The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-04-24
AUNT ANNA'S ANXIETY
BY LUCILLE cUMMiNoA

seems 70 OUT OF tue QuebtlOu " Aoo
that when received . letter from
Aunt Anna asking all the family
out to the farm for New Years day
I did not think the invitation needed
to be taken seriously.
She wrote to me because she
wanted me to change the gloves
had sent her for Christmas. They
were several sizes too small for her
and she appeared to think It would
be an easy matter for me to exchange
them for the right size. They are
gloves that Carl BIZ IS brought me
from Europe two years ago. and
though they are beautiful they are .
little too tight for even my small
hands. thought, Of course. that Aunt
Anna would simply put them away to
keep for one of the children. That
is what she should have done instead
of insisting that ! take the trouble
to change them.
Ones responsibility for . present
ought to cease when the gift 10 made.
but Aunt Anna 10 one OF those terribly
thorough. going persons who never let
. matter rest until It 10 settled to
their satisfaction. I shall have to ouy
Z pair Of gloves. suppose. though
have resolved to b - economical %
possible this year.
Arthur knight had invited me- 70 %
down to one Of the hotels and - the
old year out. but when I inadvertently
mentioned It before father Saturday
morning b Immediately Vetoed tAs
plan.
but, daddy" I told him, IT win
b awfully dull for me to cit drearily
at home the last night Of the year
when one always expects % have .
little fun" The disappointment was
% great that I couldn't keep ny teaEs
back.
"Well," said father, III you are dreary
In the midst Of your own family ask
some OF your friends in and have .
quiet celebration BY your own nre'
SIDE"
| acted At once upon this susses.
ton and when I called up Arthur
knight he said he was glad OF the
change Of plan.
II don't believe you would have On.
! yed the downtown celebration -
much a. you thought you would" hs
said, laughingly. "Your father 10
quite right. We shall have . much
better time at your house"
Although am really fond Of Arthur.
I think he is rather foolishly strait
laced in his ideas.
I was fortunate In finding . num-
Der OF friends who had no engage
! ments for New Years eve and 20 It
was . congenial party that gathered
! to watch the dying Of the old year.
I think every one was . little sur.
prised at the somewhat elaborate hot
supper we had Just 1t midnight.
I managed things so we'll that It was
really very little trouble. got Cousin
Fannie to prepare In advance creamed
chicken for me to serve from the chat
ing dish and have the coffee ready In
the percolator 80 Betty could preside
1t that.
This careful prearrangement Of
mine made It possible for Cousin Fan
nile and mother to stay In the kitchen
and fry the fresh mushrooms, fill the
patties and make the hot biscuits. In
the morning grandmother had made
some Of her old fashioned molassea
cake that the men always rave over
should have suggested It absolutely
fresh, but when l suggested It mother
Immediately objected.
Blanche" she said. 1T would b
preposterous for you to keep your
grandmother up till after II o'clock q
night merely to bake molasses cake.
why, I believe che would like Il
DO It." I answered. Grandmother d
such q wonderful woman that latl
hours never Tease her. I'm Away
Dragging about how young my granny
h."
This pleased grandmother % much
that think she would have stayet
up oil night to bake the cake II tina,
had been necessary. but still mother
would not let her do % had sug
gested. Mother really ought to le,
Grandmother have her own way more
We were In the midst Of our gay
little feast when the bell rang. Father
emerged from the library and found {
telegraph messenger boy at the door
"Why, what's this?" he exclaimed
when he had glanced at the message
from Aunt Anna: why didn't you
come? 10 any one III! am terribly
J anxious"
blanche" said father, calling me
out in the hall. do you know any
thing about this?"
Il suppose she expected 10 out q
the farm today" I replied.
why should she expect us!" Il
quired father.
well, she wrote me asking 40 on
out for New Years. She said she'd
expect 10 II she didn't hear to the
contrary. or course knew that none
OF us would care to 90 and In the
excittment Of getting up this party
that you wanted me to have I forgot
to write her"
"F0rsot!" exclaimed father in . vefy
unkind way. blanche, without excep