Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1916-03-07

BY JANE OSBORN.

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 the
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 we're putting yourself
in a position to make up. But three
years has made a big difference.
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
alone with the nurse"
SO Vera had packed her trunks and
gone to take care OF Peggy. 1t was
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
the soft silk hangings at the windows.
Lend me a 'raser Aunt Vera?"
aunt's feet leaning over her pad.
Vera tossed a rubber-topped pencil
down to the child.
'Muvver doesn't let me have 'rasers
any more" Peggy said smiling. That's
cause l ate a needed rubber one day.
You know about needed rubbers, Aunt
Vera? like to eat rubbers."
Vera read on without making any
comment.
II am drawing you a picture, Aunt
Vera, picture of Mr.. Hush. That's
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 a picture of him
He's just like any other man, so III
have to make him like the picture
did of father for you. Except Mr.
Hush hasn't any prickly brush on his
| lip that bites you when he kisses yor
like father. He kissed me today wher
I was there. l asked him for two
kisses so l could bring one with the
cookie to Aunt Vera, and he said tha
you wouldn't take the kiss. Aunt Vera
do you think I am a good drawer
| What's the matter? Don't, you lik'
the picture?"
Vera was leaning back in the chair
the book closed and her eyes lowered
For a minute she didn't know whether
to laugh or to cry, but with bound
the incorrigible Peggy was in her laI
with the picture she had drawn.
Vera collected herself and looked
severe.
Peggy Jones. l thought YOU
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 al
the back of the garden. But don't say
anything about 1t to muvver. cause
nurse might 'ketch it. If l did and. be
sides. whenever l ask her about those
people she says hush
Say. Aunt Vera, that man hasnr
got any little girls like me and he
hasn't any lady in his house like muv
yer or anything. He saws he ia drAod