he called him
self with very hearty self-contempt. A
girl who patronized, coaXed, teased or
snubbed him as though he We're an elderly
relative! The man who would subdue
lnlS Dear i-dtN iplStdit was Sollit pdSh-
ing nero who would take her heart by
storm.
She walked over him with ruthless little
feet, and he was her patient adoring
slave. Dreadng her ridicule and desir-
ing above all things to preserve the status
quo (wherein he enjoyed a certain mis-
cradle species of happiness), he had never
spoken a word of love 70 her.
She frankly told him all her love affairs,
often QnnocentlyO stabbing him with her
condolences. and beguiled him Tor bullied
him) into disposing of her adorers when
they became troublesome. FTh's she re-
CURED him to do by virtue of his whllom
Guardianship. the prestige of which she
carefully preserved for such occasions.
She was the more dependent on Matthew
/ in such matters, as Howard was straight
laced. somewhat of a prig, and very Sc
we're on her frivolities.
Ii was 10 quash a darling plan OF MS
pretty sisters that he stalked into Mat
thew's Office one morning, his brow wrin-
kled in portentous troWn.
Mat" he said abruptly. 1t seems to
me Evelyn has been spending money like
the deuce lately. Haven't you been let
ting her draw her interest ahead of
tme2"
Matthew Redeemed guiltly. He still had
/ charge of Evclyn's finances, though the
JOY property had been divided ana How
ara had drawn out his share.
COintlltIlt ElG mas tAAiNlN lilt ttNl-d lhttANf
he said, slowly. but il is no great mat
ter"
but it is very bad for her" said How
ard with a parental air. You know
Yourself Mat, she has no more idea OF
business than a butterfly She ought 10
learn 10 live within her income And she
rs becoming quite reckless about money
matters and--other things"
Matthew pricked up his ears what
other things?'
"Wen. to tell you the truth l think
she has gotten into a rather fast set"
Matthews Quaker hair rose What 10
you mean?" he asked, staring at Howard
IN alarm
"Why. it is chiefly that play-writine
fellow Duval lie has a comedy to De
brought out in New York next week. and
about twenty young people here propose
to make w a party FOR the first night
Evelyn is among them. They have rath-
er good chaperone, as II happens. but
she must not GO" said Matthew.
Il thought you'd see It that way" How
ard replied with satisfied air so All
you have to do when she demands money
for this expedition Is TO say NO You
con do this. because she has overdrawn
| her account"
.'Is that the only uav2V he asked r,hilo