Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-01-30
A Temporary Substitutes Permanent Place.

Felix Livingstone was not in a good
temper.
He had a fortnight's leave, which
duty required him to spend with his
maiden aunt in sAe country, while in
clination strongly urged him to go up
to town in order to see the girl he
loved. But on this occasion duty had
TO be considered, for Miss Drury, the
aunt in question, was a wealthy old
lady, and he was practically depen-
dent upon her.
All things considered, however, Fate
had not been SO very uniind to Felix.
Left an orphan at an early age, he
had been adopted by his mothers ell
der sister, who had done her duty
nobly by him. Now at the age of twen-
ty-five he found himself subaltern
in one of the line regiments, with n
handsome allowance from his aunt,
and every prospect Of becoming her
heir. But-there is always "but" in
most peoples lives-although Miss
Drury had been more than liberal to
her nephew and forebore to exercise
any but very nominal restraint over
his actions, yet she had given him TO
understand that she meant to exert
her authority in one important mat
ter, namely, the question of his mar
riage
In due course of time she intended
Felix to become master of Wood
lands, her beautiful old house, and
since his wife would occupy her place
as mistress, Miss Drury meant to linn
it, il not direct, her nephew's choice
of a bride.
She did not approve of the modern
woman, the up-to-date girl, with ner
cigarette and her slang, her talk of
golf and bridge, her contempt for
needlework, and all things pertaining
to domesticity. Felix could see in his
minds eye the wife his aunt destined
for him-a meek and modest young
woman of ultra-refined speech and ap-
pearance, and always with a piece of
fancy work between her 1ingers-and
he shuddered at the picture. Then he
thought, with a sudden Tightening OF
his heart, of Kitty Bellairs, as he had
seen her last summer at the house
of a brother officer-beautiful, mis-
chievous, high-spirited, a keen tennis
player, a brilliant horsewoman, full
of life and laughter. She had charmed
the young mans heart out of him, and
though Felix tried desperately hard
to Danish her from his memory, alb
sence, in this case, had certainly
made the heart grow fonder.
81 darent tell Aunt Minnie about
Kitty" thought the young man discon-
solately. "Of course if she knew her
us do she couldn't help but love her
although she isn't quite her
style, but l don't see how ever they
nre to meet, since my little darling
knows no one in this neighborhood,
and Aunt Min never will come up TO
town"
In the depths of his heart Felix was
genuinely fond Of the old lady, who
had so generously mothered him all
his life, and he was therefore rather
disconnected to find when he reached
Woodlands that Miss Drury was very
much perturbed and upset about
something. Generally his aunt was a
very dainty looking little old lady, eX-
ouisitely dressed, and the perfection
of a hostess. But on this particular
afternoon she greeted her nephew in
an absentminded fashion, her cap
slightly awry, her cheeks flushed, and
her beautiful old hands trembling.
"Why, Aunt Minnie" said the
young man anxiously, whatever is
the matter?"
"Oh, my dear Felix" replied the
old lady, looking into his handsome
face with troubled blue eyes, Il have
had such a dreadful upset Two of the
housemaids are down with influenza,
and now Parkins, who is quite invalu-
able, has declared she can hold up no
longer, and has gone to bed seriously
Ill, | fear
Felix gave q whistle of dismay. Par
kins was cook-housekeeper at Wood
lands and the pivot upon which the
rest of the household turned. She was
an exceptionally good cook, and lie
knew that his aunt prided herself that
her dinners werS unsurpassed in the
neighborhCod.
81 would not have minded had we
been alone" continued Miss Drury,
"but the house is full Of people. and
l have large dinner party tomor-
row."
what a catastrophe" exclaimed her
nephew, sympathetically who knew
how vexed was Miss Drury's orderly
mind when any household affairs
went wrong. Cant you get a woman
from the village to help?'
"Of course l can, but you don't
know what these village women are
like, my dear Felix; dirty incompe-
tent creatures. and as incapable of
sending up a dinner as you are. No,
l must just leave Susan, the Kitchen
maid, to do her best; but | know
shall be disgraced tomorrow, and
do not mind so much, if my guests
doat nave the best of everything.