The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1918-09-27
triflin' critters there at the sragg piacs
before she took hold" ,

ICY ouioBihSiy. oic wac very huSi
interested In Uncle Joe and Mis-.
Amanda Parlow's love affair.
"Why didn't they get married-likt
my papa and marma% she asked.
"Oh, goodness knows" exclaimed
Mrs. Gormley. "Some says twas his
fault and some says twas hern. Ant
mebbee twas third party's that
might mention at that" added Mrs
GOrmley. pursuing up her lips In very
knowing way.
"One day." she said. growing conf
Dental, sit was in camp-meeting time
one day somebody seen Joe Stays
drivin' out with another girl-Char.
lOtte Lenny, that was. She was mar.
ried to man over in Springdale long
ago. Mr.. Stagg took Charlotte tc
Faith camp meeting.
"Then, the very next week, Mandy
went with Evan Peckham to a barn
dance at Crockett's, and nobody amt
ever seen your uncle and Mandy Par.
low speak since, much less ever walk
together"
One particularly muddy day Prince
met the returning hardware merchant
at the gate with vociferous barkings
and a plain desire to implant q wei.
coming tongue on the mans cheek.
He succeeded in muddying Mr.. Stages
suit with his front paws, and almost
cast the angry man full length into q
mud puddle.
"Drat the beastw calculated Mr..
Stage. I'D rather have an epileptic
fit loose around here than him. Now,
look at these clo'es! I declare, Car.
Ign, you've jest got to tie that mongrel
up-and keep him tiedw
"All the time, Uncle Joe?" whis.
pered the little girl
"Yes, ma'am, all the time! If find
him loose again, I'll tie bag of rocks
to his neck and drop him in the deep.
est hole in the brook"
After this awful threat Prince lived
n precariOus existence, and his mis-
tress was much worried for him.
Aunty Rose said nothing, but she
saw that both the little girl and her
canine friend were very unhappy.
Mrs. Kennedy, however, had watch
ed Mr.. Joseph Stage for years. In.
deed, she had known him as a boy,
long before she had closed up her own
little cottage around on the other road
and come to the Stagg place to save
the hardware merchant from the con-
tinued reign of those "trifing crea-
lures" of whom Mrs. Gormley had
spoken.
AS bachelor Joseph Stage had
been preyed upon by certain female
harpies so prevalent in a country COM
munity. Some had families whom they
partly supported out Of Mr.. Stages
larder; some were widows who looked
upon the well-to-do merchant as a
marrying proposition.
Aunty Rose Kennedy did not need
the position Of Mr.. Stages housekeep-
err and could not be accused of assum-
ing 1t from mercenary motives. Over
her back fence she had seen the havoc
going on in the Stagg homestead after
Hannah Stagg went to the city and
Joseph Stages final female relative
had died and left him alone in the big
house.
One day the old Quaker-like woman
could stand no more. She put on her
sunbonnet, came around by the road
to the front door of the Stage house.
which she found open, and walked
through to the rear porch on which the
woman who then held the situation of
housekeeper was wrapping up the best
feather bed and pillows In a pair of
the best homespun sheets, preparatory
to their removal.
The neighbors enjoyed what followed.
| Aunty Rose came through the ordeal
as dignified and unruffied as ever; the
retiring incumbent went away wrath
fully, shaking the dust of the premises
from her garments as a testimony
against "any SIGH actions"
When Mr.. Stagg came home at sup,
per time he found Aunty Rose at the
helm and already different air about
the place.
Goodness me, Aunty Rose" he
said, biting into her biscuit ravenous,
ly, II was a-going down to the mill
hands hotel to board. couldn't stand
1t no longer. If you'd stay here and
do for me, I'd feel like a new man."
"You ought to be made over into q
new man, Joseph Stage" the woman
said sternly. "A married man."
mo, no! Never thar!" gasped the
hardware dealer.
"If 1 came here, Joseph Stage, II
would cost you more money than
you've been paying these no-account
women"
81 don't care" said Mr.. Stage reck
lessly. go ahead. Do what you
please. Say what you want. I'm
game"
Thereby he had put himself into
Aunty Roses power. She had reno
waited the old kitchen and some of the
other rooms. If Mr.. Stage at first
trembled for his bank balance, he was
made so comfortable that he had not
the heart to murmur.
OF course, Carolyn May let Prince
n - -