The Washington herald., 1913-08-31
CHAPTER XuI-Continued.


the three of them in Jake's old buggy
Jake used to travel to political con-
ventions in the smoker, and, at Il
o'clock, pull a basket up between his
legs, spread a newspaper on his knees,
eat his chicken and sweet pickles, and
then pitch the paper out of the WIN
dow, but when Arne comes back IRON
college he eats in the diner and uses
a finger bowl" he told Aunt Abby.
And they have two hired girls at the
farml Janet and Arne make up the
price of the dining car and the maids
bv figuring out soil analysis. or new
school methods. and don't bother their
heads with picking chickens, or put
ting up lunches"
well. thereTl come an end" she
warned: faint in nature for farm
10 stand two hired girls, or even one+"
He laughed: Get on the band
wagon. AuntyI Then behind her, in
the fragrant kitchen, he saw Old Mich
igan warming his leg across the wood
box. Michigan grinned expectantly:
Done got a letter from our little
girl, Mr.. Curran! And l done brought
it up here first thing for you to read" "
''Aurelie" Wiley was conscious of
a disappointment that she had not
written him. She had sent post card
from some town, with a blithe COM
ment, but little news, only that every
thing was all right. Now he reached
eagerly for the letter in the old SOL
dier's hands. Aunt Abby stopped her
cooking as he tore it open. Then they
lost the world in Aurelie's tale of
wonders.
What she done say, Mr.. Curran?"
Fine! Says you'd look good to her,
now, Uncle Mich. She's having the
time of her life. Everybody's good to
her, and helps her, and the McFetridge
boys are just grand, and everything's
grand" Wiley looked shining-eyed
around: That's the most of it-Just
grand"
Wiley" said Aunt Abby severely,
Il did hope she'd not get her head
turnedI'
Not a bit. She says: Uncle Mich,
the first night | was scared, and when
I walked out there and tried to see
over the lights l Just wilted-inside
Mr.. Gratz stood in the wings with
the book, and hen McFetridge kept
waving to me not to cross so far, and
Mr.. Feldman kept whispering some
thing from the other side, so l guess
l must have looked scared. I tried
TO speak and couldn't say a word, and
! looked hopelessly off, and there was
Mr.. Hanbury having a regular fit be-
cause was going to spoil his play.
He kept shouting to himself and dane
i. ssD-.aI = STLa.,
that made me mad, and ! glared at
him, and then l heard what Morris
Feldman was trying to whisper, and |
said, Father, | am here" And just
right. too, Sol Gratz says-just like the
naughty young beauty / was supposed
to be, who's under suspicion of being
a thief. Because l was mad at Mr..
Hanbury and his old play! And every
time l lost my lines they all helped
me-every one, and you ought to have
seen what the papers said 7" cried Nlr.
Curran-'I wish I'd seen that paper!"
Go on said Uncle Michigan,
'Whens she coming home?"
Don't say" answered Wiley. Says
the hotels are pretty bad, and the the
aters are cold and dirty, but its just
q gloyi Oh, Lord-Aireliel
Likes it?" queried Aunt Abby, from
her doughnuts.
Says she's got a mission! To up
lift the stage! Oh, Lord-AurelieI
But when's she comm home"
quavered Uncle Michigan.
And looking in Michigan's eye, Mr..
Curran saw a tear.
She doesn't say, Uncle Mich. She
Just says she's sending a number of
things for 'you-al' out at the Pocket
with the first money she ever earned
Christmas presents for you and Knute
and Peter and the baby, and Albert
and Mrs. Lindstrom-and for John"
And John, he prayed so mighty hard
he chased her off the place! Reckon
she's the same old girl, Mr.. Curran?"
Sure, l think so, Uncle Michigan"
Don't reckon this yere stage bust
ness'll ever change her a mite, Mr.. Cur
RAM"
Hope not Uncle Michigan. Darn
the smoke-it's getting in our eyes,
amt it?" Mr.. Curran coughed and
spluttered: he didn't want to see the
tears on Michigan's whiskers. The old
man thumped the wooden leg on the
box and against the stove preparing to
get out of the house. Uncle Michi
gan" said Mr.. Curran, "stay to sup
per and we'll talk about Aurelie Gee
whiz, l hope that little girl makes
goodw
You want me to stay to support"
Uncle Michigan turned to Aunt Abby
You're church folks. and I done been
an ole whisky peddler Johnny Reb."
You done been an old fool, Uncle |
Michigan! You sit right here till sup
per's readyp
Right here till supper's readyp
added Mr. Curran. Here's some
more of this letter."
But not any word about comm
homel"
She'll get home. She says up in
Waterloo the comedian got drunk and
nearly busted up the show. And that |
night they had. to cut out her big Sit
uation."
WHAT" gasped Aunt Abby, "cut
out her-what?"
Il swear"
We'll, it can't be serious, or they'd
telegraphedp
Il guess so. She says Mr.. Han
bury changes his play so much they
lust can't keep up with it in rehearsals,
but that Sol Gratz thinks pretty soon
they'll get it all over"
Get over whatever the opera
tion, | suppose, Wiley?"
She's picking up this stage slang so
fast she must be getting on. / swear,
is a fine letter"
Aunt Abby was peeking at it over
1is ShOulder "What's thar Che asLs !