The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1903-09-18

c UNDAY was such hot day that
y mamma did not want to go to
Z church. but asked Aunt May, as par
Harry.
Now, as a rule, Harry finds church
very trying. In the first place, he has
to be perfectly clean, which is a
nuisance; then he has to be perfectly
still, which is worse; and there is alb
solutely nothing to do, which is worst
of all.
Before they start Aunt May goes
through his pockets. From their hid
den recesses she extracts jack-knife
with two broken blades; the marbles
which he was furtively going to finger
all sermon time; the pill-box in which
he keeps the half-dollar father gave
him when he did not break a window
for week; the fish-hook Uncle George
lent him, and which he sat on the day
the baby was christened and screamed
so loud that even the baby stopped cry
ing; and the hat-band that he and
Rosalie stole out of the hat of Aunt
Mays young man, when he was talk
ing to Aunt May in the reception room
All these treasures Aunt May takes
from him, and locks up in the hall
drawer. Then he has his hair brushed.
Mamma looks critically at his face,
father at his hands. Aunt May brushes
his back with hat-brush. Bridget
PUSHES downstairs with a .handker-
chief. Nurse throws his gloves over
the banisters and they set off.
The service has not begun when
they reach the church Father goes
in first. Aunt May wants to sit in the
corner of the pew, and SO does Harry.
They have subdued struggle, and
Harry gets the favored spot. Aunt
May climbs in over his feet, seats her
self and does not look at him for some
time. Her naughty and Indifferent
demeanor so alarms him that he de-
termines to Guido himself in ways po-
lite. He will have the unusual pleas
ure OF hearing Aunt May commend his
conduct. So he sits resolutely still and
attends.
The church is very hot There is a
soft pulsing of moving fans and low
monotonous voice intones the service.
Through the opened Sits of windows
green tree-tops bend in the warm
breeze. Harry rolls his handkerchief
into ball, rubs his forehead and shifts
about uHeasily. Finally he says in a
loud stage whisper: ''Aunt May, I'm
just boiling. If you can't lend me
your fan think I'll have fit, or some
thing"
Aunt May hands him red Japanese
fan, which he unfurls and waves
proudly. The occupation is new and
pleasant. He fans slowly, then faster,
then furiously till all the sticks creak.
Aunt May, with her eyes on the minis
ter, pokes his knee with the tips of her
fingers and he desists.
Then he fans like the different ladies
in his vicinity. The little fat one with
the beads fans in and out toward her
chest in short, sharp strokes. He tries
this and finds it very amusing to imi-
tate the way she has her head on one
side, and her lips drawn down at the
corners. Near her is a young girl,
whose gauze fan moves in slow, reg
ular sweeps. Harry tries this style. It
is easier and the sticks emit sharp,
loud creak with every movement His
unconscious model leans back, looking
languidly from under her lowered eye
lids. Harry likes her pose. He catches
it admirably, and with a listless
dreamy air waves his fan back and
forth, takes longer and longer sweeps,
till he strikes it against the side of the
pew and it falls out into the aisle.
Ia CONSERVATION he looks at Aunt
May. She has risen and is searching
for place in her book. Her cheeks
are rather flushed, but she appears not
to have seen the accident.
He rises and thinks the situation
over. He must have the fan for it is