The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1916-01-13
PEGGY's Mr.. HUSH
BY JANE OSBORN.

-t's'sFFtF sssFs'ss''es's'ss-'ssss sss 'f''s-.e
There had been but one reason for
Vera Maidstone's hesitation in accept
ing her sisters invitation to come and
take care of the ''incorrigible Peggy
while she and her husband went to this
exposition.
"Of course, know you have not
wanted to visit us since your break
with Jimmy next door" her sister had
written. 'You probably feel that he
would think you were putting yourself
in position to make up. But three
years has made big difference. r.
know you have completely forgotten
him and he is quite an old bachelor. |
and l am sure he won't be at home
much of the time SO please do come.
Little Peggy is not safe to be left I
alone with the nurse"
So Vera had packed her trunks and /
gone to take care of Peggy II was I
hard, very hard, for her to revisit the |
scenes of her acquaintance with James
Brown, and as she actually arrived on
the scene she realized that she had not |
forgotten the episode so completely as
she had hoped.
1t was a week after her sisters de- |
parture and Vera had had little time /
for reverie. For she had discovered |
that the care of the charming child
Peggy was enough to keep any grown
woman's mind occupied during waking |
hours.
She was sitting in the library of the /
old city house, reading by the subdued /
light of the afternoon sun shaded by I
the soft silk hangings at the windows.
Lend me raser, Aunt Vera?"
Peggy was sitting on the floor at her /
aunts feet leaning over her pad
Vera tossed rubber-topped pencil |
down to the child.
"Muvver doesn't let me have 'rasers
any more" Peggy said smiling That's !
cause ate needed rubber one day. /
You know about needed rubbers, Aunt
Vera? l like to eat rubbers."
Vera read ON without making any
comment
Il am drawing you a picture, Aunt |
CAeAy a PlNN0i = VI WI. A1uon. ldl . ]
what | call him because every time
spoke about the people next door muv-
yer just said hush And he is the /
incest man-nicer than anyone in the /
world but you, Aunt Vera. That's why
am drawing you picture of him.
He's just like any other man, so I'll .
hare to make him like the picture I .
did of father for you Except Mr..
Hush hasn't any prickly brush on his
lip that bites you when he kisses you 4
like father. He kissed me today when
/ was there. asked him for two
kisses so could bring cne with the
cookie to Aunt Vera, and he said that
YOU wouldn't taKe the kiss Aunt Vera,
do you think r am good drawer? l
What's the matter? Don't you like
the picture?"
Vera was leaning back in the chair.
the book closed and her eyes lowered. \
For minute she didn't know whether
to laugh or to cry, but with bound
the incorrigible Peggy was in her lap
with the picture she had drawn.
Vera collected herself and looked
severe.
Peggy Jones, thought your
mother said you never went to see the
people in the house next door. Does
nurse take you? How do you get in?"
"Oh, no. Aunt Vera, nurse doesn't
take me. She doesn't know l go. /
just crawl through under the wall at
the back of the garden. But don't say
anything about it to muvver, cause
nurse might ketch it if did and, be-
sides, whenever / ask her about those
people she says hush
Say, Aunt Vera, that man hasn't
got any little girls like me and he
hasn't any lady in his house like muv.
yer or anything. He says he is dread
fully lonesome He says there was a
lady once who was going to come and
stay with him and play on his piano
and sing to him and-and everything,
but she got mad at him. she did, and
now he is going to live alone all his
life in his house, and he's such nice
man and maybe If you are a good
auntie to me I'll take you in to see
him some time before muvver gets
back"
Vera was holding the incorrigible
Peggy close to her, but as she listened
to her story she kept her face turned
away from the child.
Say, Aunt Vera, is it most six
o'clock? Cause l forgot to tell you
that nice Mr.. Hush said he was COM
ing to see us when ne came home
from down town tonight. He said it
would be six o'clock, but if | stayed
up could see him. He said he want
ed to come to see my Aunt Vera only
he was afraid she wouldn't let him.
But | said you would. Now, Aunt
Vera, don't tell him l ate the cookie
he sent you
Copyright, 1915, by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate)
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Versatile Canadian Statesman.