Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1915-02-11
AN UNOFFICIAL INVESTIGATION.
n UNIT Deborah keenan,, who was Wis
A iting her nephew, Billy keenan,, and

"a iting her nephew, Billy keenan,, and
his wife, sat in tile bay window max
ing tatting and listening. From her van
tage point she commanded view OF the
street, only block long. that harbored
the Billy Keenans and many other con-
genial families whose nominal heads were
cogs in the governmental machinery at
Washington. Her nephew Billy had a
moment before tramped down the street
whisting, jumped up the steps that were
exactly like all the other steps in the
neighborhood, and banged open the front
door. Billy worked in the Forestry De-
partment, and, according to the family
into which he was born, was imbued
with the manners of the forest primeval.
The family that he had acquired for him
self did not agree with that opinion. That
family sat now on the edge OF her chair,
telling him the news of the day; her
cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were
wide with indignation.
"Billy, this morning it was the worst
you ever heard" she said, "only OF
course you didn't hear; but Aunt Deb
and did They quaneled in the kitchen
this time, and such racket as they made !
They must have thrown things at each
other; there were several bangs against
the wall u
Billy rumpled his hair Savagely. "lf
this thing goes on much longer | shall
notify the police"
"And have an investigation - cried
Mrs. Billy, hopefully. Everything wrong
is being investigated these days; why
not the Daytons ?"
Aunt Deborah had laid down her tat
ting and opened her mouth 10 sneak
when, with a startled ejaculation, her
niece law whisked through the dining
room into the kitchen, whence came a
faint odor OF scorching turnip. The street
did its own housework except on Mon
days.
Aunt Deborah hesitated, closed her
mouth, picked up her tatting, and looked
up the street again. On the other side of
the Keenans' living room, tiny hall and
dividing partition, was the DaYtonS' llv-
ing room, with bay window exactly
like the bay window occupied by Aunt
Deborah. The Daytons' bay window
was also occupied. The young woman
whose voice had arisen with such angry
shrilInesS in the morning was sitting
quietly there with her back 10 Aunt De-
borah. She also was gazingup the street.
In few moments short, heavy man
clad in gray swung down the sidewalk.
The man had heavy voice that thun-
dered angrlY and often against the wo-
mans shrill voice on the other side OF
the dividing house wall.
Billy keenan, arrived behind his aunts
chair just in time 10 see the gray coat tails
disappear into the Daytons' hallway.
Aunt Deborah had seen something else
that caused her 10 wrinkle her fine old
brows and purse her thin lips meditatively.
"The brute !" growed Billy at the dis
appearing coat tails. Billy, having mar
ried the one really adorable girl IN the
world, longed TO lay violent hands on the
owner of the gray coat. Mrs. Billy, who
was welded 10 the king Of men, firmly
believed that the young wife on the other
side OF the wall needed good Shak-
ing" AuntDeborahm made tatting, looked
up the street, and wondered. Al the
dinner table she heroically swallowed
scorched turnip, and asked questions
about the much discussed neighbors next
door. From the answers she cleaned
that the Daytons had arrived four weeks
ago, that Mrs. Dayton had beaten her
rugs only once, that Mr.. Dayton had re-
Gently entered the Geological Survey,
and that no one in the block had called
on them.
"Of course when Mrs. Shay and didn't
call we had 10 give our reasons, said
Mrs. Billy. "Mrs. Shay lives on the
other side OF them. and she hears all that
we do, and we couldn't let our friends
get mixed up with such people, could
we? That would be unfair"
al wish we could freeze 'em out OF the
street p growled Billy. "This neighbor-
hood has always been filled with very
agreeable department fellows and their
families"
The following day was one OF those
homesick Washington days, when the
| fog settles down like an inverted bowl,
and shuts out the light and the air shuts
out everything, in fact, except the rain
Aunt Deborah sat in the bay window
with a soft, silken, bright -colored, many
hued India shawl about her, and frowned
as she looked up the street. Her fingers
were occupied with rheumatism rather
than tatting. Billy broke his umbrella
handle in the door, and went off without
whistling. From the unwonted morning
silence next door came the man in gray,
and bobbed up the street through the
fog beneath his umbrella. Then in the
bay window appeared Mrs. Dayton's
girlish back; her face was turned up the
street. And presently Aunt Deborah,
watching, forgot her rheumatism, while
into her face came again the shadow OF
the same perplexity that she had felt the
day before.
An hour later Mrs. Billy appeared with
comforting hot-water bag for the pain
full fingers. In Mrs Billy's sweet face
was a look of sympathy, and her lips
were trembling.
20 dear, she exclaimed, 81 wish there
wasn't hole in our back fence! Now