The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1901-03-02
RISING TO AN
EMERGENCY.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
by 8. RHETT ROMAN.

r RAND! Perfectly grand! Janet
u declared, leaning eagerly for
ward, her elbows resting on her
knees, her face framed in by two pink
palms, looking distractingly pretty
"Yes. We can manage the gown
question easily. But how to induce
Aunt Tabitha to leave her precious
poultry yard, mule crib and dairy
can't see," Noel said, reflectively, a
slight frown pickering her straight
brow.
''If we could once get her to New
Orleans everything would be all right.
81 know auntie. She always comes
to the fore manfully when the occa-
sion arises. You can count on Aunt
Table in any desperate emergency,
whether it be smallpox or a fire in
the engine room, or a strike among
the field hands.
"Once in the melee she'll stand a
Few carnival balls and street parades
with nerve. The only difficulty is
how to get her away from this dear.
dull old place."
SPY fraud or by violence" declared
Janet with decision.
There was a pause, and the fire
cracked while the girls pondered.
.'What are you going to do? You
look as if you We're concocting gun
powder, or rather dynamite plot, y
said young man, pushing back the
folding doors and coming through the
heavy draperies which made this oc-
tagon tearoom at Thornleigh-Miss
Tabitha Thornleigh's sugar planta-
ton on the Teche-such an ideally
cosy room.
''The gods sent you! Ivan Thorn.
leigh, come here and sit down and
discover means, desperate or not,
by, which we can get Aunt Table to
the city for carnival week"
'Where's the hitch?" he queried.
"Can't you girls wire to your dress
maker-that's always woman's first
thought-and pack your trunks by
this evening? I'll go down with you.
We can take the 1880 train and be in
time for the theater and supper at IL.
] know a charming place on the ave-
nue. where think you may get rooms
OF course, you know hotels are
damned. You could no, get squeezed
IN any of 'em for love or money. Now
what's your especial quandary?"
"Aunt Tabby," Noel said, darllIy.
1.-THE deuce!" Ivan remarked, sharp
1y, realizing the gravity of the situa-
ton, from a lifelong knowledge of
that wonderful old lady, who was n
power in the land, the refuge of the
sick, needy and unhappy, the terror
of the wicked and the autocrat of
every breakfast table in that section
of country, and withal lady of wit,
generosity and warm feelings.
"No one has invited us; we can't
20 alone, even with you for an es-
cort, according to auntie's antedilu-
Wan ideas, and she positively refuses
TO go. Now, what are to do?"
"Ivan, darling" said Janet, coax
ingly, "if you manage to get us on
that train" the rest she leaned over
and whispered in his ear as she went
toward a tea table over whose silver
samovar she presided at dusk each
afternoon, that ceremony being one
of Aunt Tabbie's ethics of proper
Christian living.
"Shake!" said Ivan, laughingly.
"What was that you said, Janet?
But Noers question remained unan-
swered, for Janet was too busy with
the spirit lamp and sugar tongs for
any explanation.
1--WE will run away with her." de-
clared Ivan, with decision, after q
short pause. >
"Run away-with Aunt Tabitha"
"Just So" reiterated Ivan Thorn
leigh, with composure. "You run up
stairs and pack your trunks and Aunt
Tabbie's, and I'll instruct old Dick
son, the gardener, to hitch up and
bring them down to the village. It's
Just the right time, for she's out in
the field.
I'll have them just aboard wheI
The train comes in, and you girls must
drive in as usual for mail with Aun,
Tabitha. I'll get you all in the trair
just before the train pulls out. It's
the fast express, you know, and
doesn't stop until half way to the
city"
"Auntie will never forgive us
never!"
80, yes she will. Aunt Tabitha 1,
one of the cleverest women 1 ever
knew. She'll enjoy a. plunge back
into the social whirl hugely She was
a dashing belle in her younger days
you know. She'll be like an old wal
horse when he hears the bugle call"