Middletown transcript., 1910-11-19

ones consented to stop when the
cottage was reached.
why, said Mary Lawton as
they neared The Lodges "a most
appropriate name for the cottagel /
if / did not know better should
say that smoke was coming out
of the chimney.
A little of the dazzle of the
bright morning has got into your
eyes, ! guess, answered Win
Paroing. Although, he con.
tinued, if that chimney is not
smoking now it soon win be.
AS the party turned into the
path leading to y wide veranda
facing the sea, the door of the
cottage was thrown open, and
thore appeared Aunt Alice, as
they all lovingly called her, al
though none Of the party except
Sue had any claim to relation
ship. But as the aunt was few
years the senior of her ,enthus
iastic niece, they were the clos
est of friends and the most con-
genial of companions.
Sue had q very self.conscious
look as she dismounted from her
wheel and rsn up the steps to
greet her relative who stood with
radiant face ard outstretched
hands Of welcome.
Turning to her companions
Sue laughingiy said, I am sure
you will thank me for being SO
thoughtful in providing such q
charming chaperon.
OF course thanks we're unan.
imous, and as they trOoped up
the steps Mary Lawton was
heard to say softly, Well, it was
smoke after all.
There was a bright fire upon
the hearth in the large sitting.
room and another In the we'll
furnished little kitchen, from
which very suspicious odors
emanated suggestive of the oc.
casion, and of the fact that Aunt
Alice's fame as q cook fully
. equaled her reputation as q most
agreeable chaperon.
/ could not resist the tempta'
: tion, said she, when Sue wrote
me about your desiring the
cottage as the object point fol
,, your Thanksgiving outing. So
: with the usual box, which she
requested me to express here,
,, sent turkey and tixin's. YOU
: know how / detest a hotel dinner
upon such occasions. l always
!, go to some kind friends home
who is thoughtful enough Il
invite q lone lorn creeter like my
!, self, but this time / excused my
self and came down llere early
and, she added, with a little helI
l think we can have a very re
spectacle meal on the table al
noon, which / am sure you viii
all relish far more than any cold
snack or picnic lunch.
Here Aunt Alice paused, as 9
chorus Of thanks and approva,
came from all and she was pro
claimed Marshal Of the day.
Perhaps some of my readers,
never having lived in New Eng
land near the seacoast, do moi
realize the delights of q warm,
sunny day which comes to us
occasionally even in late Novem'
J ber. These days are like jewels
!, glittering in the rays of the SUE
against q background of leafess
trees, bare fields and gray rocks,
needing only flowers and foliage
to delude one into the belief thai
: summer has surely come again.
The air is soft and balmy, and
in sheltered spots the grass is
still green, as are honeysuckle
vines, and if there are evergreen
trees near by, the illusion is al.
most complete for a few hours
; ; in the middle Of the day at least.
On this particular day, so cloudiess wal
the sky, and 90 bright, sparkling and
friendly seemed the ocean breaking ia
1 lazy waves on the rocks and rand ct the
a foot Of Aunt Alice's little lawn, it seemed
hard to realize that at this very season,
almost upon this very date, few yearl
? previous, had occurred one Of she mos
disastrous and destructive storms thaI
J ever visited the New England coast.
ii But it was not Of storms and deeolatiou
, that our merry party thought; they
were too healthy and happy, aud
y the exhiIaFRsion Of She day wal
such as TO Danish anything of Z
D gloomy nature.
4 Max Pemberton suggested that it would
! be Jolly fun TO have the dinner served
upon the veranda, and as the windows
opened to the floor, it was . matter easily
arranged, many willing hands making
} light work. Table and chairs we're coon
j transferred TO the piazza by the boys,
who also aesisted in tlle setting and ar.
ranging Of the table.
The turkey was cooked in Amt Aliee's