Middletown transcript., 1910-04-09
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VA Temporary g
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good temper. He had q fortnight's
leave, which duty required him
to spend with his maiden aunt in
the country, while inclination
strongly urged him to go up to
town in order to see the girl he
loved. But on this occasion duty
had to be considered, for Miss
Drury, the aunt in question, was
a wealthy old lady, and ne was
practically dependent upon her.
All things considered, however,
Fate had not been so very un-
kind to Felix. Left an orphan
1t an early age, he had been
adopted by his mothers elder
sister, who had done her duty
nobly by him. Now at the age
OF twenty-five he found himself q
subaltern in one of the line regi-
ments, with q handsome allow
ance from his aunt, and every
prospect Of becoming her heir.
But-there is always a shut" in
most peoples lives-although
Miss Drury had been more than
liberal to her nephew and for
bore to exercise any but a very
nominal restraint over his actions
yet she had given him to un-
derstand that she meant to ex-
ert her authority in one import
ant matter, namely, the question
Of his marriage.
In due course of time she in
tended Felix to become master
of Woodlands, her beautiful old
house, and since his wife would
occupy her place as mistress, Miss
Drury meant to limit, if not di.
rect, her nephew's choice CT q
bride.
She did not approve Of the
modern woman, the up.to'date
girl, with her cigarette and her
slang, her talk of golf and bridge,
her contempt for needlework, all
things pertaining to domesticity.
Felix could see in his mind s
eye the wife his aunt destined
for him--a meek and modest
young woman of ultra-refned
speech and appearance, and al
ways with a piece of fancy work
between her fingers-and he
shuddered at the picture. Then
he thought, with q sudden tight
ening OF his heart, of Kitty Bel
lairs, as he had seen her last
summer at the house of a brother
oficer-beautifnl, mischievous,
high-spirited, q keen tennis
player, a brilliant horsewoman,
full Of life and laughter. She
had charmed the young mans
heart out of him, and though
Felix tried desperately hard to
Danish her from his memory,
absence, in this case, had GER
tainly made the heart grow
fonder.
I daren't tell Aunt Minnie
about Kitty, thought the young
man, disconsolately. Of course
If she knew her as I do she
couldn't help but love her, al
though she isn't quite her style,
bnt I don't see how they are
ever to meet, since my little darl.
Ing knows no one in this neigh.
borhood, and Aunt Min never
will come up to town.
In the depth of his heart Felix
was genuinely fond of the old
lady, who had so generously
mothered him all his life, and he
was therefore rather disconcert'
ed to find when he reached
Woodlands that Miss Drury was
very much perturbed and upset
about something. Generally his
aunt was q very dainty looking
little old lady, ,exquisitely dressed
and the perfection Of . hostess
But on this particular afternoon
she greeted her nephew in ar
sbsent.minded fashion, her car
slightly awry, her cheeks flushed,
and her beautiful hands trem'
bling.
why, Aunt Minnie, said the
young man, anxiously, whatever
is the matters
Oh, my dear Felix, replied tht
old lady, looking into his hand
some face with troubled blue
eyes, Ihave had such q dreadfu
upset. Two of the housemaid'
are down with influenza, anc
now Parkins who is quite inValu
able, has declared she can hold VI
no longer, and has gone to bee
seriously Id, I fear.
Felix gave a whistle Of dismay
Parkins was cook -housekeeper q
Woodlands, and the pivot upor
which the rest Of the hcuseholc
turned. She was an. exception
ally good cook, and he knew tina
r. 80 4