CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1905-05-18


Charley and his babies at the mercy
of that woman"
The conversation at the wire claim
ed her attention. There We're reasons
why she felt she had right to listen.
Hello, Mary, is this your
Yes, SIR
"How is Master Reginald2"
"Fine, sir
"What did he eat for his breakfast"
"a peach, bowl of rice and milk
and five cakes"
''Now, Mary, I've told you repeated
ly not to let him have hot cakes"
"Then. sir. you'll have to stay at
home and keep him from 1t. It's a
cook l am and no nurse"
"Well, well,'' said the man anxious
ly, as one who realized he was In a
predicament and needed the good will
of every one. 'I'm sure while Miss
Ellen is sick you win look after the
pay you next week"
This bit Of diplomacy elected no
reply from the other end of the wire
Has Miss Bessie gone to schoolY'
"She has not. Sure the strings of
her hood and one of her rubbers is
lost entirely, and told her she'd best
stay home till her Aunt Ellen could
get about"
Dear, dear" said the man, and a
prodigious sigh seemed to choke his
utterance.
as that all, sirT' said the woman
impatiently.
II guess So" he replied reluctantly
and hung up his receiver
At her end of the wire the woman
slammed up the receiver with a crash
which made central flush just a bit
angrily. Clump, clump. clump. she
went down the basement stairway to
meet look of inquiry on the face Of
her husband. gardener and man of all
work for Henry Dickson, president of
the Excelsior Hardware company.
Sure. it's the same old thing" she
said snappishly as she tossed the soap
into the dish pan. "FrettIn' his soul
out about those two children. It's no
place for me and you. Tim. Either the
old man or the young un ought TO
marry. What with church and par
thies and a fly be night nature into the
bargain, Miss Ellen's no good at all, at
all. When she's In the house she's in
bed. and when she's not in bed she's
out of the house,
Tim shook his head and marched out
to the stable. and Mary turned to face
shrinking little figure In the door
way
II want to sit behind the stove, Mary
There's no fire in the library. and I'm
cold all over"
TN bet The young un's goin' to be
sick" said Mary as she made room for
the child on the wood box behind the
stove. '-She ought to had on her warm
f1annels last week. Sit there, dear.
whilst I tell you about the fairies Pad
dy O'Glyn met on his way to Donegal
fair"
I al been leaning back In chair, star
ing up Mt the ceiling. Finally he called
his stenographer and dictated a letter.
1t was addressed TO Charles Dickson
and wound up us follows:
"While you're In Chicago wish you
would stop I'm to see your aunt Mary
Graves. Things are not going right at
the house, I~fear. Ellen is too frivolous
and fond of society to do what is en-
tirely right by us and the children.
Your aunt Mary is capable woman
and would pull things together in less
than no time"
But even with the letter started on
its way Mr.. Dickson felt uneasy. Aunt
Mary was capable, but was she SYM
pathetic enough to deal with those
children? He recalled the gentle ways
and the fair face of the dead daughter
in-law. He wished somehow Aunt Mary
would wave her hair about her face
and smile once in awhile But she was
better than the more uncertain element
he had dreaded-a stepmother for his
beloved grandchildren.
And all the time Margaret Baxter sat
In front of the switchboard, plugging
the jacks and thinking. Just before he
closed up his desk to go home Mr..
Dickson was surprised to catch her
voice with "A new, almost friendly ac-
cent
"Is this Mr. DicksonP
"Yes."
"Shall I call Mary and tell her to
have the children come down to meet
your
Mr.. Dickson lived some distance be-
yond the street car terminus, and Tim
always drove down In the runabout to
meet him. 1t never struck him as odd
that the telephone girl knew Of his
daily habit. Perhaps she lived In the
neighborhood. he answered In re-
lieved tone:
"Yes; I'd forgotten to call her."
"And II you didn't call her she
wouldn't remember, would sheT'
mo, no." agreed the man; "these
servants are great trial" Then as
central rang of he murmured to him