The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-10-15


front of the CRATE and pulled
= = at his pipe "A Christmas
house party at The Pines" Then after
a pause, "NSho are inyitedT'
His nephew leaned against the man
telpiece and stuffed his hands into his
pockets as he enumerated the guests,
the uncle keeping up a running and
caustic comment:
'Engaged-going to be-introduced
for matrimonial purposes engaged
the same" The enumeration ceased.
Yes, l see myself helping to chap
eron your house party. l stroll into
the reception room and stumble over
an engaged couple l sneak into the
library and am frowned out again by
a newly introduced couple 1 bang in
TO the music room and overhear a pro-
I posal No, thank you, Roy; l shall
| spend Christmas in peace and my own
room"
Roy picked up his hat and moved to-
ward the door. Modern house parties
are not conducted along the lines
you've laid down, uncle. Change your
mind and judge for yourself" He
| turned the knob. by the way, I
didn't mention the other chaperon, did
/ I? It's Mrs. Angel, Bertha's widowed
| aunt you know" With this parting
| shot. which he knew was effective, Roy
discreetly retreated.
| After he had gone Merriwether sat
an hour staring at the fire and pulling
away at a smokeless pipe. Then he
| nd Cd In Of -
in the mantel mirror. We're apt to
run down." he apostrophized his re-
| fection; capt to run to seed, we bache-
| lors. Now, this tie-let's see, it's six
months out of style, and Gertrude used
to be-hum." He stepped to the phone
and called up his tailor, realizing that
his mind had already undergone the
change Roy hoped for.
Ten days later he arrived at The
Pines just in time to dress for dinner.
He was accompanied by man and a
smart lot of luggage, accessories which
made SO marked a change in his ap-
pearance that when at o'clock he de-
scended to the lower hall Bertha Mon
roe, awaiting her aunt at the foot of
the stairs, surveyed him in delighted
| amaZement
"Why, Uncle Bruce" she exclaimed
you look SO fine scarcely knew your
Bertha was his nephew's fancee and
already claimed relationship in private
to the uncle. 'Td make Roy wear
evening clothes in the morning If be
had such a splendid fgure-so filed
out, you know"
Merriwether, following her into the
living room, laughed grimly at the
doubtful compliment. ooh, he'll tip the
scales at 900 soon enough, don't wor
ryw
You surely don't look that stout,
began Bertha and, turning abruptly
toward the entrance, finished with
Does he, auntieF"
Gertrude Angel swept past her niece
and met Merriwethers outstretchet
hand cordially. Look? Why, he look
surprisingly like the Bruce Merriweth
er used to know so well"
"Fifteen years ago" was on the en(
of Merriwethers tongue, but he check
ed himself just in time. Gertrude prob
ably ignored lapseS in time as womel
have habit Of doing, he thought. Blu
surely hers was q face, form, a bear
ing, which had so successfully with
| stood time as to entitle her to the az
pellation Of youth. Her brown hal
had not lost its luster, nor had her blu
eyes lost aught of their sparkling in
terest In life, while she carried hersel
with her old time spring and vivacity.
oil a
t he sat opposite her at dinner. Hi
: memory flashed picture after pictur
E before him-the primary days in thei
: old home school, their grammar rooI
5 betrothal, the warm friendship Of late
years, which had meant somethin
: more to him; then her marriage an
life abroad AS he looked at her b
! had the uncomfortable feeling that, a
: though her birth had antedated his
: one year, she was many years hi
9 junior.
. He was just characterizing himsel
as "old" when his nephew's voic
aroused him and added point to hi
reflection. Tomorrow morning "
skate" announced Roy joyfully. ''Tv
/ udU Tic DOnQ DaNh AOAC NAC0ACo II
action, and the Ice is o. K!' Then b
| added carelessly, by the way, Uncl
] Bruce, 1 forgot to tell you to brin
r skates along, but 1 can easily provid
you with a pair"
= derriwether quaked inwardly, bl
:. made no reply until after dinner, whe
: he backed his nephew into a corn'
and addressed him privately and fore
+ fully, i've not been on skates for te
years, and l don't intend to make
n spectacle of myself now by an
means"
V why, uncle-er-you know, TIL
i makes things rather awkward, for Mr.
Angel does all those things so We
! and-er-we don't want her to fe
n bored here"
80 y.