The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-02-17
Observation-Disclosures
AUNT Adde'S CONSENT
BY ERNIE STURGlS.

Gwen saw him as the car rolled up
to the station platform. He was stand
ing over near the express Office talking
to Batty Madison and he raised his cap
to her with the cheerful, ingenious
smile of one who has overlooked the
past.
Very. very slightly she had bowed
her head, so slightly that the curling
| pheasant-tail feather hardly wavered
in the air. Her mother was busy CIV
ing last injunctions to the chauffeur.
Clifford glanced at her several
times before it really dawned on him
that she was still provoked at him.
Then he tried to remember what had
| caused it.
They had decided, first of all, not to
fall in love. That had been in the
summer when she had gone to the
shore. II he could just promise to be a
good pal and steer away from the sen.
sister to him, but sort Of second
cousin.
And then right out of the blue sky
there had dropped-Dick. 1t had al
most seemed part Of the summer rou.
tine that Dick should appear sooner or
later. But there had been trouble be-
tween them, and the day she had been
swept out to sea past the lifelines it
had been Dick who had swan to the
rescue and brought her back.
But you needn't have treated him
the way you did just for that" Clifford
had said, most disagreeably. 1--WE
saved lots of girls lives, but they
didn't act as If was hero"
Il didn't" Gwen had answered pleas.
antly. 81 just treated him like dear
old friend. Nv known Dick for years.
And you've known me just six
weeks. Which do you like the best Sc
far?" 1t was impossible to stay angry
very long with Cliffs good-natured
face smiling at one. They had really
been wonderfully good friends until be
had stepped over the border land OF
good faith and proposed to her.
81 don't suppose you can help it, but
I'm so sick and tired Of playing heart
balm for every boy know. They all
propose sooner or later just from hab
it, do believe, or because they know
/ won't accept"
why won't you"
Don't you really know? Uncle
Stanhope left all his money to his ia
vorite sister, Aunt Adelaide, and she's
an unbeliever in men'-Gwen's brown
eyes were sparkling with fun. so she
put half in trust for me until | was
twenty-one on condition that didu't
marry by then and the other half wher
am thirty on condition that am not
married then"
What If you do?"
1T all goes to some charity She's
very peculiar"
III you really loved the right man
you'd throw the whole thing up in the
air." Cliff had returned 81 never would
have thought you were mercenary."
That had been in late August Now
it was December and he was visiting
Batty Madison. She had seen him sew
eral times, but that one word woult
come between them. He had suggest
ed that she was mercenary. Today
she waited until her mother and Aun
the chair car before she even permit
ted herself to remember that the onl!
man she had ever really missed was il
the next car.
1t did seem as IL Aunt Addie was un
usually trying. She wanted to recline
then she wanted to 60 out on the oh
servation and get breath of fresl
air, then she wanted some cracked ice
and finally she wanted to play bridge
1t was five hours to Boston and sh'
simply couldn't stand it without some
diversion, and she wished she hadn'
come anyway. Just then she beamet
radiantly on somebody coming aloni
the aisle, and 10! it was Cliff.
We'll, IL it isn't Cliffie Bigelow," sh'
exclaimed. Come here, child. Pv'
known him, Gwen, since he was knee
high to a toadstool; lived next US a
Weston for years when your uncle wal
alive. How's your mother, Cliffie? Do
ing pretty we'll for her age, isn't she
Sit down and take a hand, for pity.
sake"
Gwen never forgot those five hours
1t seemed as il Aunt Adelaide was pos
sessed to make her unhappy. She tolt
stories of Cliff when he was a littl,
boy and big boy, and how he hat
saved her life once when old Ora!
Eagle took fright at the morning ex
had stopped him.
you know, as long as we're goin,
out home for a few weeks, I kind o
think I'll have you stay with us, Cliff
The folks will be up in Boston, and tn,
house is all closed up. You're goinl
to Weston, amt your
why. no. ma'am. was on my wa.
to Boston"
Nonsense. Come along with us
Maybe you and Gwen can comfor
each other, for / declare she's tn,
mopiest girl l ever saw since las
summer. Go out on the platform, yol
two, and see If we're near Providence
! yet. want to get a look at Prov
dence"
They stood together on the observa
ton platform, and Gwen was Laughing
biting her lip to keep from it, blu
laughing.
Suppose we had been married an,
I'd have had the money to chase afte
gypsy moths?" Clifford leaned agains
the door and looked at her Isn't sh
a regular old dear, though? | neve
knew she was your aunt. | take /