The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1915-01-20
Mistaken
Identity
BY AppIE '. MITCHELL.

Mrs. Vaughn put down the let
ter she had been reading, with a
troubled little sigh. Her daughter
Nadge looked up from the step.
whats the matter, mother?
You look as il you had been read
ing your death warrant"
al have--the death warrant Of
our peace. Aunt Mary North writes
to ask il we won't keep her Tom
while she and Mr.. North go
abroad"
"Who's her TomS" asked Madge
succinctly.
(. 'sHer stepson. I've not seen
Aunt Mary since she married Mr..
North, and / know next to nothing
Of the North family. But Mrs. VIII
son knew Mr.. North when they
were living in Chicago chat was in
the time Of the first Mrs. North,
and she said there we're two girls
and boy. The boy was in kits
then, and that was Eve years ago,
20 he must be about eight or nine
years old. Aunt Mary says he has
been i'll with typhoid and that she
remembers with hope for his health
that the air at Pinecroft is heal
ing"
7'But we can't have him, moth
or. Think Of having an eight-year-
old boy on our hands the whole
snmmerl We can never get enough
cooked for him to eat, and he'll be
drowned regularly once week and
break all his arms and legs on the
other days. And wanted quiet,
heavenly rest this summer before l
base to go back to that awful Of
Gee"
"But, Madge, can't refuse Aunt
Mary. She was your fathers ia
yorite aunt and always so good to
him. No, Tommy will have to
come, whether we want him or not"
swell, then, when?"
"The letter says next Tuesday
unless they hear from us that it is
not convenient"
''Tell Aunt Mary / have the
smallpox or that / died suddenly
at the news - anything. Please,
motherpo
ri was wondering" said her
mother, whether an eight-year-old
boy would be afraid to sleep in a
room by himself. Shall we put a
bed in the alcove of my room or
Az up the south chamber p
Still grumbling, Madge helped
her mother get ready the south
chamber. As she worked she grew
interested and even took from the
walls Of her own room some in
teresting prints which she thought
would be suitable for 9 boys room.
81 can't see, though, why Aunt
Mary didn't take the little wretch
abroad with her-the sea air would
Do him good. Take out all the
fancy things, mother, as you value
them"
of you only understood big boys
o. well a. you seem TO understand
the small ones you would not be
twenty-four and still single" teased
her mother.
T do, mother" said kadge vehe-
mently. 81 understand them alto
Gether too well, and that's the very
reason / am still single"
There was no immediate reply
to this, and Mrs. Vaughn turned
her attention to the room.
Get all your old picture books
and put them on that shelf, Madge,
and i think I'll bring Jim's old
hobbyhorse down from the attic.
He may despise it, but you never
can tell"
Arrangements were finally com
pleted, and Madge rather looked
forward to the coming Of the little
boy, so that when Tuesday came
she willingly drove to the station
for him, though she protested that
st. Lawrence and his gridiron were
as nothing to the torment she was
undergoing, She took along. a bag
Of cookies, "just to stop up his
mouth so he can't ask questions,
she explained.
The train was late, and Madge
got little loss as she waited in
the open trap with the hot sun
beating down upon her. The pony
was restless. and she dared not
leave him to go inside Of the sta
ton. When the train finally steam
Cd in, however, she gave the reins
to a porter and went to find her
young charge. She watched the few
who came out Of the coaches nerv-
ousIy. with one eye on the dancing