Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1915-05-28
MARRYING ROYALTY
SO Carl Said When He Welded
the Queen of Cooks.

Good morning, Miss Newton" she
smiled at the little nursery goyerness
who was sitting with Bobby IN the
window seat. Il wonder If you and
Bobby wouldn't like to play today?
We are going to picnic at the pine
grove and"
"Oh, mother-honey! Bobby flung
his sturdy self at his parent viii
there be lemonade and chicken sand
witches? And can l wear my new
white Tommy Tucker suit?"
Yes, to everything" laughed Mrs.
Bliss, kissing him and moving toward
the door. Can you be ready in Is
minutes, Miss Newton
"Of course we can, Mrs. Blissi We
wouldn't miss picnic for the world,
would we, Bobby" She jumped up
and put away books and toys. Come,
childiei"
They danced down the corridor to
iBobbys room where nurse quickly
put him into the mueh-admired suit.
In the meantime Beth Newton
brushed her red-brown hair and
slipped into dainty pale blue ging-
ham frock, then the girl and the little
boy went sedately downstairs to the
front veranda where three motor cars
were waiting for the merry house
party that had filed the Bliss coun-
try horne for ten days.
Some of the girls and women came
up and spoke to Bobby and nodded
kindly to the little governess; one
of them, Miss Nugent tall, graceful,
and carelessly kind in her manner,
introduced Beth right and left, until
presently the girl found herself in
timid conversation with Mr.. Carl Bel
lew, SO many times millionaire
that no one troubled to remember ex-
actly how many dollars there were
and only recalled that he was just as
nice as If he didn't have a penny.
At last they we're off, Beth and
Bobby tucked away in the tonneau
of the last car with Mr.. and Mrs.
Mitchell, the footman and the lunch
baskets which overfiowed on to the
running boards and the luggage car
riers.
This is jollyi" cried Bobby en-
Enthusiastically as they swept out of
the driveway and turned up the road
that led to the Pine Mountain.
Beth smiled absently. Perhaps she
was thinking that it might have been
pleasanter if she had been in one of
the other large cars among that
merry crowd of girls and young men.
But she chided herself sharply for the
momentary discomfort and was soon
her own accustomed happy self, en-
joying the unexpected holiday to the
utmost.
At the pine grove the picnic
hampers were unloaded; james, the
footman. built fire and was then
allowed to return home with the
machines. They were to come for
the picknickers at shutdown. One
can't have a jolly picnic with serv-
ants around" Mrs. Bliss had de-
cided.
Leaving the fire to take care of
itself the party trooped through the
pines to the glade where waterfall
tumbled among the brown rocks. An
acrid smell Of burning brought them
running to the campfire.
The fire had oyercrept the bounda-
ries of its encircling stones and had
licked its way among the pine needles
until 1t reached the four large
hampers.
There was nothing left OF the
food save blackened remnants, and
of the hampers there remained only
charred splinters. AS the picknick-
ers reached the scene the last soda
water bottle exploded with sicken-
ing report.
Seven miles from anywhere"
groaned Mrs. Bliss.
"And not a thing to eat!" added
Mitchell blankly.
"Or to drink" mourned Mr. Mitch
ell as he grubbed among the ruins of
the hampers.
There was a murmur OF discomfort
among the young people. Some OF
the men volunteered to walk back to
the house and bring something to eat
but the question was quickly decided
when few heavy drops of rain fell.
Where is the nearest shelter?"
asked Carl Bellew.
1T must be old Ned Blake's shan
IT," replied Mrs. Bliss. AT least it
will keep US dry for awhile. Come.
everybody"
Someone laughed spirit of adven-
ture into the party and so they has
tened down the slope until under the
shoulder of the mountain they reached
q long, weatherbeaten shanty built
against a great rock that formed its
rear wall
Ned Blake was hermi. who gained
living by gathering herbs and ber-
ries in season.
Repeated knocks upon the door
brought no response. "The latch
string is out" suggested Beth New
ton.
Carl Bellew pulled the latch-string
and pushed open the weather-beaten
door The poor furnishings were
spotlessly clean and neat but the her