Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-02-11
The Emancipation
OF the Chaperons.
By ALICE LOUISE LEE.
Copyright. 1905. by Alice Louise Lee.
I UH" Merrlwether stretched
his legs out luxuriously in
front of the CRATE and pulled


q pause, "Who are invitedY'
His nephew leaned against the man.
telpiece and stuffed his hands into his
pockets as he enumerated the guests,
the uncle keeping up running and
caustic comment:
"Engaged-going to be-intrOduced \
for matrimonial purposes engaged
the same" The enumeration ceased. |
"Yes, see myself helping to chap !
eron your house party. l stroll into
the reception room and stumble over |
an engaged couple. sneak into the
library and am frowned out again by
a newly introduced couple. bang in
to the music room and overlear pro-
posal. No, thank you, Roy; 1 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, /
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 Mcrriwether sat
an hour staring ut the fire and pulling
away at smokelcss pipe. Then he
arose and looked earnestly at himself
in the mantel mirror. Were apt to
run down." he apostrophized his re-
| Election: 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 ut The
Pines just in time to dress for dinner.
He was accompanied by a man and
smart lot of luggage, accessories which
made so marked a change In his APP
pearance that when at 6 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. I'D make Roy wear
evening clothes in the morning If he
had such n splendid figure 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 22O 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, auntie?"
: Gertrude Angel swept past her niece
. and met Merriwether's outstretched
, hand cordially. Look? Why, he looks
surprisingly like the Bruce Merriweth
, er / used to know SO WE'LL"
!. "Fifteen years ago" was on the end
: of Nerriwether's tongue, but he check
: ed himself just in time. Gertrude prob
ably ignored lapses in time as women
have habit Of doing, he thought. But
. surely hers was face, form, bear
ing, which had so successfully with
= stood time as to entitle her to the ap
pellation Of youth. Her brown hail
= had not lost it's luster, nor had her blus
: eyes lost aught of their sparkling In
terest in life, while she carried hersel.
with her old time spring and vivacity.
Merriwether noted all these things al
he sat opposite her ut dinner. Hi
> memory flashed picture after picture
! before him-the primary days in thei
old home school, their grammar room
" betrothal, the warm friendship OF late
8 years, which had meant something
= more to him; then her marriage ant
life abroad. IS he looked at her h
. had the uncomfortable feeling that, al
y though her birth had antedated his b.
9 one year, she was many years hi
: junior
He was just eharacterlzing himsel
as "old" when his nephew's voice
aroused him and added point to hi
0 reflection. Tomorrow morning W
$ skate" announced Roy joyful'y. "I'v
e had the pond back here cleared TO
action, and the ice is o. K!' Then b.
!. added carelessly, "By the way, Uncl
]. Bruce, forgot to tell you to brinl
] skates along, but I can easily provid
$ you with pair"
d Merriwether quaked inwardly, bu
t. made no reply until after dinner, whel
7 he backed his nephew into a corne
). and addressed him privately and force
r. fully, 1--WE not been on skates for tel
u years, and / don't intend to make
b spectacle Of myself now by an.
Q means"
"Why, uncle-er-yOu knew, tina
makes things rather awkward, for Mrs
Angel does all those things SO well
and-er-we don't want her to fee
bofad here"
"Oh!" groaH,ed Merrlwethcr. I'm tina
case I'll try, but watch put for rep
etition of a chapter In the tPtekwicl
Papersv" and he turned abruptly int
the ballroom.
Are you looking over the scene o
former triumphsY' asked gay yoic
5 beside bin. And Mrs. Angel move'
across the foem to straighten a candl
III one of the candeiahra.
MeTiwether noted With admiration
her free, light step. She was q sYperl
specimen Of womanhood but he fer
'yently wished She had appeared older
, "Why is it." he asked iinpuisi@eiy. ia
| noriug her question, that women re
, tain their youth SO much longer thar
t men!'
She paused with her hand on the
candle and looked back. II think" she
replied thoughtfuliy Hit's because they