Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1918-05-30
CHAPTER xV--continued.

d
"Pack the suitcase and the bag, will
you, Auntie, and"
'T already have" she answered,
laughing at their frantic energy.
sand / put out these white dresses
for you to wear, and"
"Gracious, auntie! They button In
the back and have sixty buttons
apiece. Well never have time to
fasten them" expostulated Carol,
without diminishing her speed.
"Tll button while you powder, that'll
be time enough"
81 won't have time to powder" called
back Carol from the bathroom, where
she was Splashing the water at reck-
less rate. "Tll wear veil and pow
der when I get there. Did you pack
any clean handkerchiefs, auntie? I'm
clear out. If you didn't put any in,
you'd better go and borrow Comics.
Lucky thing she's not here"
Shining with zeal and soap, Carol
dashed out, and Lark dashed in.
Are there any holes in these stock
ings?" Carol turned around, lifting
her skirts for inspection. 'Well, I'm
sorry, / won't have time to change
them. Did they come in the auto
GoodI" She was brushing her hair as
she talked. eyes, we had luncheon,
all pie, though. We played tennis
this morning; we were intending to
come home right along, or we'd have
phoned you. We were playing with
George Castle and Fritzie Zale.-Is it
sticking out any placer She lowered
her head backward for her aunt to see.
"Stick a pin in 1t, will you? Thanks.
They dared US to go to the pie counter
and see which couple could eat the
most pieces of lemon pie, the couple
which lost paying for all the pie. It's
not like betting, you know; it's a
kind of reward of merit, like a Sunday
school prize. No, I won't put on my
slippers till the last thing, my heels
sore, my tennis shoe rubbed the skin
off. My feet seem to be getting ten
der. Think it's old age2"
Lark now emerged from the bath
room. and both twins performed fly
aug eACHdHSe OF dresses.
"Who won?"
clark and George ate eleven pieces,
and Fritzie and only nine So Fritzie
paid. Then we went on the campus
and played mumble-te-peg or what
ever you call it. 1t is French
auntie."
did they ask us to stay a whole
week, auntie?" inquired Lark
ayes. Jim was wearing his new
gray suit and looked very nice I've
never been out to their home. Is 1t
very nicer"
"Um, swell" This was from Carol,
Lark being less slangily inclined.
'"They have about sixteen rooms, and
two maids-they call them 'girIs'-and
electric lights, and private water sup
ply, and-and-horses, and cows-oh
it's greatl We've always been awfully
fond of Jim. The incest thing about
him is that he always takes girl
home when he goes to class things and
sccials. I can't endure a fellow who
walks home by himself. Jim always
asks Larkie and me first, and if we
are taken he gets someone else. Most
boys, if they can't get first choice, pike
Off alone"
"Now, Carol" said Aunt Grace, smil
Ing. "Be easy on him. He's SO nice
It would be a shame to"
Carol threw up her eyes In horror
I'm shocked" she cried Then she
dimpled. "But 1 wouldn't hurt Jim fol-
anything. I'm very fond of him. Dc
you really think there are any-er-
Indications"
"Oh. I don't know anything about it
I'm Just Judging by the rest of the
community"
Lark was performing the really diff
fcult feat of putting on and buttonine
Der slippers standing on one foot fol
the purpose and STOPPING low. Hel
~Ns was flushed from the exertion.
'Do you think he's crazy about you
Carol?" she inquired, rather seriously
End without looking up from the shot
she was so laboriously buttoning.
ooh, don't know. There are few
circumstances which seem to poin
that way. Take that new gray suit fol
instance. Now you know yourself
Lark, he didn't need a new gray suit
and when a man gets a brand-nev
suit for no apparent reason, you cal
generally put it down that he's wax
ing romantic. Then there's his mothe
she's begun telling me all his gooC
points, and how cute he was when h
was born, and she showed me one of hi
curls and lot Of his baby pictures
1t made Jim wild when he came in an
caught her at 1t, and she tells me hov
good he is and how much money he
got That's pointed, very. But mus
confess" she concluded candidly, "tha
Tim himself doesn't act very loverly.
"He thinks lots of you. know" sal
Lark, seriously. whenever he's alon
with me he praises you every minut
Of the time"
"That's nothing. When he's alon
with me he praises you all the time
too. Where's my hat, Lark? I'll be
Connie xUora IF tho liftfa cinpnrf M,