New Britain herald., 1917-11-17

Why Madge Sought Jhn's Efficient Aid.
 My heart, in vulgar parlance sank into my boots when Cousin Agatha, cleverly reading my intention of go- ing to the post office before taking the noon train for the city, malicious ly frustrated my intention of going there unobserved by remarking she could save me the trouble because she was going down there herself right away.
 For q moment I was in despair. Another of the mysterious, anony- mously sent newspaper clippings en- closed in cheap envelopes addressed to me might come by any mail, and was sure that Cousin Agatha wouldn't hesitate to steam the grimy envelope open and read it if she could manage to do so unobserved. To go away to the city even to investigate the origin of the clippings was inn possible, if the mysterious missives were to be allowed to come to the house.
 When I was in my room prepar- ing for my nasty trip into the city to see Katherine Sonnot, my very dear friend, and my brother-in-law's fiancee, whose help I wanted in de- terminihg whether or not Mrs. Allis naO any mana III SeHuluB InC CllI- pings, I had planned to go to the post office and ask that my personal mail be forwarded for a few days to me in care of Katherine.
 Cousin Agathas Disappointment. ] had no correspondents of such importance that their epistles couldn't wait for several days before I saw them-Katherine and Lillian and old ho bCp | my mother and I had boarded for many years wore my only friends, and they always used the ng-distance l telephone if they wished to tell mo | anything of importance All of them l were far too busy to spend time in writing letters to anyone living so near.
 What should do? I knew Cousin 1 Agatha well enough to know that she'd be at my elbow when ] made my request of the postmaster. I must think out some other way at once.
 And then, spurred by the rowel of necessity, the solution flashed upon nc I turned a nonchalaut face to Cousin Agatha, who was watching me keonly through her half-lowered lids
 No. I am not going to the post office," I returned sweetly. "Thank you so much for offering to help me out. But my errand, upon second thought, is one Katie can attend tC just as well as not. It merely con- cerned a disputed bill at the butch- CTS and, come to think of it, he! never at his shop on this day any way"
 Cousin Agatha's face could not con ceal her. disappointment.
 "An Right, I Fccx."
 "Oh, very well,' she said with hel most resigned, martyr-like tone, ant went upstairs to prepare for tho wall to the post of1fce which she evidentl, felt obliged to take to carry out hel fiction of needing to go there at once As soon as I heard her door close I fairly flew up the stairs to my room and, locking my door, sat down ant wrote an explicit order to the loca } postmaster to forward my persona mail in the care of Katherine Sonno in the city.
 As I was about to sign it, a new question arose in my mind I knev Cousin Agatha's persistence and ; certain clever cunning she possesses That she had graspad my scheme tt forward my mail I was very sure That sho would try to pump the post master with willy, seemingly careless questioning I was also sure. And was not so sure that the kindly gar rulous postmaster would be proo against her machlnations.
 But I could not put into writing warning against his answering thu questions of a member of my house
 hold. l could imagine the toothsom, gossip which would be upon many { lip in Marvin. So I simply signed tho II
 mail and went in search of Katie