The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-07-09
THE TEMPORARY sUBsTI-
TUTE.
Rv Edith Boss.

-~~N TTIW &C IVTITITBHI . TJdNNI- y
required him TO spend with his maiden
aunt in the country, while inclination
strongly urged him to go up to town In
order to see the girl he loved. But on this
occasion duty had to be considered, for
Miss Drury, the aun in question, was q
wealthy old lady, and he was practically
dependent upon her.
All things considered, however. Fate had
not been SO very unkind to Felix. Left an
orphan at an early age, he had been
adopted by his mothers eldest sister, who
had done her duty nobly by him. Now, at
the age Of rs, he found himself a subaltern
IN one OF the line regiments, with a hand
some allowance from his aunt, and every
prospect of becoming her heir. But--there
As always a ''but'' In most peoples lives
although Miss Drury had been more than
liberal to her nephew and forebore TO ex-
ercise any but a very nominal restraint
over his actions. yet she had given him
10 understand that she meant TO exercise
her authority in one important matter,
namely. the question OF his marriage.
In due course of time she intended Felix
ito become master OF Woodlands, her
beautiful old house, and since his wife
would occupy her place as mistress. Miss
Drury meant to limit, II not direct, her
mephew's choice of a bride.
She did not approve Of the modern
woman, the up-to-date girl, with her
cigarette and her slang, her talk of golf
land bridge, her contempt for needlework
Eand all things pertaining to domesticity.
Felix could see in his minds eye the wife
Ihis aunt destined for him-a meek and
modest young woman OF ultra-reined
speech and appearance, and always with a
piece OF fancy work between her fingers
land he shuddered at the picture. Then
HE thought, with a sudden tightening of
this heart, OF Kitty Bellairs, as he had seen
Unnp 10 oF I'M ~ or ~ tha !. - LnAAhAa
officer-beautiful, mischievous, high-spirit-
fed. a keen tennis player, a brilliant horse
woman, full OF life and laughter. She had
,charmed the young mans heart out of
him, and though Felix tried desperately
hard to Danish her from his memory, alb
ssence, In this case, had certainly made the
heart grow fonder. 49, r. 4
II daren't tell Aunt Minnie about Kit
lty." thought the young man. disconsolate-
ny. 'Of course, II she knew her as / do
she couldn't help but love her. although
she isn't quite her style, but / don't see
how ever they are to meet, since my little
darling knows no one in this neighborhood,
and Aunt Min never will come up to
town" .
In the depths OF his heart, Felix was
genuinely fond of the old lady, who a so
generously mothered him all his life. and
the was therefore rather disconnected to
find when he reached Woodlands that Miss
Drury was very much perturbed and upset
about something. Generally his aunt was
a very dainty-looking little old lady. ex-
qufsltely dressed, and the perfection of a
hostess. But on this particular afternoon
she greeted her nephew in an absent-mind-
ed fashion, her cap slightly awry. her
cheeks flushed, and her beautiful old
hand trembling.
why, Aunt Minnie" said the young
man. anxiously, whatever is the matter?'
"Oh, my dear Felix replied the old
lady, looking into his handsome face with
~Etroubled eyes, II nave had such a dread
ful upset. Two of the housemaids are
down with influenza, and now Parkins,
who is quite Invaluable, has declared she
can hold up no longer, and has gone to
bed seriously i'll, L fear
Felix gave a long whistle of dismay.
Parkins was ook-housekeeper at Wood
lands. and the pivot upon which the rest
Nof the household turned. She was an
exceptionally good cook, and he knew that
his aunt prided herself that her dinners
were unsurpassed In the neighborhood.
II would not have minded had we been
alone" continued Miss Drury, but the
house is full of people, and l have a largo
dinner party tomorrow"
What a catastrophe" exclaimed her
nephew, alphabetically, who knew how
ivexed was Miss Drury's orderly mind
when any household affairs went wrong.
f"Can't you get a woman from the village
TO help?"
o course [ can, but you don't know
what these village women are like, my
dear Felix; dirty, Incompetent creatures,
land as incapable of sending up a dinner
ms you are. No, l must leave Susan, the
Kitchen maid, to do her best, but / know /
shall be disgraced tomorrow, and / do
lmind so much IL my guests don't have the
best OF everything. And to make matters
worse, that greedy old Sir Gregory is com-
ing, and ne always says he never dimes
SO well anywhere as here. You don't
know of a cook that you can recommend
by any chance. do you, Felix?' she asked,
desperately.
This wistful appeal touched the young
mans heart. AS a rule, a subaltern home
on leave Is not the person one would ma
turally apply to for a cook. but Miss
Drury was at her wits ends. Felix knit
ted his brows and thought hard for a min
hlte, at the end of which time a brilliant
Inspiration came to him. t.-5.
Look here, Aunt Minnie" he exclaimed
suddenly, don't you worry any more. I'll
go straight up to town first thing tomor-
row, and I'll find you a cook some how,
and bring her back with me In the after
noon"
Miss Drury looked at her nephew with
tears in her eyes. Felix" she said, SOL
emnly, III you get me out Of this difficulty
you may ask me for anything in the
world" r.
Felix was as good as his word. He de-
parted for town directly after breakfast
next morning, smiling spontaneously at
the chaff Of his fellow guests, n reap
peared triumphant in the afternoon proud
1y escortiag the new cook.
I've brought her, Aun Min he am
noungsd--rushing excitedly into Miss
sDrury's bopdoir. She was at the Raw
sons last summer, and an uncommonly
good cook she is, Blair Is her name. It's
a great piece of luck that she was olsen
gagged, you know" -
Miss prury went h~urriedly downstairs to
inspect the new arrival, and to explain to
her the arrangements for the evenings
dinner.
II was a little taken aback at first"
she said later on to her nephew. blair
looks so young and so pretty, and so--er-
refined, but she seems very capable and
fully qualified to send up an excellent din
ner." #. #f
YES" replied Felix. eagerly: ''she has
had a course of~~cooklng lessons at South
K~ensington. believe she is no end of a
swettsa at II"
AL A-AI ~ ArNLtA IN #- w =. -. - YEA