The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-06-19
AUNT ELMIE
BY MILDRED WHITE.
Icopyrlgat. LIZ. $500 Nemspapag IZnIaa.

what is it, motherg'' Gwendoline
Inquired; this hesitation upon her
parents part bored her.
If you have anything Of Importance
to tell Us, mother" the second daugh-
ter suggested, "why not do sop
Thus encouraged, Mrs. Perkins let
forth her grievance. Anything to tell
you'll !" she burst out, Il should think /
have. And there Is no way to fore
stall the embarrassment of the situa-
ton. Your Aunt Elma-EImie, they
used to pronounce it In the country
| wires that she Is coming to visit us
and will be here on the evening train,
so she is on her way now, and no pre-
venting message could read her. Com
ing, too, just at the time when we are
DESTROYS of making a favorable inn
preston upon Reid Whitehall / am
sure his attentions to you have been
| pronounced of late, Gwendoline, and
/ he is so particular concerning family
Lineage. What win his elegant sister
think of our backwoods re1ation7 For
your fathers people never could be
j kept in the background as I have
heard, and this girl"
lust what do yeu know about her
mother Gwendoline interrupted.
sWell, very little. There was trou-
BILE between your father and me con-
corning his sister at the start You
know, Katharine, what stubborn man
your father is. He has never allowed
me to mention her name since, observ-
ing grim silence when seek infor-
nation. OF course I did make FUN Of
the country girl when first married.
/ We went to the little old backwoOds
house soon after, and all one seemed
to hear was, Elmie Perkinses folks,
meaning your father and me. Elmie'
was an entirely new species to a Chi
cago society girl. and her pink cam
brio sunbonnet and rudy cheeks,
amused me Immensely. Your father
left home early in life for the city,
SO his rusdcify had worn of in success,
but nowweII. to draw the natural
conclusion, Aunt Elmfe Perkins will be
1 q decidedly country product of the
narrow-minded old maid. .
GWendoline froWned in annoyance
while Katharine rose to her feet. ssPer.
haps, she said, 1--WE might arrange the
| rear bedroom as sort of comfortable
sitting room, and persuade our intru.
sive aunt to remain there. At least
that's the only solution / can think Oh
and I viii attend to It now"
Slowly Gwendoline followed hel
more practical sister. sIt really is
unfortunate she said; she laughed
shortly, Mother has had such a des
perate time catering to Reid White
halls artistic nature. I suppose Tho
discovery of common clay among M
antecedents. would give the fastidious
one a jolt"
Katharine turned and stared at hel
sister. "You can joke that way about
the man you lover she murmured.
GWendoline smiled back from thu
doorway. The proper man, whom
am trying to train myself to love" SHE
corrected.
ssWhat shall I do shout meeting
her?' Mrs. Perkins complained. You
father win be out of town over night
and I'm sure shall not go out. W.
could send the auto, but to have hel
arriving with her strange boxes wher
Mr.. Whitehall Is here Mr.. White
hall himself coming in, interrupted TIL
problem.
4 He was a distfnguished-ap appearing
u man, of perhaps middle age. and tls
success of his unusual paintings wa.
making him society favorite.
Closely following the artists vel
come came the telephones call.
TITS Aunt ElIna, the mother whfs
.)ered, ashe is coming up directly. Shl
rang Off before could direct her to
street car
II viii meet her In the hall. Kath
arine said, and disappeared, CLOSING
the portieres after her. Moving to tn
piano, GWendoline played softly, Whil
the handsome face of the man ben
above her. q
In the shadows the gratffied mothe
watched, and smiled. Then at soun1
OF an entrance and low-voieed con
versation her smile vanished. Kath
arine was clicking back the portiere
and leading into the room their unin
Yited guest. With a sort of breathles
triumph she turned to them all.
MY aunt, Miss Perkins,. she an
nounced. For a moment the visito
waited in gracious silence. From tn
dark violet of her molish costume he
face shone young with its fresh color
II am SO glad to see you al" sh
said, and her voice drew them with it
sweet quality. But it was Reid White
hall who advanced to claim her hand
then still holding the hand, looked tc
ward the others.
!. Elma may not forgive me" he sale
s.for so soon making confession. Blu
~ have been silent long enough
Your sister is my promised wife, BIr:
Perkins, and she comes here tonigh
so that the marriage ceremony ma
be performed tomorrow at my sister;
This is the ending of q romance Whic
began long years ago. when I, an 81
student. sought summer board at he
home Since then, this wiIIfuI woma
has been making. a career for herself
studying abroad and coming back t