The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-02-24
MRS. cAREW,s LITTLE GAME

! be absent several weeks. After his de-
parture Mrs. Carew determined to give
her one maid vacation. Close their cot
: tage and visit her parents. who lived on
a farm a hundred miles distant
She was packing her trunk for this visit
when the arrival of letter threatened
/ TO spoil her plans The letter was from
I Mrs. Caroline Lawrence her husband s
aunt. and announced her intention of
visiting her dear niece and nephew for
ten days.
Il shall arrive on Wednesday," wrote
! Mrs. Lawrence You need not meet me
at the station and l shall drive directly
about 4 O'Clock on the afternoon of that
day"
( How provoking" said Mrs. Carew.
She might have at least written to ask
If il were convenient" and she threw
open the letter petulantly.
Mrs Carew had never met Mrs. Law
renee, but she did not like her for rea-
sons that she thought good and suffi-
cient.
Three years before Will Carew and
Nora Callahan were married. She was
the daughter of a rich farmer and he was
prosperous business man. and their
friends, a rule, thought that ne had
rahter the best of il, for she was not
only rich and beautiful, but highly edu-
Q perfect
manners and a sunny temper.
There was one person, however, who
did not share in this opinion. Mrs. Caro-
line Lawrence, his aunt did not attend
. the wedding. but she wrote her nephew
a letter rega riding his marriage which
Mrs. Carew found in his pocket and
read after the honeymoon. Mrs Law
renee, whom VIII had always spoken of
as eccentric, seemed TO have formed some
iY7c- har -
bride She may have been led astray by
| the fact that her name had an Irish
sound and that her father was a
farmer. for in her letter she scolded her
nephew for marrying beneath him and
alluded TO Nora contemptuously as the
red-headed daughter of an Irish farm
laborer. The letter closed with these
words:
Il really hope that she speaks without
brogue, for its presence would serve as
constant reminder of her origin
VIII had not answered the letter and
had carelessly left it in his pocket OF
course, its contents made Nora furious
but she never mentioned il to VIII, and as
from that time forward he ignored his
aunt her existence never interfered with
their happiness.
Now this same aunt was coming to visit
them without an invitation. and Mrs
Carew could hardly keep from crying
from veXation. She remembered the let
ter she had found in her husbands pocket
and muttered:
THE hateful old thing. I'll get even
with her before she leaves
Maggie, her maid, entered at that mo-
ment.
Il thought, mum, I'd come help you
with the packing. I'm all through be-
low"
Thank you, Maggie. but I'm afraid
shall have to unpack and ask you to de-
fer your vacation" and she told her of
the expected coming of Mrs. Lawrence.
Maggie's sympathy was loudly and en-
phatically expressed. and as she talked
her red hair and rich brogue reminded
Mrs. Carew of the letter she had found
in her husbands pocket
A plan for revenging herself on Mrs.
Lawrence began to form itself in her mind
and she determined to put it into eXecu-
ton. So she confided to Maggie. who
thought it great fun and readily agreed
to play the part assigned her.
The plan was simply for Maggie to per-
senate her mistress and to entertain Mrs.
Lawrence as long as she might remain.
while Mrs. Carew would be enjoying her
self at her girlhood's home.
Gleefully Mrs. Carew and Maggie made
the necessary preparations. The maid
received minute instructions from her
mistress and sufficient information as to
both families TO enable her to play her
part without danger of detection. An
other maid was secured and Mrs Carew
left the same night. happy over her
prospective visit and happier still over
the trick she was playing upon the detest-
ed Mrs. Lawrence.
She enjoyed her visit at home very
much. She received every few days a
letter from Maggie poorly spelled and
poorly written. but the letters told her
that Mrs Lawrence had arrived and was
being entertained according to program.
AT the end of two weeks. having been
informed by Maggie that their guest had
departed. she returned home for VIII
was expected back soon.
She found the house in perfect order.
but was somewhat surprised by the
change in Maggie. The maid was very ia
miliar and almost insolent. Her reign
as mistress of the house seemed TO have
produced the effect Mrs Carew was
amused by the change. but she thought
ii would wear off in a few days.
The day after her return the mail
brought her a letter from Mrs. Law
renee which read as follows:
My Dear Niece: I reached home safe
ly. though rather tired. but l enjoyed
my visit with you very much.
1T was fortunate that Will returned the
day l arrived ut your house and man.
aged TO stay during my entire visit. His
presence made the house much more
pleasant. although / must say that you
did everything possible for my comfort
Now. my dear, you will not take il
amiss If l give you some plain advice,
for It is intended for your good. rad
intended to offer Il before leaving. but
at Wits request did not do SO. / have
determined to refrain no longer and feel
it my duty to be plain with you.
Your education has been sadly neg
lected and you ought TO employ a teacher
and acquire a knowledge OF the English
language. Your manners lack polish, and
suggest that you secure as teacher
some lady who can instruct you in the
manners of polite society. You are too
elusive. for one thing, and ii was really
disc greeable 70 me 10 witness the love
making between you and VIII. Although
n woman should love her husband. she
should never kiss and embrace him in the
presence OF third person. as you are in
the habit of doing.
II marvel that VIII. instead OF encour-
aging YOU in such matters. has not com
PEELED YOU to abandon habits 1T only FOR
a low tavern. His manners showed him
TO be infatuated with your physical
beauty and this infatuation has doubt
less rendered him blind 10 youp faults
Remember. my dear niece. that this
letter IS written with the best Of mo
tives and is not intended 20 be in the
least offensive.
In conclusion. allow ne 70 thank you
FOR the pleasant time You gave me.
Your affectiouate aunt.
CAROLINE LAWRENCE
-Ex-Congressman W. Il Hi1Tichson.
Wrong Direction
CFrorn the Philadelphia Ledgerl
Recently during dense fog on Long
Island Sound a steamboat took iandinE
. = -