The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1908-11-18
Words to
the Wise
BY GERTRUDE LEWIS.
Copy righted. 1905. by Associated
Literary Press.
BY GERTRUDE LEWIS.

To begin with. Mrs. Nook was not |
even Ben Melvilles mother-in-law. She
was his stepmother-in-law, and Lefty |
disllked her as much as her husband |
did.
They had welcomed the change In
Bens business affairs which required
his removal to California, and as they
boarded the train that was 10 take
them OH the first stage of their journey
Lefty breathed Il little sigh of relief
al suppose It's wicked she said soft
~, "but wish we were going to China
or Japan"
"Whuts the useY" asked Benz with Il
laugh, "She would follow us out there
The last thing she said was that II you
grew homesck TO wire a ticket and
she would come out ut once"
Lefty sat mp very straight In her
seat.
Ben MELVILLE she warned Impress
lively. "if you ever dare send such u
message I'll never speak to you again"
Il won't" he promised teasingly.
"unless you need punishment"
Thereafter impending quarrels were
checked when Ben irreleyantly inqulr-
ed II there was telegraph blank
handy. The threatened trouble always
ended In laugh
The first six months of California life
seemed Hike II dream, 81 different was
everything from what II had been In
the east. \ flower garden that bloom
cd the year round was new TO the little
New England girl, and Wah Ling once
his oriental makeup was mustered, was
| like a gift of the gods. After Il quick
succession of raw immigrants of NIL ma
| tionalitles the chinaman was Il revela-
| ton.
Silent footed, competent and serupu-
lously neat, Wah Ling was great re-
lief To the little housekeeper, and Mel
vile declared his home Ia be II para
disc with thirty dollar n month angel
In charge
Then the blow fell. Lefty met her
husband Mt the door of their little
home with an expression on her face
that filed him with alarm.
"Whats wrong, little woInan?e he
asked anxlously. rs Is bad. dear?"
at couldn't be WORSE she sobbed rs
he gathered her into his arms Mrs.
Mool's coming"
"Wlre her not to- he said sharply
Il know that she's your stepinother,
darling, but that doesn't entitle her
to come out here ana make life mlser-
able. | should not think that she
would want 10. You don't even call
her mother"
'She doesn't mind little thing like
that" sobbed Lefty. "She writes that
the doctor says that her lungs are
weak and that six months In the mild
California air Is just what she needs.
She's coming TO stay with us because
dad can't afford TO send her out here
and pay her board too"
"Wirc her not TO come" repeated
Ben stcrnly But Lefty shook her
| head
I'VE can't" she walled. "She start
ed the day after she mailed this, and
she'll he here tomorrow"
"'rhen wen have to make the best
OF It," said Ben, with the peculiar
tightening Of the lips that marked his
displeasure. Perhaps we may find
some way Of housing her elsewhere.
Let's have dinner. The situation will
look better after we have had some
| thing to eat"
| But even Wah Ling's perfect cook
Ing did not bring the customary sense
of contcntment, though he had done
his best, because he had seen that his
mistress was worried
lie moved about the dining room In
his spotless white costume like some
accomplished ghost and took dislike
TO the new guest before he had seen
her because she had made the mistress
cry.
But his dislike became personal
when he entered the dining room the
| following afternoon. Mrs. Nook had
| arrived only II half hour before. and
she had not been appraised of the EN-
! ployment of Il Chinese boy"
The persons In his night clothes"
she cried. eying Wah Ling's snowy
garments with disfnvor my dear
Lefty, your father wears those things
to sleep In
at is the native costume" explain
ed Lefty. at Is very cool and COM
Portable
ITS indecent" commented Mrs.
Nook, and Wah Ling scowled.
melancholy trio sat on the piazza
that evening In the soft dusk, heavy
with the scent of flowers. Mrs. Nook
found fault with everything and an,
nounced that on the morrow she
would readjust the household affairs
| Lefty sought to make reply, but II
warning pressure on her arm caused
| her to remain silent, and not until
| Mrs. Nook announced herself ready
| for bed was the riddle explained.
| Immediately after breakfast Mrs
| Nook announced that the process Of
| reform would start In the Kitchen.
| Mrs. Melville drew back.
| "You mustn't go In there she cried.
"Tell Wah Ling what you want done,
| and he will do It perfectly. but the
| Chinese boys will not stand for any
supervision"
"That's all nonsense" declared Mrs.
/ Nook lniitantly "He can ride rough
| shod over you. but he'll find he has
| some one else to deal with now"
With majestic mien she strobe into
/ the immaculate kitchen. Wah Ling
looked up inquirngly from the chick