Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1909-01-20

! quality-that vas distinctly the phrase
4 to catch ones fancy at the first
/ glimpse of Mrs. Winter. Not an aged
! lady, either, for even at so, that ele-
! gantly nodded, slim figure, that album
/ dance of silyery hair-parted in the
| middle and growing thickly on each
! side in natures own fashion, which art
can not counterfeit, as well as softly
puffed and massed aboye-that ex-
/ auisitely colored and textured skin,
| strangely smooth for her years, with
! tiny wrinkles of humor, to be sure.
/ about the eyes, but with cheeks and
I skin unmarried; that fine, firmly carved
/ profile, those black eyebrows and
/ lashes and still brilliant dark eyes;
most Of all that erect. alert, dainty
carriage. gave no impression OF age,
! but they all, and their accessories OF
toilet and manner, and a little prim
/ touch of an older, more retieent day
in both dress and bearing, recalled the
! last century phrase.
A soft gray bunch of chinchilla fur
! lay where she had slipped 1t on her
/ soft gray skirts; one hand rested in
the fur-her left hand--and en- the
third finger were the only rings which
she wore, a band of gold, worn by 60
years. and wonderful ruby, wherein
/ Cat least such was Rupert's phaniasy)
a wrthing fame was held captive by
its guard Of diamond lcicles. The
same rings admired by her nephew
ever since he was cadet-just the
same smiling, inscrutable, high-bred,
unohansing old dame!
Good evening, Aunt Rebecca; not
a day older!" said the colonel
Good evening, Bartie, returned the
lady, extending q hand over the cards;
excuse my not rising to greet yGt'
might joggle the cards. OF course
I'm not day older; don't dare TO
grow older at my age! Sit down. I'm
extremely glad to see you; I've a heap
to talk to you about. Do you mind II
| run this game through firstg
The colonel didn't mind. He rai9..s'
the profferet -hanu u 10 hrp, sJ}A
| homage seemed quite the most natural
I act in the world with Mrs. Winter.
And he unobtrusively edged his own
lean and wiry person into the vacant
seat opposite her.
How far are you going?" said she,
after few moves of the cards.
MY ticket says Los Angeles; but
it had to say something, SO | chose
Los Angeles for luck; I'm an IRE
sponsible tramp now, you know; and |
may drop off almost anywhere. You
are for southern California, aren't
you?"
Eventually; but we shall stop at
San Francisco for two or three
weeks"
do you mind If stop off with you?
want to get acquainted with my
ward, said the colonel
That's a good idea, BERTHE"
"He seems rather out of sorts; you
aren't worried about-well, tuborcu,
losis or that sort of thng?'
81 am worried about just that sort
of thing; although the doctor says
nothing organic at all is the matter
with him; but he is too melancholy
for boy; he needs rousing; losing
his father ana mother in one year, you
know, ard he was devoted to them |
can't quite make him out, BERTHE; he
hasn't the Winter temperament. |
suppose he has a legal right to his
, Mothers nature; but it Is very annoy
ng. 1t makes him so much harder
UNDERSTANDING that she wasn't a
/ good woman who made Tom happy;
'H she wasn't a Winter However,
Janet has frightened him up consider
ably-you've seen Janet-Miss Smith?
What do you think Of her?'
Winter said honestly that she was
very nice-looking and that she looked
right capable; he fell into the idiom
of his youth sometimes When with a
southerner.
"She is said Aunt Rebacca.
Where did you find her?' asked
the colonel carelessly, inspecting the
cards.
Aunt Rebecca smiled. Il thought
Millicent would have given you all
the particulars. She was nurse, secre
tary, companion and diet cook to
Cousin Angela Nelson; when she died
| got her. Lucky for me.
80 should judge" commented the
colonel politely.
Il presume Millicent has told you
that she is an adventures and after
my money and a heap more stuff If
/ she hasn't she will Get notion
once in Millicents head and surgical
operation is necessary to dislodge 1t!
Janet is the only mortal person who
could live with poor Cousin Angela,
who had enough real diseases to kill
her and enough imaginary ones to
kill anybody who lived with her!
Janet made her comfortable, would
not stand everything on earth from
her-though she did stand heap
and really cared for her. When she
died Cousin Angela left her some
money; not very much; but few thou
sands. She would have left her more,
but Janet wouldn't let her. sne Ierr
some to some old servants, who sure
T deserved it for living with her. come