Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-05-20

I haven't seen you in dozens and doz-
ems of years!"
Not since you were i've, Helena, y
corrected Uncle David gravely. And
you must be - let me see; why, bless
me child, you are seventeen!"
/ I'm as old as l look - or as young
uncles dear only tell me, please,
which one OF you is which?
Then Helena Strang was properly in
troduced to her three charming grand
uncles, who proceeded to enjoy her
youthful enthusiasm to the utmost.
/ Uncle Anthony loved to recite his
favorite poems to Helena, and in her
he found a gentle, appreciative listen
err. Uncle David challenged her to a
nightly game of chess and was highly
delighted when she vanQuished him as
she frequently did. It was Uncle Ben
jamin who was the sportsman of the
family, and together he and Helena
drove each day to the country club
and tramped over the golf course, be-
coming, in due time, delightfully."- chum-
my.
Then the three old gentlemen con-
! ceived a plot to marry Helena to one
of their neighbors, Jack Lyman, an al
together desirable young man, who, on
his part, lost no time in falling in love
with the fascinating grand niece.
It was about this time that a e
markable change took place in Hell
ena. Something seemed to have damp
ened her high spirits, and she went
about with depressed and half fright
ened look on her charming face. All
the grand uncles noticed 1t, and, final
ly. Mrs. Muffet was called in consulta-
ton.
II might classify her disease as
guilty conscience" Mrs. Muffet dag
nosticated, with sour smile
MRS. Muffett" roared the three old
gentlemen In chorus. Then Uncle An
thony arose in his most dignified man.
ner and informed his hou2ekeeper that
if she would step into the library he
would pay her up to the first OF the
year and that Amos would drive her to
the station at once.
"Ill TO-" said Mrs. Muffett angrily,
but before do leave I'd like to ask
one question = how is it that Miss Hell
ena came here twelve years ago with
pair of beautiful brown eyes = and
now her eyes are blue blue as
violets?"
The trio of uncles gasped.
"Fiddlesticks!" calculated Uncle
Benjamin, first to recover.
"They are very blue, indeed" MUIR
INJURED Uncle Anthony, tenderly.
"I've heard that the eyes of infants
frequently do assume another color in
after years." defended Uncle David.
Miss Helena was no infant when
she came here before, sir" returned
Mrs. Mutfett grimly. "She was Ave
years old, for I was chambermaid then
and took care Of her. Her eyes were
brown like her mothers and her hair
was the same color - and she gave
no promise Of. looking like this one.
If you'll excuse my saying so, she
couldn't be as handsome!"
"Then - then, who is our Helena?"
demanded Uncle David fiercely.
IAN imposter!"
absurd" almost shrieked the three
uncies in concert, and Mrs. Muffett
was allowed to depart under suspend
ed sentence Of dismissal until they
could investigate the case Of the niece
whose relationship to them she had so
boldly questioned.
what shall we do?" asked Uncle
Anthony, feebly, when they were alone
LET us get the truth" said Uncle
Benja firmly.
So they went in body into the gar
den on their distasteful errand.
They came upon her suddenly at the
turn Of corner arbor. Jack Lyman
was with her, and what the would be
incuisitors saw made them forget their
errand.
The young people did not see the
three anxious old faces = they were
too deeply absorbed in the telling OF
q wonderful story whose setting should
always be in rose garden.
Guilty. the granduncles tiptoed back
to the house. 81 will wire the news to
Isabel and ask their consent" whis-
pered Uncle Anthony.
At which his brothers blushed rosy
red, for they knew that meant speedy
solution of the problem. 1t would
soon be known to them whether they
had indeed been entertaining their
srandniece or an impOster, as Mrs.
Muffett had charged.
"She is a dear child, anyway" de-
clared Uncle David gruffly, and the
others nodded assent
Uncle Anthony scratched off tele-
gram. of which the others approved:
"Helena is quite we'll and wants
your consent to her engagement to
Jack Lyman, our particular friend"
1--WE should receive reply by din
ner time said David as he prepared