The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1918-09-06

Chuck-a- chuck - came from behind
the old house. A few white-feathered
fowls that had been in sight scurried
wildly away In answer. to the sum-
mons.
Mr.. Stage, still looking at the little
girl, set down the bag and reached
for the dogs leash. The loop of the
latter he passed around the gatepost.
II tell you what 1t is, Car'lyn May.
You'd better meet Aunty Rose first
. alone. I've my fears about this mon
grel."
"Ob, Uncle Joew Quivered his niece.
"You go ahead and get acquainted
with her." urged Mr.. Stage. "She
don't like dogs. They chase her
chickens and run over her flower beds.
Aunty Rose is peculiar, might say"
"Oh, Uncle joel" repeated the little
girl family.
you've got to make her like you, if
you want to live here" the hardware
dealer concluded firmly.
He gave Carolyn May little Shove
up the path and then stood back and
mopped his brow with his handker-
chief. Prince strained at the leash
and whined, wishing to follow his little
mistress.
Mr.. Stagg said: "You'd better keep
mighty quiet, dog. If you want your
home address to be The Corners, sing
small!"
Carolyn May did not hear this, but
disappeared after the fowls around
the corner of the wide, vine-draped
porch. The pleasant back yard was
full of sunshine. On the gravel path
beyond the old well, with its long
sweep and bucket, half hundred
chickens, some guinea-and Il flock of
turkeys scuflled for grain which was
being thrown to them from an open
pan.
That pan was held in the plump
hand of very Misunderstanding wom-
an, dressed in dfab and with a sun
bonnet on her head.
Aunty Roses appearance smote the
little girl with q feeling of awe.
There was no frown on her face ;
1t was only calm. unrufiled, unemo-
tional. 1t simply seemed as though
nothing, either material or spiritual,
could rufile the placidity of Aunty
Rose Kennedy.
She came Of Quaker stock and the
serenity of body and spirit taught by
the sect built wall between her and
everybody else.
"Child, who are your" asked Aunty
Rose with some curiosity.
The little girl told her name; but
perhaps it was her black frock and
hat that identified her in Aunty Roses
mind, after all.
"You are Hannah Stages little girl"
she said.
"Yes'm-if you please" Carolyn May
confessed family.
"And how came you here alone?"
eff you please, Uncle Joe said I'd
better prob1y come ahead and get ac-
quainted with you first"
'First?' What do you mean, frstT y
asked Aunty Rose sternly.
'First-before you saw Prince" re-
sponded the perfectly frank little girl
"Uncle Joe thought maybe you
wouldn't care for dogs"
''Dogsv"
'NO, ma'am. And of course where
live Prince has to live too. So"
$50 you brought your dogT'
'Yes, ma'am."
"Of course" said Aunty Rose com
posedly, II expected you to come here
do not know what Joseph Stagg ex'
pected. But I did not suppose you
would have dog. Where is Joseph
Stagg?"
'He-he's coming"
"With the dog?"
"Yes, ma'nm."
Aunty Rose seemed to take some
time to digest this; but she made nc
further comment In regard to the mat
ter, only saying:
LET us 60 into the house, Car'lyr
May. You must take Off your ha'
and battle your face and hands,"
Carolyn May Cameron followed the
stately figure of Aunty Rose Kennedy
into the blue-and-white kitchen Of the
old house, with something of the feel
ing Of culprit on the way to the
block.
Such big kitchen as 1t wasl The
little girl thought 1t must be almost
as big as their whole apartment II
Harlem put together"
The httle girl took Of her plair
black hat, shook back her hair and
patted II smooth with her hands, Their
plunged her hands and face into the
basin Of cool water Aunty Rose had
drawn for her Mt the sink. The dust