Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1910-01-21
The HOpeIessC Case

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My dear" said Mrs. Hanson, sigh.
ing. "I an afraid you are quite hope
less. BIT am going to make one last
effort"
The girl addressed swung around in
her chair and eyed her hostess.
your methods are so subtitle" she
laughed. "Why don't you march me
up to each eligible. and say: Man.
this is your future wife. Woman, this
is your future husbandi'--it would
save heaps Of unnecessary quibbling.
You deserve to fail"
"Oh. well, subtility is not in my
line" said the other, signing. but ap.
preciate my efforts and do try aud be
reasonable. Here you are, weller
old enough to know better, and you
persist in remaining single. But this
time win. Oh. Anna, he is the dear
est mani"
She ciasped her plump little hands
together in a comical gesture OF ecs.
tasy. You will meet him at the Coun-
Ty Club this afternoon. He has Just
come from the West. And money 20
She broke OF at the others out
burst of amusement. "Oh. we'll" she
said, laugh II you like. but wait"
It was customary to serve tea at
the club at 5 each afternoon. and the
ladies' and some Of the men were gen.
orally found there at that hour. When
Mrs. Hanson and Anna arrived thai
afternoon, they found quite a little
group collected on the breezy corner
of the piazza and they we're swept
into the centre with laughing greet
ings. The men on the railing scrasi.
| bled unceremoniously to their feet and
brought more chairs. Mrs Hanso1
turned to the bearer Of one roony
rocker and held out her hand.
"Mr Whitney she said. Il am 50
glad to see you again" She turned 70
Anna. MY niece. Miss Bradley" she
said
The girl was regarding him, a mix
ture of surprise and amusemnt in der
gray eyes.
The man flushed, hesitated. and ex
claimed; why, it is Miss Bradley
How do you do?"
They shook hands under Mrs Hen
sons ill-concealed glances of curios-
ity. Anna taking sufficient pity on her
finally to explain: "Mr. Whitney and
I are old friends"
The man was young and undeniably
good looking When he aud the cir.
went OF to inspect something on thc
grounds under cover OF some thlnly
yelled excuse, they we're followed b.
oil eyes enyiously, or admiringly. &C.
cording to whom the eyes belonged
Mrs. Hanson smiled gleefully.
The days following met entirely
with her approval. Mr.. Whitney was
at the house frequently. He and An.
ma had free use Of the runabout, the
horses. anything the house afforded.
Bat TO all queries the girl remained
silent Sometimes she laughed. some
times she blushed. She neither denied
nor affirmed, which Mrs. Hanson de
clared was encouraging. So the month
wore on.
One afternoon towards the end OF
that time, after Mrs. Hanson had
watched the couple bowl gayly away
| ~ lhC AAeNAiAaNf NnC BAAA Aull nEtfN
close to the mans dark one, and the
sound Of their happy laughter floating
back to the older woman, she ordered
out the cob and started for the club
1t was early yet and she would take
drive. 1t was too beautiful to be do
Ing nothing. It was a shame to stay
in the house. Still early to expect
to find anyone, she drove up to the
club. There was always a breeze
there and the piazza afforded a de
lightful view OF the hills and beauti-
full rolling country around. The place
was quite deserted, but drawn W
near the steps was the familiar run
about. Mrs. Hanson eyed 1t doubt
fully and then descended and dis
missed the man. Crossing the piazza
she stood looking off at distant fig
ures playing golf, enjoying the unac
customed quiet that envelOped tht
place, till a sudden sound attracted
, her attention to the living room with
, IN and she turned to the window op
! posite which she was standing.
A man stood inside, his back turned
! to her, absorbed. exceedingly so, "a
t he held in his arms some charming
bit of feminity, whose pretty head
! rested against his shoulder. The bacs
J was suspieiously like Whitney's.
Mrs. Hanson was rooted to the spot
No desire for eavesdropping possessed
her, she was simply oyerwhelmod
= with sudden inability to move. A hor
=, rible suspicion had taken possessio.
5 of her, which was definitely conhrmet
, as they turned and she saw theh
D faces. The man was Whitney. Ths
d girl decidedly was not Anna.
! The couple didn't see her, so alb
: sorbed were they in each other. bu
another figure advanced from a dis
tant corner of the piazza and con
, frouted her. This time II was Anna
Unlike the popular presentation o
the forsaken damsel, she was laugh
ing. She shook her head reproachful
Iy at her astounded aunt.
How cruel of you" she said. Il.
witness such a meeting. Alan hasn'
seen the girl he is eEgag ged TO for sii
weeksl She just arrived this after
noon."
When Mrs. Hanson had regaine
= her breath sufficiently to speak, sh'
= exclaimed:
= "And you knew all the timei"
"Of course | knew. But you de
served a lesson. Forgive me, dca
aunt"
The other dropped her hands at he
sides in gesture Of resignation.