The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-07-13
His Negotiable
- Aunt -
~~~%~<~%~%<~~%~, = =

Alec Bruce turned around slowly OF
the piano stool and faced the five
girls.
Probably you girls are not aware Of
1t, but our friend, Jack. has been
adopted"
Jack Hawarden's honest fact cloud
ed.
/ Don't. Alec!" he protested,
Jack" said Alec solemnly. I'VE are
hidden not to hide our light under a
bushel-you're trying to hide yours in
ia poll-box. and / shall tell the girls the
I whole story"
II came TO see Miss Gray" said Jack.
rising. II win find her upstairs. ]
think"
\ AS he passed Bruce he whispered
/ fiercely: For heavens sake. Alec.
keep that thing to yourself"
| Alec smiled and nodded. but as soon
as Jack had disappeared he continued
seriously: Its a thing you ought to
know. girls. and I'm determined You
shall. Jack Is too modest--an unusual
trait In an Englishman." he added
thoughtfully.
Forget that you're Scotch and let's
have the story" cried the girl who
wrote stories.
Sure. I'll begin right in the middle
so as to reach the denouement sooner.
Our Jack is In love"
Laughing exclamations of incred-
ulity from the listening girls.
He is-honest. His soul is tuned
to sweet accord with peerless strains
Of"
Never mind his soul" Interrupted
Kathleen again, tell us the story"
This isn't wild Irish story, Miss
Clyde he returned. with an air OF i'm
patience. this is the story of slow
moving and particularly speaking
Englishman. He hasn't told his love.
because the young lady is earning a
fine salary and Is seemingly happy In
her work. and his position was far from
satisfactory. But the first of the year
he was promoted. with a generous In
crease. He was screwing up his
courage there Alec paused and made
a strenuous imitation Of person US
ing crew-driver) when he received
a message from the immigration au-
thorities that changed all his plans"
The willy story-teller stopped as II
the narration were complete
do go on" cried some one, i'm
patiently; that surely isn't the end?"
What could the immigration author
tiles want Of Mr.. Hawarden?" ex-
claimed another.
After much urging. Alec continued:
when Jack went to the immigra-
tion Office he found a clean, decent
looking old English woman, who fell
upon his neck, and called hin her dear |
nephew. and announced to the officers
that he was the living image OF her
dear dead brother Jock Now, Jack |
hasn't living relative, and never had
an aunt, and he tried TO explain this
to the old lady and to the officers. But |
she would have none OF It, and the |
officers told him very gruffly that If
he didn't intend to support his aunt
to say so at once, for in that case the
woman would have to be deported
She broke down at this, and cried In
the most pitiful way, and. well, it
ended with Jacks taking her away
with him. He has a room for her in
the house where he's boarding, and is
doing his best to make her comforta-
bic. He spends most Of his evenings
with her. and the old creature is as
happy as can be-"
Jacks a brick!" exclaimed Kath-
leen, excitedly.
1T is certainly very noble of him."
said the editor, warmly.
Cant he find the real nephew"
asked the artist.
mo. He has visited every Hawar-
den in the city, and none has any
knowledge of the old lady. He has
found the record OF the death Of a
John Hawarden who came from Eng
land 20 years ago, and who died short
ly after his arrival"
That was undoubtedly the real
nephew" said the girl with the violin;
IAN old person does not realize the
change there would be in young man.
She would expect her nephew to look
as he did when he left England, and
almost any big, blonde young English
man would correspond to the picture
She has carried In her memory all