The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-09
Sc 4 INT IAHE Is coming"

" ~ JANE - pW'H
As Harold Peasely came home one
afternoon rather tired from the Office
where he had been entertaining a gay party OF
five familiar spirits at lunclieon-his wife made
this announcement with an enforced calmness.
Harold. overcome by his emotions. sank down In
his chair.
Every Jealous woman Is entitled to life. liberty
and the pursuit of unlappiness. Myrtle Peasely
was no exception 10 this rule. Falsely accused by
her handsome husband Of n Irritation with another
man and knowing her own innocence she did what
she always did In n crisis-sent for Aunt jane.
when will she he hcre:' murmurcd Harold.
AT any moment"
Aunt Jane was from New England. Her early
life. practically MI IF it. had been passed In n
New England village. Her ancestors were Puri-
tnns. Aunt Jane had n conscience like the Rock
OF Gibraltar. He character was one Of those
stern and rockbound affairs upon which no Ger
man siege gun would even have made n dent.
II must 90 to the station nj once" said Myrtle.
'to meet her"
Bur even as she spoke the door opened and
Aunt Jane herself appeared. She had evidently
walked. ms she was almost out Of breath.
That ancient lady was almost invariably ahead
Of time. She had never been known in the whole
course Of her life to miss a train. 1t was csti-
mated that she had wasted at least one-third
of her life in being beforehand and waiting for
others.
II didn't expect you to meet me-" she said.
pccking Harold on the forehead and folding
Myrtle in her gaunt arms. that worked as auto
matically and sternly as n derrick. II found that
l could get an earlier train. and here ! am. Now
what's the troublei"
Aunt Jane was always looking for trouble
and finding il. She scented it from afar and
gloried In 1t. An unexpected funeral in any
family. accompanied by n series Of unusual mis-.
fortunes, acted upon her like a tonic. To find
everybody alive in n household she visited was a
distinct disappointment
Both well?' she shifted.
Harold saw there was no time to lose. He must
forestall her.
"Never better he exclaimed. "But Myrtle and
l felt rather lonely. You see, Aunt Jane. We are
comparatively strangers in Blightville vet, and
so we thought that We would send for you to
cheer us up
Aunt Jane fastened him with her eagle eye.
"You are not telling the truth" she said
severely. 'There is something foreboding. On
my way here I had to walk under two ladders.
Some disaster is impending. Myrtle, my child,
why did you send for me?'
Myrtle could hold In no longer.
Il have been accused she sobbed. "of flirting
with Mr.. Pelt"r. And l am innocent. I have
never loved anyb0dy hut Harold.
And who Is this MI. PeltPr:"
He il II gentleman who lives here In Blight
Vile. His wife is Il social leader. The social
leader. happened TO meet him AT the railroad
station. and quite aS a matter of course ran him
1" his house in my car. And then. and them
Aunt Jane transtixed. yea, actually impaled
Harold with her other eye.
This Is your doing" she said. Il have al
ways declared that | would never interfere be-
tween husband and wife-unless 1t was absolutely
necessary. But this is a case that demands my
utmost resources"
Aunt Jane was always making this declaration.
As Il matter Of fact when she was not attending
to funerals she was doing her hest to break .up
households.
TELL Your side of the story she said to Harold.
and you'd better tell me the truth. as l shall be
sure To find you out
Harold lnughed gayly, albeit his manly heart
sank within him.
This is n beautiful place. dear Aunt Jane, is II
not:" he said blithely. by way of preface. "Weil.
we became tired of the mad voluptuous whirl of
tn" great city and longnd for the idyllic beauty
of the suburbs. Especially did | wish this dc.
lightful life for dear Myrtle here.
w moved about n month ago. Among ,he
leading residents Of this charming suburb are Mr.