Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1918-11-13
CHAPTER VIII.
Chef eormIey Tells Some News.

ShSA SOtitfC tCtS SOthS NNNfo'
1t was when she came In sight of
the Parlow place on Monday after
noon, she and Prince. that Carolyn
May bethought her of the very best
person in the world with whom to adj
wise upon the momentous question
which so troubled her.
Who could be more interested in the
happiness of Miss Amanda than Mr..
Parlow himself?
The little girl mad been going to call
on Miss Amanda. Aunty Rose had
said she might and Miss Amanda had
invited her specially"
But the thought of taking the old
carpenter into her confidence and adj
vising with him delayed that visit. Mr..
Parlow was busy ON some piece of
cabinet work. but he nodded briskly to
the little girl when she came to the
door of the shop and looked in.
Are you very busy, Mr.. Parlowr"
she asked him after a watchful min
ate or two.
MY hands be. Car1yn May" said
the carpenter in his dry voice.
"Oh!'
"But 1 kin listen to ye-and l kin
talk"
"Oh, that's nice! Did you hear
about what happened yesterday"
"Eh?" he queried eying her quizzi-
,cally. docs anything ever happen on
Sunday?"
Something did on this Sunday"
cried the little girl. didn't you hear
about the snake?"
what dye mean-snake?"
And then little Carolyn May ex-
planned. She told the story with such
earnestness that he stopped working
to listen.
"Humphl" was his grunted COM
ment at the end. well"
Don't you think that was real ex-
citing?" asked Carolyn May. "And
just see how it almost brought my
Uncle Joe and your Miss Amanda to-
gether Don't you see?"
Mr.. Parlow actually jumped. whats
that you say, child?" he rasped out
grimly. Bring Mandy and Joe Stage
together? Well. 1 guess not!'
ooh, Mr.. Parlow, don't you think
that would be just be-a-you-ti-fui?"
cried the little girl with lingering
emphasis upon the most important
word. Don't you see how happy they
would be?"
81 don't know as anybody's per-
tic'lar anxious TO see that daughter of
mine and Joe Stagg friendly again.
No good would come of it"
Carolyn May looked ut him sorrow
fully. Mr.. Parlow had quite disap-
pointed her. 1t was plain to be seen
that he was not the right one to adj
wise with about the matter. The little
girl sighed
81 really did s'p0se you'd want to
see Miss Amanda happy, Mr.. Parlow,"
she whispered.
Happy? Bahi" snarled the old
man, setting vigorously to work again.
He acted as if he wished to say no
more and let the little girl depart
without another word.
Carolyn May really could not under
stand it-at least she could not inn
tnediately.
That Mr.. Parlow might have a self
ish reason for desiring to keep his
daughter and Joseph Stage apart did
not enter the little girls mind.
After that Sunday walk, however,
Carolyn May was never so much
afraid of her uncle as before. Why,
he had even called Prince good dogI'
Truly Mr.. Joseph Stagg was being
transfOrmed-if slowly.
He could not deny TO himself that,
TO n certain extent, he was enjoying
the presence of his little niece at The
Corners. If he only could decide just
what to do with the personal property
of his sister Hannah and her husband
down in the New York apartment.
Never in his life had he been so long
deciding a question.
He had really loved Hannah. He
knew it now. did Joseph Stagg, every
time he looked at the lovely little
child who had come to live with him
at The Corners. Why just so had
Hannah looked when she was a little
thing. The same deep. violet eyes and
sunny hair and laughing lips
Mr.. Stagg sometimes actually found
a reflection of the cheerful figure of
"'Hannah's Car'lyn" coming between
him and the big ledger over which he
spent so many of his waking hours.
Once he looked UP from the ledger
It was on a Saturday morning and
really did see the bright figure of the
little girl standing before him. II
was no dream or fancy, for old Jimmy,
the cat, suddenly shot to the topmost
shelf. squalling with wild abandon.
Prince was nosfng along at Carolyn
Mays side.
BLESS meT croaked Mr.. Stage.
That dog OF Tours. Car'lyn May. will