Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1908-07-09
THE TEMPORARY sUBsT1-
TUTE.
BY Edith Ross.
Copyright, 1902, by w. r. Hearst.


He had fortnight's leave, which duty
required him to spend With his maiden
aunt IN the country, while inclination
strongly urged him to go up 10 town in
order to see the girl he loved But on this
occasion duty had to be considered, for
Miss Drury, the aunt In question. was a
wealthy old lady, and he was practically
dependent upon her.
All things considered, however. Fate had
not been SO very unkind tp Felix. Left an
orphan at an early age. he had been
auopted by his mothers eldest sister. who
had done her duty nobly by him Now, ut
the age of %, he found himself a subaltern
III one or the line regiments. with hand
some allowance from his aunt, and every
prospect OF becoming her heir But--there
Is always a but" in most peoples lives
although Miss Drury had been more than
Noeral to her nephew and foreborc to eX-
erclSe any but Il very nominal restraint
over his actions. yet she had given him
to 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
to become master of Woodlands, her
beautiful old house and since his wife
would occupy her place as MISTRESS Miss
Drury meant to limit. If not direct. her
nephew'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
and bridge. her contempt for needlework
and all things pertaining TO domesticity
Felix could see in his minds eye the wife
his aunt destined for him-a meek and
modest young woman OF ultra-renned
speech and appearance, and always with Il
piece of fancy work between her fingers
and he shuddered at the picture Then
ne thought with sudden tightening of
ms heart, of Kitty Bellairs. as he had seen
her last summer at the house of brother
offlcer-beautiful, mischievous, high spirit
ed. a keen tennis player. Il 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
sence III this case, had certainly made the
heart grow fondcr
II daren't tell Aunt Minnie about Kit
ty.' thought the young man, d!sconsolate-
ly 'of course II she knew her as l do
she couGn't help but love her, although
she isn't quite her STYLE but don't see
now 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 had so
generously mothered him all his life, and
ne was therefore rather disconnected to
ma when he reached Woodlands that Miss
lorury was very much perturbcd and upset
about something. Generally his aunt was
very dainty-looking little old lady ex-
Quisitely dressed. and the perfection of n
hostess. But>on this particular afternoon
she greeted her nephew in an absent mind
cd fashion. her cap slightly awry, her
cheeks flushed. and her beautiful old
hands trembling.
Why. Aunt Minnie" said the young
man. anxiousy. whatever is the matter -
oh. my dear Felix" replied the old
lady, looking into his handsome face with
troubled eyes. IL have had such IA dread
ful upset Two oil the houscmai.ls are
down with Influenza and now parkins
who Is quite Invaluable. has declared she
can hold up no longer, and has gone 10
bed seriously IN / fear
Felix gave a long whistle of dismay
Parkns was cook housekecper at Wood
lands, and the pivot upon which the rest
OF the household turned. She WAS an
exceptionally good cook, and he knew that
his aunt prded herself tha, 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 have IL large
dinner party tomorrow
What a catastrophe" exclaimed her
nephew, sympathetically, who knew how
vexed was Miss Drury's orderly mind
when any household affairs went wrong
cant you get woman from the village
10 help!
"Of course can, but you don't know
"i'1t .i,ese VnI'ge women are like my
ueIr feilN; dlrty, incompetent creatures.
ai.u US iiicapaDie OF sending up dinner
Us you are. NO, j must leave Susan, the
hl'cneii MAID 10 90 her best. but know l
shall be disgraced tomorrow and do
mind so much If my guests don't have the
"est oi everything. ana TO make matters
"''"e' tnt,. sieeuy oiu oir gregory IS com
1''s' ana nc ai"ays says he never dimes
10 ~, Won anywhere as mere You don't
NM" oi d COOK 'ha' you can recommend
~ -, a1S s',iiice' 90 Sou' feilX she asked,
ms "lstlnl appeal touched the young
man hear' AS a rule. II subnltern home
~ . ',h'e - noe tpe person one would ma
.uihiiy Apply 10 Tor cook. but Miss
| oiuiy was II, h'fr WIZ chus feii& knit
yea MS pro"s ana thought hard for Il min
| u'e, az .ie Gnu OF "hlch tmc brilliant
| inspiration citfn3 TO hlm.
LOOK mere Aunt Minnie, he exclaimed
se't,i'iisls uoh you worry amy more. III
go s'raigh. up 10 town iirst thing tonor-
TOW, ana u IL ma you cook some how,
ana bfins her back with me in the after
noon.
MISS orury looked at her nephew with
'h ~ ~ es's. rei'S 81" S;ild SOL
emmy II you s'' me out oil THIS difficulty
you may ASK me lof anything in the
"ofln.
fehS was as soon as his word. He de-
ifirled TOT Town dfrctly alter breakfast
mkt inorhins smlnns good hum9redly at
me chaH OF his fellow guests, and reap
pearea 'ri'if'4,hhh' IN the afternoon proud
| " escoruiis lilf ne" COOK.
We Drought hrr, Aunt Min.R he an
nouhcca' rnshlns exciiedly into Miss
| Drufy boudor. She was at the Raw