Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-07-30

L
Miss Henderson blushed guiltily. 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 80 sudden. Give me time,
Jack"
"We're developing resources grandly.
Feed him on yellow silk dresses and
air him In borrowed equipages. How
about that hoy who Is to call for his
lordship's luggage7 What Is he to be
evolved from?"
Mel pointed her blunt pencil point
melodramatically at his vest buttons.
"He Is already evolved-you!
"Me? III be hanged If he Isl"
"Now, Jack, dear, see here"
Julia developed ssterly solicitude
| for the set of his cravat ut 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 yet"
said Nan.
"Oh. 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 moments pleasure out OF
Teddy Marston's visit. 1t is going to
be unmitigated torture for us girls"
'Then he just shan't come" said
Jack stoutly. "I'll make 1t my own af-
fair to intercept him at the station and
take him On to his own rambling
wreck"
In view Of Mrs. Henderson's confirm
ed invalidism, her daughter MelliccDt
was the recognized head Of the house
hold. AS one in authority she quelled
Jacks insubordination with a superb
wave Of her long, slim hand.
"You will make it your business to
get that dispatch off without any de-
lay, my dear. That is all ask Of you
at present"
"The future has its potentialities,
said Julia, with an accurate reproduc-
ton Of Mels gesture.
"a few kicks among them," Jack
flung back from the doorway. upon
whose knob he had deposited his hat
on entering.
With Jack eliminated from the fam
fly council, harmony was once more
possible. A reflective silence held the
three Miss Hendersons for some mo-
ments. a groan from Julia was the
first audible sound.
"That hall carpet! 1t would take a
bale of cotton to cover some Of its
weak spots"
"Oh, say. girls"-Nanny looked
from one to the other LUMINOSITY
"who was that Roman youth who
threw himself into gulf to save the
city"
"Well, that Is DEPRESSION"
"Marius," Mel suggested tentatively.
"No; I'm sure it was not Marius."
Julius Cesar perhaps, or maybe
Mark Antony"
"Shocking! Poor Jack! We esteem
him lowly until we need him to pull US
out Of the bogs Of our own ignorance"
"Well, you have no business dragging
your old Roman into the discussion.
Even Mel's patience had its limitations.
"One man at time, please, and Teddy
Marston Is problem enough for the day.
What has your gulf jumper to do with
him"
"Everything. I'm going to emulate
him. am going to fling myself into
the gulf and save. II not Rome. dear
er thing-our credit"
"Perhaps Nan will kindly explain If
we give her time, Mellicent." Miss
Julia folded her hands with exaggerat-
ed resignation and fastened stern eyes
bn her youngest sister.
"That's just what want. little
time" And without further ado Nanny
futtered from the room, looking ex-
cessively unlike any Roman hero re-
corded in history, with her pretty blond
head and dancing step.
Miss Julia Henderson looked at Miss
Sfellicent perplexedly.
"What do you suppose she is up q
now, MelT
"How can tell? Nanny is Away
unpredlcable. | wish she would be sc
: rious about this, though. Ted's visit
going to demand the united nerve fore
Of the family"
"If nerve force were all 1t demanded!
81 think we had best not get excited
dear, or fiurried."
"Of course not. I never do over Ill
; inevitable"
And then they fell easily and natu
rally into discussion about napkin
aud new tumblers.
The household toward which MI
Tedlngton Marston was even the
journeying, with no thought OF being
disturbing element, was held In his
. local esteem while 1t came up frequent
ly for criticism.
Mrs. Henderson's doctor was OF III
I opinion that, since Providence had see
q fit to circumscribe her view to the fou
walls of one room-she was paralyZe
in her lower limbs-it was folly to hol
|, on to that great house Just because sh
9 had gone to it bride. The plac
t ought to be sold. 1t was white elt
e phant ION the hands Of those swee
girls of hers"
d Jack, by reason Of limited years an
9 experience, did not count for muc
yet.
!, The minister. or, rather, the minis
ter's wife, wished she had the manage
:. ment Of the Henderson affairs. A
rl handsome as those girls were, sh
% would marry them all of In O jiffy.
And there were many who cas-
sl wordy scorn Mt the emptiness of tha
O vanity which made them all cling Il
el gether under the moldering old roo
T. which presented such a fine exterio
towering loftily among the magnolia