Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-09-19
p rudenceSaysSo

Blu Ethel HuestOn,
Author of Prudence of the Parsonage "u
The Bobbs Merrill Co. Publishers indianapolis

| Perfectly disgracefully shabby"
put in Fairy quickly. Entirely un'
worthy ,minister-of your-er--lovely
family ,-..,., -, ......,,,. ,.,,r
| n hope none. of you have let it out
among the members how long I wore
:. that old suit. don't believe l. could
face my congregation on Sundays if
III thought they were mentally calculat-,
Ing the, wearing value of my various
garments.--We'll have to CO.. =, Pru-
dence. You all look very fne-7,a cred
it to the parsonage-and am sure,
Aunt Grace will think US well worth
living with" 49, .,,5.I f,n ..-r.. Z, ,
,r And don't muss the house UP beg
gedr Prudence, as, her, father opened
the door and pushed her gently, out on
The four sisters left behind looked
at one another solemnly.. It was a
serious ;business-most serious. 8, Con-
ME grayely put on her shoe, and but
toned it. Lark sewed UP the last hole
in Carols ;stocking--Carol balancing
herself on one foot with nice, precision
for the purpose. Then, all ready, they
looked at one another; j., again7---eVen
more solemnly.
We'll" said Fairy, lets go in
and wait"
Silently the others followed her in,
and they all sat about. irreproachably,
on the Well busted chairs, their hands
folded enthusiastically in their smooth,
and spotless laps.
The silence, and the solemnity,
were very oppressive
oil nj; oh
ligerently.
No one answered.
I'm sure Aunt Grace is as sweet
as anybody could be-" she added pres
emily.
Dreary silence! "
Don't we love her better than any
body on earth-except ourselves?"
Then, when the silence continued,
her courage waned. ''Oh, girls she
whimpered, isn't it awful? It's the
beginning of the end of everything.
Outsiders have to come In now to
take care of US, and Prudencell get
married, and then Fairy will, and may
be us twinS-I mean, we twins. And
then there'n only be father and Con-
ME left, and Miss Greet, or some one,
will get ahead Of father after all-and
Connie'll have to live with STEP
mother and-it'll never seem like
home any more, and"
Connie burst into loud and mourn
full walls. !. u@4yrTs,-
You're very silly, Carol" Fairy
said sternly. Very silly indeed. l
don't see much chance of any Of us
getting married very soon. And Pru-
dence will be here nearly a year yet
And-Aunt Grace is as sweet and dear
woman as ever lived-mother's own
sister-and she loves us dearly and
1870 g.y. a.. s..,.,:.,. 4 i.r1,.
eu"Yes," agreed Lark. ''but it's not
like having Prudence at the head Of
things" a,.. ",-'~ 'MA'
prudence will be, at the head Of
things for nearly year, and-I think
we're mighty lucky to get Aunt Grace.
It's not many women would be willing
to leave a fine stylish home, with
hundred dollars to spend on just her
self. and with amaid to wait on her,
and come TO an ugly old houseS!lik
this to2take care of a preacher and
riotous family like ours. It's very
generous Of Aunt Grace-very"
YES 1t is" admitted Lark. "As
long as she was our aunt with her fine
home, and her hundred dollars a
month, and her maid, loved her dear
ly. Butt don't want anybody COM
ing in to manage US. We can manage
ourselves. We" ....,
1--WE need chaperon," put in Fairy
deftly she isn't going to do the
housework, or the managing, or any
thing She's just our chaperon. 1t
isn't proper for US to live without one,
you know We're too young. 1t isn't
.g..-.;
And for goodness sake, Connie"
said Carol, remember to call her our
chaperon. and don't talk about house
keeper There's some style to chap
eron.'