Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-07-16


failible, sir. that's the word-absO
lutely infallible In fact. to put it
more plainly" said the colonel she
was always right"
II have no doubt OF it. SIR | said,
meekly. You see, was in love with
the coionel's daughter, and under
those circumstances a father is not a
being to be contradcted. More than
that the colonel was speaking of 4
matter Of family history, aud the col
onels family goes back to the time "a
little before William the Norman
made up his mind to come over to
England
Her particular powers, my dear
boy" went on the colonel, LAY with
the romantic. I've heard 1t said that
all the lovers from all the country
round used to come to her in their
troubles and get good advice. That's
what they say" added the colonel
with a wink but between ourselves,
Aunt Janet was probably mischief
making, interfering old matchmaker.
That is shown by the fact that she
still troubles this earth when she
should be reposing respectfully some
where else. One has to put up with
this SORE OF thing. you knOw"-the
colonel frowned aud coughed and set
tied his neck into his shirt collar
''One must put up with 1t when one
belongs to an ancient family And.
after all. the old lady is never really
troublesome. Picturesque in sense,
aud always keeps 10 the upper floors"
And this" 1 said pointing to
massive old silver candestick on a
sideboard this Is Great-aunt Janet's
candlestick, eh?"
Yes" said the colonel. frownlng at
1t aud shaking his head Perfectly
ridiculous, OF course; but Ii il said
that whenever there is any love affair
on hand the ghost of the old lady
walks; that she carries the candle
stick with which for some three
quarters OF century she lighted her
self to bed, aud that IL one of the
lovers meets her at that critical time
she gives him such advice as lifts
him, 80 to speak"--the colonel made
movement with his hands as though
dandllng a large sized infant awk.
wardly -"ltfts him into The ladys at
fections, or vice versa hut she is
always accompanied by the candle
stick"
III might be worth trying" l said,
half to myself. and just at that mo
ment the door Of the smoking room
opened aud she came in.
mot a bad notion" said the col
onel, with d chuckle Here. Dora,
our friend here thinks OF trying 10
get tip from Grest-sunt Janet to-
night though what he wants to trou-
bile her for | can't for the life OF me
Imagine"
Il do assure you" | suffered. as
she gave me her hand In saying good
night II dOU't see what Great.auut
Janet could have to tell me. and. OF
course, shouldn't think OF doing any
thing"
"Of course not" she replied with
demure eyes looking into mine. But
it's pretty idea"
She kissed her father-oh, adora hle
lips pressed Tor a moment against the
stern, white mustache- went out
Of the room; and found. quite nm
expectedy. that | could not sleep
discovered. too. that had left my
cigarette case in the smoking room
and | had dim notion that cigar
cite might soothe me. and might drive
out OF my head certain vain dreams
and fancies. For who was | that
should think that blue-eyed Dora
should ever care twopeuce about me?
l went down softly through the
darkened house TO the smoking room
and switched on the light there and
looked about for my cigarette ease
/ found IT, and had just SIlpped II
into my pocket. when the remem.
brance OF what the colonel had said
brought 10 my mind the heavy silver
candlestick. | glanced toward the
spot where 1t had stood. and | saw
TO nay establishment that it was no
longer there La fash | glanced
quickly around TIE small room and
realized that the thing was gone. And
l knew. of course in moment what
that meant.
The ghost Of Great-aunt Janet had
chosen that night for walking.
Whyg Was she such sympathetic
Old creature that she had guessed nv
secret? Aud could she give me any
distinctly what the colonel had said !;
how he had suggested that the old
lady came only when she was able
to help lover. That was my des-