The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-06-01

men that Aunt Josephine delighted
in him and had urged him to drop II
informally whenever he felt inclined
In fact, Aunt Josephine quite yearned
to mother the dear boy. I quote YER
batim from Nancy.
I had never noticed any gallantry
about Casey, old-school or otherwise
nor should I have described him as
quaint. Moreover, my own status
with Mrs. Robinson vas so formal
as to be almost frosty, and she showed
no desire to enter into any relation
ship with me, however remote. In
fact, Aunt Josephine's manner was
distinctly inimical, and I ragged hotly
but impotently.
T mentioned the case to Starr one
day.
You're talking perfect rot" he
said. casey is forever tagging after
me; I can't lost him"
Ferguesson corroborated this state.
ment with certain amendments, and
added:
"He is tame cat about the house
at Mrs. Schuyler-Smythe's. She's
perfectly daTy about him. I won
der"
Starr and / wondered also, and
we all became thoughtful.
81 consider" remarked Randy, at
last, that Casey is as good as en-
gagged"
$50 do l." agreed Starr.
I felt immensely relieved, and
thought I must have misjudged him.
1t is so easy to imagine things.
Starr walked downtown with me
that afternoon, and it was evident
that he was uneasy in his mind.
When he told me he had read and
admired my last magazine article
suspected he wanted me to do some
thing for him, but when he added
that I had not been paid enough !
was sure Of it.
I made a few tentative remarks re-
garding the political situation and
other topics of general interest, but
they were not we'll received and con-
versation languished.
Billy" he began at last, you're a
good old sort, after ALL"
I thanked him and waited further
developments.
1.-THE fact is" he continued, I'm
in no end of a mess"
I Immediately became apologize.
"I'm awfully sorry, Starr, but I
have not a picayune just now"
"Oh, it isn't money; it's Aunt Har-
riet."
"Who?"
"Aunt Harriet. I wish she had
never been born, together with all
my other relations. In fact,
I'm not at all sure they ever were
born, and that's the trouble. I'm
simply badgered to death about
them"
I began to have a ~glimmering of
light, and laughed unkindly.
"Well, BERTHE, what about Aunt
Harriet"
"She is coming on for a visit; that's
ALL"
When"
Next week. I'm to dine with them
the night she arrives, Is surprise.
She'll be surprised all right, won't
she?"
"Oh. what a tangled web we weave
When first we practice to deceive"
INSERT MIN
1 quoted maliciously, and then sug-
gested to owning up to a case Of mis-
taken identity.
Mrs. Schuyler Smythe would
never receive an impostor," objected
Starr, land she's got to keep on re-
ceiving me. She thinks I'm some
body else, so I've got to be somebody
else. Goodness knows wish I were
somebody else. Besides, you forget
Casey"
I had forgotten momentarily, but
I realized at once the difference it
might make in his future. 1t seemed
a pity that so eminently suitable a
girl as Mildred should be withdrawn
from Casey's radius of action. 1t
narrowed competition, and that often
produces disastrous results. There
fore I felt a budding interest in Aunt
Harriet and a sympathy for Starr.
You'll do what you can to help
me out, Billy?"
1 rashly pledged myself to do any
thing under the sun, and then haz-
arded a question:
"You really think Casey will win
out?"
Not a doubt of it."
1t was delightful to hear the sin
cere conviction in Starts voice, and
l quite glowed with satisfaction.
We'll" I remarked, "old Casey
is all right. Miss Mildred Schuyler
Smythe might live longer and do
worse. And l hope they'll both be
happy"
Look here" said Starr, "you don't
know what you're talking about. A
girl like Mildred wouldn't look at
Casey"
wouldn't she?"
certainly not. Sometimes you
seem positively lacking in intelli-
gence."
"Then"- was slightly bewildered
then whom is Casey going to