Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-07-24

old homestead and its silent halls
why doesn't he so straight on 10 the
dear old homestead?"
at is rambling wreck"
$50 are we"
"Not quite SO bad as the Marston
place, Jack. We've staid at home and
kept the place up. We really look re-
spectacle on the outside, but furniture
will wear out"
"And pianos must be sold. OF course
he expects to find things just as they
used to be-"
Mel sighed heavily and passed the re-
vised telegram over to Jack.
Nothing is as it used to be. You
must get 1t off as soon as possible,
dear"
Jack read the economically worded
! dispatch with a malicious twinkle in
his eyes.
"Don't miss lovely walk like
that. You're cleverer than at it, Mel"
Miss Henderson ,blushed guilty.. By
nature she was averse to subterfuges.
I'VE are going to borrow Cousin Sell
by's surrey while Teddy is here. But
1t is all so sudden. Give me time,
Jack"
Were developing resources grandly.
| Feed him on yellow silk dresses and
air him in borrowed equipages. How
about that boy who is to call for his
lordships luggage? What is he to be
evolved from?"
Mel pointed her blunt pencil point
mechanically at his vest buttons.
"He is already evolved-youw
"Me? I'll be hanged If he isw
Now, Jack, dear, see here"
Julia developed sisterly solicitude
for the set of his cravat at this juno.
ture and tenderly readjusted it.
"You know how we all lean on you
Jack, in every emergency"
"And you never have failed us YETI
said Nan.
ooh, lump it! don't like to take my
physic in broken Doses"
ut won't be physic at all. Just
know that you are the only one who
will extract a moments pleasure out OF
Teddy Marston's visit. 1t is going tc
be unmitigated torture for us girls"
'"Then he just shan't come" said
Jack stoutly. "I'll make it my own af
fair to intercept him at the station an6
take him on to his own rambling
wreck"
In view of Mrs. Henderson's confirm
ed invalidism. her daughter INTELLIGENT
was the recognized head of the house
hold. AS one in authority she quelled
Jacks INSTRUMENTATION with superb
wave of her long, slim hand.
"You will make it your business tt
get that dispatch off without any de
lay, my dear. That is all ask of vol
at present"
"The future has its potentiallties,
said Julia, with an accurate reproduc
ton Of Mel's gesture.
ga few kicks among them" Jacl
flung back from the doorway, upo1
whose knob he had deposited his har
on entering.
With Jack eliminated from the fam
lily council, harmony was once more
possible. A reflective silence held tn,
three Miss Hendersons for some mo
ments. A groan from Julia was thu
first audible sound.
''That hall carpet! 1t would take
bale Of cotton to cover some of 1t.
weak spots"
"Oh, say, girls"-Nanny looked
from one to the other luminously-
"who was that Roman youth who
threw himself into gulf to save thu
city?"
"Well, that is digressionr
| "Marius," Mel suggested tentatively
mo; I'm sure it was not Marius."
Julius Caesar perhaps. or mayb,
Mark Antony"
Shocking! Poor Jack! We esteem
him lowly until we need him to pull Ii.
out Of the boys of our own ignorance
"Well. you have no business dragging
your old Roman. into the discussion.
Even Mel's patience had its limitations
| zone man at time, please. and Tedd,
Marston is problem enough for the day
What has your gulf jumper to do will
him|
Everything. Pm going to emulat,
him. I am going to fling myself int,
the gulf and save, If not Rome. dear
er thing-our credit"
Perhaps Nan will kindly explain /
we give her time, Mellicent." Mis-
Julia folded her hands with ezaggerat
ed resignation and fastened stern eye
on her youngest sister.
"Thats just what l want a littl
time" And without further ado Mann,
nuttered from the room, looking eS
cessiyely unlike any Roman hero re
corded in history. with her pretty blon,
head and dancing step
Miss Julia Henderson looked at Mis-
INTELLIGENT perplexedly.
what do you suppose she is up t
now, Mel?"
"How can tell? Nanny is Away
unpredicable. wish she would be sc
rious about this, though. Ted's visit il
going to demand the united nerve fore,
of the family"
"1f nerve force were all 1t demanded!'
II think we had best not get excited
dear, or Hurried"
"Of course not. never do over til,
inevitable"
And then they fell easily and natu
rally into discussion about napkin.
and new tumblers.
The household toward which Mr.
Lexington Marston was even thel
journeying. with no thought of being
disturbing element, was held in higl
local esteem while 1t came up frequent
ly for criticism.
Mrs. Hendcrson's doctor was of III,
opinion that, since Providence had seer
fit to circumscribe her view to the foul
walls of one room--she was paralyzee
In her lower limbs-it was folly to llolt
[ |iiiz ( [55 [zjBEj5ll