The Western news., 1903-07-08
Cousin Enily's
Revolt
sy CARROLL v. aANx,n.


! row plank walk at the outer
edge of the long ore dock. One was
q small, soberly-dressed woman of
perhaps 40 years of age. The other
was a tall, radiant girl of II. Their
eyes were fixed upon huge ore-car-
rier, steaning slowly out into the
clear lie of Lake Superior. Five
handkerchiefs of varying dimensions
hutterel gayly from the stern rail,
and Fl E happy faces smiled back at
the Nv watchers silhouetted against
the ore stained timbers of the dock.
What an advertisement they'd
make for tooth-powder!" said Kath-
crime, watching the receding boat.
Did you ever see such a beaming
lot? Isn't it lovely for them to have
chance to take lake trip? Wasn't
1t nice Of Uncle Joe to think of send
ing them all? Isn't it fun to see
folks oif?"
No" said her companion, unex-
pectedly, sit isn't!"
"Why. Cousin Emily! Anybody'd
think YOU weren't glad to have them
go. I nix what a change it will be
for mo, er! Ten whole days without
3 mite Of housekeeping to think off"
"Of course Pm glad for your moth
er's sale; she really needed the rest.
But you just wait, Kath,x inc, until
you've been seeing people off for 4o
years, without ever going to any
place yourself, and see how you like
it! I've seen people off on steam
boats and ore-carriers, on special
trains nd private cars, and just
plain, eryday cars ever since l was
born; mt l haven't been a dozen
miles ON home in all that time.
"FirS, Of all, l saw everybody off
to the Antennial. Did l go? Not
bit of Young as l was, l had to
stay at ome with your grandfather's
srraine 1nkle. Then all the family
went larry Banning's wedding, and
left nj at home to poultice Uncle
Timotf s felon. Did l go to the
circus? Did l go to Chicago to the
opera? Did get to the worlds fair
or the Paris exposition? Did L"
+Why. Cousin Emily!"
''Did l go to the family gathering
at Madison? No, l didn't. Somebody
had to stay in the house to keep the
water-pipes from freezing, and l was
that somebody. Did l go to the last
whist tournament? l wanted to, but
somebody had to stay with Cousin
Anne's teething baby, and of course
was the one.
I II didn't even get to Grandfather
Perkins funeral. 1 saw all the fam
lily off in private car that time: but
i was left at home with the Denberry
twins. There are those twins on that
boat this very minute; and here am l,
seeing them off and staying here my
self to chaperon YOU"
y -I'm sorry" began Katherine.
~'Oh, you needn't be. 1t isn't your
fault. 1t isn't anybody's fault, unless
it's mine. l tell you, Katherine, it
doesn't pay to be useful person.
But come; let's 60 home. The boat
went around the point two minutes
ago.
The plank walk was none too wide.
While thee was no actual danger, it
was necessary to proceed cautiously
in order to avoid rubbing ohe
ments against the ore-crims0nea 'iii'-
bers on the one hand, or tumbling llh.
tremendously into the lake on the
other. So Katherine led her more
timorous second cousin along the
narrow ledge, up the steps and into
the safety of the broad, covered walk
in absolute silence.
"Well that's over" said Cousin EN-
ilv. examining her sleeve for possible
ore-dust. "Katherine, l want you to
promise never to tell anybody what
:aaid about being sick or seeing
people off and never going any
where myself. I'm ashamed OF my
self for saying it. The family
has been as good as gold to me all
these years. l think must have been
tired and nervous after flying around
all the morning trying to get every
body's things packed in the right bags.
I'm afraid now that ! put your moth
.er,s thimble in Toms suit case.
"All the BETTER laughed katherine,
'"She'd hem all the way from here to
Cleveland Il she had it. If Tom finds it
he'll throw it overheard to keep her
from sewing Never mind, Cousin En-
lily. Rub OF, that anxious wrinkle and
come alonR shan't tell a soul about
all those telps you didn't take"
And katherine did not; but the girl,
who had never in her life planned any
thing for herself, since she had SO
many others TO plan things for her,
spent several days in deep thought.
This was SO unusual that Cousin EN-
ly sent surreptitiously for the fam
lily doctor, who felt the girls pulse,
while pretending to shake her hand,
and then gravely recommended a
freckle lotion.
Katherine's father was not wealthy,
but on her mothers side the family
was large and influential one. 1t in
'cluded one millionaire, one mine-own-
er and three railroad men. To be sure.
the millionaire was stingy, the mine