The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-05-25

tHJ3lE11IHYlVAAiBtN she was not quite her
HNCMI llNSNN self on the first evening
HJNHSl II<SNMIR of her visit to her
He&S "A EHA,H nephew and his wife.
e:S4@gEs@gNsSy Her nerves were none
10 isl of the best, and the
long railway journey had Jared them.
She had left a little bag in the carriage,
and that had Jared them still more;
for there were relics in the bag that
she held holy. Her nephew and niece
in-law had Jared her nerves further.
John. was. so different from the curlyheaded
boy of her memory; SO undemonstrative
compared with the little fellow who
used to leap at her Christine was not
atsall. as she had expected Johns wife to be.
She had fair hair, and Aunt Caroline mis-
trusted. fair-haired women. They were
attentive enough, but q trife formal She
felt herself a stranger among them instead
of one of the family. They pretended to
be interested in the fate of the bag, and in
her history of all its contents; but they
stole from the room in turn to run upstairs
and look at the two-months baby. When
they. were both present they were always
looking at each other. He called her
.GiJ1nS and she called him Boy. They
SQUEEZED each others fingers when they
thought that Aunt Caroline would not
notice. They did not realize how very little
escaped Aunt Caroline's eyes. Her maids
said that she had spare pair In the back
of her head. They were very silly young
people, she thought, and she had made her
pilgrimage IN vain. She wanted relatives
49, &a1 Nd fhoxy
only interested in each other, and the little
sqaeaiing, red-faced baby. She was not
even sure that she liked the baby. It
favored its mother, and she wanted grand
nephew who favored John. So she felt
disappointed and irritable. At ten o'clock
she stated that she had headache, and
would go to bed.
1t was warm night, and the bedroom
window was open. She went and sat by it
to4soothe the Jared nerves. The window
of the drawing room below was open too,
andAheAgeAthe voices of the ydm1g couple
distinctly. oHer hearing was very acute.
"Oh, Boyl" the girl cried. GIVE got
you to myself at lastl"
- Bless you, Girl" said the man. VT ~
p "And they've been married fourteen
months" Aunt Caroline muttered. "The
young foolsl" But her frown gradually
relaxed into smile, as the cool air and the
quiet starry night soothed her; and per-
ihapsuhe happiness of the foolish young
couple She did not shape her thoughts in
words, but they were very much like Bless
you, Girl and Boy" She would win their
affection tomorrow, she was fancying, and
then she heard Johns voice
eve shall find the old lady handful"
he remarked
Aunt Caroline stifened to abnormal
stiffness; and her maids always said that
she sat like a. poker"
Oh deafie me, BoyI" cried the girl.
shall Yoa'H be at the Office ALI day"
Not a Bit" John contradicted 81
shah Be out looking for the bag. -
There was a duet of laughter.
tI shall be hearing about it" the girl
declared. believe l know everything
in it, and who gave it to her, and what they
said And then she mimicked Aunt Caro-
line. "John! I've left my little bag in the
train. Cali porter! Tell the station
master! Send telegram! John-n-nl''
There was another duet of laughter.
She made face like this" the girl said
struggling with her merriment
Ii you screw up your mouth like that,
III" a&<
$50 he shall then! Is her hair heI
own, Boy2 Those funny little curls2''
Aunt Caroline became absolutely rigid
Her hair was the one charm that the thiei
Time had left; and she wore it still in curl:
for the sake Of someone who liked them
someone whom Time had taken; which hac
made all the difference to Aunt Caroline:
story
Goodness knows! You'll see when Sor
and Heir gets hold of them Her temper
her own any way! It's worse for you thar
for me, Girl. You'll have her all, day"
But shall have Son and Heir to re
mind me why put up with her. Really
Jack, if it weren't for him, should be in
clined to say, let her go and keep her money
though, goodness knows, we'd like some 0
kAunt Caroline made quick gesture wit
her hands, and then buried her face il
them. The stiffness was all gone, and sh
huddIed over the window-sill.
.b":Sen and Heir is going to be man,
John. said. He must fend for himself
without sacrificing his little mother.
shall teach him that from the first"
Son and Heir is wee, wee, tiny ma
now" the girls voice answered, and b
cant stop his little mother tending fc
him; and neither can his great, big tyran
ofL a, father THAT'S the daErbtf,Il THING