The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-07-26

Isent Flanagan, grumbling, with
his rugs to the roof.
1t did not seem possible to carry
on the deception much longer, but
Iif things were bad now, what
would they be when Aunt Selma
learned she had been lied to, made
ridiculous, generally deceived?
And how would l be able to live
In the house with her when she
did know? Luckily, every one WIS
SO puzzled over the mystery in the
house that numbers of little things
that would have been absolutely
Idamning were never noticed at all
For instance, my asking Jimmy
at luncheon that day If he took
lcream in his coffee! And Max
coming to the rescue by dropping
| his watch in his glass of water.
and creating a diversion and Giv-
ing everybody an opportunity to
laugh by saying not to mind, it
had been in soak before.
Just after luncheon Aunt Sell
ma brought me some undergar-
ments of Jim's to be patched. She
Explained at length that he had
always worn out his undergar-
ments, because he always
Isquirmed around so when he was
sitting. And she showed me how
to lay one of the garments over
pillow to get the patch in proper
lily.
1t was the most humiliating
moment of my life, but there was
no escape. / took my sewing to
the roof, while she went away to
find something else for me to do
when that was finished, and / sat
with the thing on my knee and
stared at it, while rebellious tears
rolled down my cheeks. The
patch was not the shape of the
hole at all, and every time l took
stitch l sewed it fast to the pill
low beneath. 1t was terrible. Jim
came up after while and sat
down across from me and watched,
without saying anything. 1 sup
pose what he felt would not have
been proper to say to me. We
had both reached the point where
adequate language failed us.
Finally he said
81 wish 1 were dead"
$50 do l." retorted, jerking
the thread.
Where is she now?"
Looking for more of these !"
indicated the garment over the
pillow, and he wiggled. please
don't squirm," said coldly. you
will wear out your-lingerie, and
| will have to mend them"
He sat very still for five min
utes, when l discovered that / had
the patch in crosswise instead of
llengthwise and that it would not
fit. AS / jerked it out he sneezed.
cor sneeze," / added venomous-
lily. "You will tear your buttons
loft, and l will have to sew them
lon"
Jim rose wrathfully. Don't
sit, don't sneeze,' he repeated.
Don't stand, suppose, for fear
will wear out my socks. Here,
give me that. If the fool thing
has to be mended, I'll do it my
lself."
He went over to corner of the
lparapet and turned his back to me.
He was very much offended. In
about a minute he came back,
triumphant, and held out the re-
Esult of his labor. could only
gasp. He had puckered up the
edges of the hole like the neck of
! a bag. and had tied the thread
around 1t. 'You-you won't be
able to sit down." I ventured.
Don't have any time to sit, =
he retorted promptly. Anyhow
it will give some, won't it? II
would if it was tied with elastic
instead of thread. Have you any
Ielastic?v
Lollie came up just then, and
Jim took himself and his mendine
downstairs. Luckily, Aunt Sell
ma found several letters in his
room that afternoon while she was
Igoing over his clothes, and as II
ltook Jim some time to explain
them, she forgot the task she had
given me altogether.
When Lollia came up 10 tht