The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-06-24
CHAPTER XIII.
He Does Not Deny 1t.

Aunt Selma got up the next morning
and Jim told her all the strange things
that had been happening. She fixed on
Flanagan, of course. although she still
suspected Betty Of her watch and other
valuables. The incident of the comfort
she called nervous Indigestion and bad
hours.
She spent the entire day going through
the storeroom and linen closets and run
ming her fingers over things for dust
Whenever she found any she looked at
me. drew long breath, and said, Poor
JamesI" It was maddening. And when
she went through his clothes and found
some buttons off (Jim didn't keep man,
and Takahiro had stopped at his boots)
she looked at me quite awfully.
His mother was a perfect housekeep-
err" she said. James was brought up
In clothes with the buttons on, put on
clean shelves"
Didn't they put them on him?"
asked, almost Historically. 1t had beer
bad morning. after a worse night
Every one had found fault with the
breakfast. and they struggled down one
at a time until I was frantic. Then
Flanagan had talked at me about the
pearls. and Mr.. HARRISON had said GOOD
morning" very stiffiy and nearly ratified
the inside Of the furnace out.
Early in the morning, too, I overheard
a scrap of conversation between the DO
| liceman and our gentleman adventureI
/ from South America Something had
/ gono wrong with the telephone and Mr.
| HARRISON was fussing over It with q
! serew-driver and a pair OF scissors-al
| the tools he could find. Flanagan Wa:
! lifting rugs to shake them on the roof
| Bella's order.
Wash the table IInenr' he was grum
/ bling. TN do what I can that's neces
sary. Grub has to be cooked and dishe,
has TO be washed-Pn admit that. L
you're particular, make up your bee
every day; ! don't object. But don't tel
me we have TO use thlrty-three table
napkins a day. What did folks do befori
napkins were invented? Tell me that!
-triumphantly.
/ What's the answer?" Mr.. Harrison
| inquired absently. evidently with tn
| screw-driver in his mouth.
USED their pocket handkerchiefs! An'
II the worst comes 20 the worst, Mr.. Har
bison, these folks here can use thei
| sleeves, for all care-not that the WON
en- has any sleeves to speak Of. Wasl
clothes ] VIII not"
We'll don't worry Mrs. Wilson abou
| IT," the other voice said F1annigal
Strengthened himself with grunt.
| Mrs. wilson," he said "A lot sh
would worry. She's been a disappoint
ment TO me, Mr.. HARRISON, me thinking
that now she'd come back 10 him, afte
leavin' him the way she did. they'd b
Ike two turtle-doVes. Lord the cool
next door"
But what the cook had told about Bell
and Jimmy was not divulged. for III
! HARRISON man caught him up with
jerk and sent Flanagan. grumbling. wit
his rugs 10 the roof
II did not seem possible to carry o.
the deception much longer. but If thing
| were bad now, what would they be whe
Aunt Selma learned she had been He'd &C
made ridiculous, generally deceived? An
how would be able to live In the hous
| with her when she did know? Luckily
| every one was so puzzled over the mys
terry IN the house that numbers Of iittl
things that would have been absolutel
damning were never noticed at all. Flo
instance. my asking Jimmy at luncheo
that day II he took cream IN his coffee
And Max coming to the rescue by droI
|
creating a diversion and giving every
body an opportunity 10 laugh by sayin
not to mind it. ii had been in soak befor,
just after luncheon Aunt Selma brougf
me some undergaTments Of Jims 70 b
patched. She explained at length that h
had always worn out his undergarment
because he always squirmed around S
when he was sitting. And she shove
me how to lay one OF the garments owe
a pillow 20 get the patch in properly
II was the most huniliating moment c
my life, but there was no escape. I too
my sewing TO the roof. while she wer
away TO find something else for me to q
when that was finished, and I sat wit
the thing on my knee and stared at I
while rebellious tears rolled down m
cheeks. The patch was not the shape {
the hole at all. and every time took
stitch I sewed IL fast to the pillow be
meath. 1t was terrible. Jim came U
after a while and sat down across froI
me and watched, without saying any
thing. suppose what he felt would No
have been proper to say TO me- We ha