The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1905-07-14

man for years and years.
Gould you direct me to the South
Haven docks?" she asked.
A sudden Irresistible impulse caught
Uncle Dave and made him answer:
Il am going there myself, madame:
will you do me the honor to accom-
pany me?"
Half an hour before. the old man
wouldn't have thought it possible for
him to do such a thing. Mentally, he
said: "You sly old sinner! This va
cation business will be the ruination
of you, sure!"
The little old lady was delighted:
then she looked troubled. I'm afraid
you are putting yourself out" she said.
Uncle Dave suddenly remembered
that when he met the little old lady
he had been in the act OF boarding
the car she was leaving. Now she
had caught him in his falsehood. He
extricated himself from the dilemma.
however, by sudden inspiration. III
you had stayed on the car and gone
around the loop, madame, 1t would
have taken you three blocks nearer
the dock. You see, had transfer
from the other gar. However, we can
walk the distance now more easily
than we can wait here
Uncle Dave felt safe in this delib-
crate prevarication. The little old lady
looked relieved They walked to the
boat, conyersins.
This Is very kind Of you, sir" said
Uncle Dawes new acquaintance. "Are
you going to South Haven, too"
The old fellow thought desperately
fast. The railway ticket to Lake
Geneva was reposing in his inside coat
pocket, but he answered, with a sharp
twinge of conscience: Eyes, I'm start
ing on little outing, and I thought
Id run over to South Haven for few
days, and then so up to Lake Geneva,
perhaps" There was a twinkle in his
eyes, but the old lady did not see it.
Uncle Dave was beginning to think, al
ready. that vacations were not so bad,
after all.
South Haven is a nice quiet place"
she answered; That is, when one gets
away from the runaway couples"
Uncle Dave looked at her over his
spectacles, and she looked at him over
hers.
Il see by the papers," he said, that
more young folks are going there to
get married this year than ever be-
fore.'
The old lady smiled. Il reckon folks
to1y f~~ al oh
swered. 1--WE been to South Haven
every summer since my husband died.
This year l almost gave up the trip
because I dreaded the undertaking of
getting there. When one is alone. you
know, such trips seem so hard for a
woman"
Uncle Dave cast a surreptitious
glance again at his companion. She
was alone, and he was alone. He liked
her sweet old face, and her motherly
tones had homeiike ring in them that
went straight to the old mans nun
cry heart After all, there was moth
ing to take him to Lake Geneva Why
should he go there, when South Haven
attracted him the more?
Where do you stay in South Ha-
ven?" she asked, naively.
"Well-ah!-I haven't exactly de-
cided," he confessed, in some con-
fusion. ITO tell the truth, madame, I
haven't been there for 30 years. She
raised her eyebrows. ''The place
where I board in South Haven" she
said, lis a dear, old-fashioned, COM
Portable house-just the sort for an
old lady like me, who doesn't care for
fuss and feathers. Perhaps you would
like to try it,
Uncle Dave allowed that he would.
"There's good fishing around there.
too" she added, IF you like the sport"
Uncle Dave hadn't caught fish in
half a century, but he answered, with q
sparkle in his eyes: "1'll get some OF
EN-"
The vacation was just beginning,
but he felt fully ten years younger
Nobody at the Office or in the board
ing house heard from Uncle Dave for
month. Then, one day, the old man
walked into the wholesale establish
ment where he had spent nearly half
his life. His step was brisk, his eyes
clear, his figure more erect than it
had been in a decade. There was
deep tan on his cheeks, and, stranger
still, his beard was trimmed short and
he wore a natty new suit.
keep your seat" he remarked to
his substitute on the high stool. Keep
your seat, sir l can't stay but min
ute I just ran in for word of greet
ing. You see, Mrs. Angel and l are
packing up. We start tomorrow for
California. From there we intend sail
ing for Japan to spend the winter.
Oh, yes, I enjoyed my vacation. Fish
ing good? Fine!'
Uncle Dave actually winked his left
eye.