The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1910-11-10
FOUND
WANTING

ucT E0COleCllOuS OF MS COUSIN Lucy.
When he was a small boy his par
ents frequently used to take him back
to the small town from which they
both had come. There he rioted among
uncles and aunts, grandmothers and
cousins galore, all of whom he ac-
cepted light-heartedly, as belonging to
the established order of things. Lucy
especially was his chum. She had big
blue eyes and a wide mouth that al
ways laughed and a most wonderful
knowledge Of birds and bugs and
toads. Everybody remarked how beau
tifully the two get along together.
They exchanged Christmas presents
and kept up a correspondence till they
both were grown Then outside inter
ests gradually divided them. Hartney
hadn't been back to the old town In
years.
In the first place, his wife always
preferred to go east or to Europe
when he had any spare time, and In
the second place there really wasn't
anything to go back for, since he had
1utgrown the joys of blackberrying
and making sand pies.
But 1t was with real pleasure that
Hartney recently learned over the
telephone by the voice of Cousin Lucy
herself that she was in town for the
day on her way east. She said she
had Cousin Bertha's daughter with
her and they would be delighted to 40
cept Hartney's invitation to luncheon.
Hartney determined they should
have luncheon they would remem-
Der. He reserved a table at one Of
the most fashionable places in town
and even made out a menu with con-
siderable care.
The cousins greeted each other with
genuine affection. Then Cousin Lucy
said, in a surprised tone, Indicating
the tall and awkward girl OF II who
was with her, why, Cousin Henry,
don't you remember Adeline? Cousin
Bertha's daughter, you know. OF
course, she was a good deal younger
when you saw her last Come to
think of 1t, she was only when you
saw her before. That was the year
the barn burned down. You remem-
Der about the barn?"
To Hartney's embarrassment he did
not in the least remember about the
barn, but he had the presence of mind
to conceal the fact. Still, he was
startled to find that Cousin Lucy was
bubbling over with conversation about
the relations whom he remembered
only dimly or not at all.
You'd neved know Aunt Salina,"
she told him over the soup. "She's
gained forty-fve pounds and hasn't an
ache or pain and it's Just because she
stopped taking those bitters she count
ed so much on. Didn't she always do
her hair up queer?'
II should say she did" Hartney re-
sponded To himself he was repeat
ing over and over, Aunt Salina!
Which one was she?"
"Of course, you know about Artie,"
Cousin Lucy remarked, as she accept
ed, without any display of interest the
specially prepared chicken with Its
wonderful sauces She said 1t in
tone which made one realize how ut
terly unthinkable it was not to know
about Artie, so Hartney said, airily,
"Oh, yes!"
Well" pursued his cousin, with
some excitement, what do you think
about 1t, really? I'd like your opinion!
Could he have done otherwise than he
did,"
Hartney began to perspire. Cousin
Bertha's daughter was cycling him
critically and offering no help, so
there was no escape. Pm afraid
don't know anything about It." he
confessed tt"
What" Cousin Lucy exclaimed,
aggrievedly. Il should think at least
you'd take enough interest in your
relations to remember when one Of
them gets divorce! You remember
what pretty girl she was-Hattie
Smith, the blond one?"
Yes" said Hartney, automatically,
but his tone betrayed him.
Henry" said Cousin Lucy, do you
mean to say you don't recall Hattie
Smith, though you used to eat cookies
by the ton at her mothers? I'm sur
prised at you! think Hattie always
was little Eighty after Toms DEATH
"Oh, was she married before?" Hart.
1ey ventured.
Tom" said Cousin Lucy, coldly.
was her brother. You used to go
1shing with Tom. There were items
n all the newspapers about his awful
why, of course" interrupted Hart
ley. Have some Of this salad dress
ng--it's special kind. How do you
ike these tomatoes?"
I'VE grow bigger ones In our gar.
len," said Cousin Lucy. "Of course,
hese are fixed up different Uncle
ohn's laid up with his leg again.
You'd better come out and see us
Ienry," Cousin Lucy said, trife sc.
erely, when they parted. you seem
D have forgotten lot and we're your
wn people. you know. OF course, it's
cen a good many years and can
your forgetting just ordi.
airy things, but how on earth you
ould have forgotten about Artie's d.
orce beats mel"
II think will run out for a little
lsit next month" Hartney promised
er, abjectly.
They didn't pay much attention to
lie lunch, because 1t wasn't like wha.
ley got at home" he murmured. as
9 watched the departing train.