Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-11-21
SECTION0
Evening Star S
Daily Story
"FECKLESS FANNY"
BY MOLLY MONSTER.

land feckless,'' her rich uncle from
the heather hills told her, and until
you can do something, either cook,
sew, manage a household, or any
mortal thing that is useful, you'll not
get a farthing of the fortune your
father put me in trust Of" He
glowered under heavy brows at the
pouting girl and tried not to soften
when she slipped her arms about his
neck.
81 can love you though" Fanny
told him, with an alluring smile. so
what does 1t matter whether l can
bake cakes and knit socks?"
Loving is all very well, young
la.ssie, until my socks require darn
ing or my shirts buttons, and you
can't help me out. l would have to
go shirtless and sockless If l were q
poor man depending on your capabili-
ties" He refused to be cajoled and
glowered still more darkly at Fanny.
"Until you have learned to make per-
feet shirts for me and presented me
with a half dozen Of which you have
made every stitch / will not trust you
with your inheritance"
"Why, Uncle Sandy, I couldn't
make a wearable shirt in a thousand
years"
Then it will be thousand years
before you get another farthing from
me- He drew her roughly but with
great affection down onto his knees,
you are good-for-nothing, feckless
doll
Dolls are very useful in their own
place. suggested Fanny.
"Aye-but not so essential as
shirts" Uncle Sandy reminded her.
But I don't even know who to go
to In order to learn how to make
shirts" walled Fanny dolorously.
THE more shame TO YOU" scolded
her uncle. You're more feckless
than I imagined"
In the end Fanny did find some one
to teach her the art of sewing. Lit
tie Mrs. Hollywood came from the
Woman's League and her duty it was
to hep such feck,ess creatures as
was Fanny. Mrs. Hollywood was a
most delightful little wi ow who
quite charmed Uncle Sandy's heart
with her intelligent handling OF his
niece.
"a fine type of woman" he said to
Fanny; you could much worse than
pattern yourself after her"
II will be as feckless as can about
learning to sew laughed Fanny with
mischievous eyes turned full upon her
discounted uncle.
She spent many weary hours bend
ing over the needle, but 1t really
seemed as If her fingers had not been
Fashioned for the plying of the needle.
1t was weeks before she could stitch
a seam that did not look like the
laborious work of child of six years.
"Uncle Sandy will be long time
waiting for his shirts" she sighed TO
Mrs. Hollywood, land goodness only
knows when l will ever get my in
heritance."
Mrs. Hollywood looked askance at
her pupil.
Didn't I tell you that Uncle Sandy
has refused to give me a single penny
until l present him with six shirts
which 1 have made all by myself?''
Fanny laughed hopelessly and
pricked her soft white finger for ths
third time in five minutes.
What a tyrant your uncle must
be-" Mrs. Hollywood said with low
cred eyelids.
Indeed he is not" flashed Fanny
quickly, ''but he certainly does be-
lieve in girls being useful as well as
ornamental. He Is the best uncle in
the WORLD she added warmly, and
went desperately to work OH the
white silk of Uncle Sandy's shirt
Mrs. Hollywood smiled PERHAPS,
after all, it would be the better plan
to go straight to the girls uncle and
tell him those things that had been
in her mind for several days past.
do you think he would mind hav-
ing little chat with me?" she asked
Fanny in her quantity shy manner.
Fanny looked up eagerly.
"Oh if you only would have talk
with him and impress upon him my
utter stupidity as far as sewing is
concerned. and the hopelessness OF
trying to teach me. will be grateful
to you for life Fanny told her, and
her eyes sparkled at the bare thought
of tossing her needle and threads
and shirts out of the window
Mrs. Hollywood cast a swift glance
jnto the mirror to ascertain whether
or not this was one OF her fair days
brown hair was concerned. Satisfied,
she turned again to Fanny.
"If he is not too busy | will go
right now and speak with him." she
said, smilingly.
Fanny jumped up precipitately.
knocking her sewing basket to the
floor, and rushed to Uncle Sandys
library. When she returned she
pulled Mrs. Hollywood to her feet and
pushed her toward that same library
door.
the mirror when he heard soft
knock. He had wondered as to the
set of his tie and the twist Of his
sandy mustache.
II hope / am not intruding,' Sug-
gested Mrs. Hollywood, and being sat
isfie6i that the visit was a pleasure.
began her appeal toward Fanny's ces-
sation of sewing. Your niece Is one OF
those girls, and there are many. who
are really not able to sew. 1t makes
her frightfully nervous-I have no
ticed shocking change in her dis
position since she had tried yainly to
master the art"
Uncle Sandy twirled his mustaclle
fiereely and giowered at Mrs Holly
wood from beneath heavy brows
Realizing the ground she had
gained, the little woman continued
quickly, Besides, your niece is so
charming. so altogether complete in
her makeup that one hardly expects
her to be more than her own lovable
self No doubt she does her portion
of good in the world without a.
making shirts" The last word was
spoken with a little upward inflec-
tion of voice that quite captivated
Uncle Sandy. He smiled and drew
nearer to Mrs. Hollywood. He
smiled a second time, but less open
ly. at the soft color that flew into
her cheeks.
IT told Fanny she was feckless,"
he began the while he watched Mrs.
Hollywood's face keenly, but it's
evidently / who deserve that title. l
don't know much about womenfolks,
exoept to feel when l want one OF
them to marry me and take care of
my niece until she finds man to do
it for her. I wonder Uncle