Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1908-11-20

Rutb's Hunt
Mebltable.
BY ANNE ELM AN.
Copyrighted, 1908. by Associated
Literary Press.

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Hetty Peters sat gazing out of her
window across the closely cropped
lawn, past the garden of many hued
roses and away to the woods, all white
with dogwood and purple with violets
She held a letter In her hand. Not in
many a long year had Hetty's face
worn such an expression of woe.
'If you please, ma'am." awakened
her from the trance. She turned to
the cook and gave her orders for the
day. Then, with a sigh, she opened
the letter and reread it:
Dear Aunt Mehitable-Papa and Jessie
Miller will be married Tuesday morning
and sail for Europe the same day on an
extended trip, 50 / shall leave college
and go home to look after you.
The Strings are here for the wedding
You know they are related to Jessie
Fred looks as ola as his father They
have made a mint of money mining in
Colorado and intend to buy back their es.
tate and settle down as our nearest
neighbors again No place like the south,
they declare. Papa invited them to make
our house their home while negotiations
dL6 pEtulIB buSluGSS Will 0eLaln NIT.
Stirling in Boston for a few weeks, but
Fred will come to town with me- Expect
US on Thursday. Your loving RUTH.
"Jessie's a dear soul. hope they'll
be very happy" Hetty murmured to
herself, but I never thought John
would marry again. And Ruth coming
back a year before I expected Thisll
I !
Hetty Peters was single She had
never had a lover, had never looked
for one and, incredible as it may seem,
had never wished for one She had
been altogether too busy, first, in look
ing after younger sister and brother,
and, second, in caring for her delicate
mother, to consider her matrimonial
prospects. The brother and sister had
grown up, married and moved north.
Her mothers death had left her alone.
When her elder brothers wife died
she had gone to live with him, and for
several years her existence had been
happy If monotonously uneventful.
Now came the disquieting news of
Johns second marriage and of her
niece's unexpected return.
Ruth had a decided prediction for
managing everything and every body
she came in contact with. Her aunt
had always trembled before her. Ruth
was the only one who remembered her
baptismal name, and Hetty detested it,
but Ruth persisted in calling her Aunt
Mehitable.
Perhaps she intends to marry
Fred!' Hetty reflected hopefully. "If
she does, of course he'll have to give
In. He was nice looking boy when he
left. l remember kissed him goodby,
he seemed such a boy, and he is year
older than l am"
On Thursday Miss Peters was at the
station when the northern train ar
rived. While she was watching the
outcoming passengers from one car
hand touched swiftly her arm, and
pleasant voice exclaimed, "Hetty, you
have not changed Il bit since we part
ed"
1--WE grown fifteen years older" she
answered, giving her hand to a tall,
bronzed handsome man, whose dark
eyes were scrutinizing her admiringly
II know it." he replied. 80 have p
Fred, loosen that checkrein. Aunt
, Mehitable how could you drive this
horse in such a condition? You really
need some one to look after your
And Hetty realized, with pang, that
Ruth had come back to her own.
mo tea for me-" she commanded at
the dinner table. Aunt Mehitable, I'm
surprised at you! Any doctor will tell
you that fannie acid is a rank poison
It's positively criminal to use tea or
coffee when one can have fresh milk. {"
The next morning Ruth's sway be-
gan.
Just up?' she called out as Hetty
made her appearance at I o'clock
I've been up for hours I shall move
the breakfast time an hour earlier, and
you must come for a walk every morn
ing before breakfast. 1t will do you a
world of good" And Aunt Hetty, real
izing the futility of argument where
Ruth was concerned, miserably acuui-
eSced.
rs 1t possible you sleep on feather
bedT exclaimed Ruth that evening,
Unexpectedly invading her aunts room.
Don't you know that feathers are not
sanitary? You need some one to look
after you, Aunt Mehitable."
I'm not so old as that" protested
Hetty.
at isn't altogether a matter of age;
it's temperament You take life like a
grasshopper. You really do need some
one. OF course you'll have me untiT"-
Until you marryY suggested Hetty.
II have been thinking Of it." Ruth
admitted complacently. by the way,
how do you like Fred 2"