Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1918-08-16
CHAPTER III.
HwslI-she'Il Be a Nuisance"


Mr., Joseph Stage, going down to his
store, past the home and carpenter
shop Of Jedldlah Parlow, at which he
did not even look, finally came to his
destination In a very brown study. So
disturbed had he been by the arrival
OF his little niece that he forgot to
question and cross-questlon young
Chetwood Gormley regarding the pos
slble customers that had been In the
store during his absence.
"And tell you what think, moth.
err" Chef said, with his mouth full, at
supper that evening. II think her
coming's going to bring about changes.
Yes, ma'amw ~-.'o.--.'--.. q.
Mrs. Gormley was a faded little
'woman--a wldow-who went out sew
Ing for better-to-do people in Sunrise
Cove. She naturally thought her boy
Chetwood great deal smarter than
other people thought him.
"You know, mother" he said, on
this evening of the arrival Of Carolyn
May, II never have seen any great
chance to rise, workln' for Mr.. Joseph
Stage"
"But he pays you, Chet" his mother
said anxiOusly.
"Yep. know. Don't be afraid I'll
leave him till see something BETTER"
he treasured her. 'But l might be
clerkin for him till the cows come
home and never see more'n six or
eight dollars a week. But now it's
apt to be different"
"How different, Chet?" she asked,
puzzled.
"You know Mr.. Stages as hard as
nalls-as hard as the goods he SELLS"
declared the gawky boy. mind you,
he don't do nothln' mean. That amt
his way. But he don't seem to have
mite Of interest In anything but his
shop. Now, it seems to me, this little
niece Is bound to wake him up. He
calls her rHannah's Car'lyn.'"
"Hannah Stage was his only sister,"
said Mrs. Gormley softly. II remem-
Der her."
"And she's just died, or something,
and left this little girl" Chef contln-
ued. "Mr. Stages bound to think of
something now besides business. And
mebbe he'll need me more. And I'll
get chance to show him I'm worth
something to him. So, by and by, he'll
put me forward In the business" said
the boy, his homely face glowing.
''Who knows? Mebbe It'll be Stage &c
Gormley over the door one of these
days. Stranger things have hap
pened."
Perhaps even Chetwood's assurance
would have been quenched had he just
then known the thoughts In the hard
ware merchants mind. Mr.. Stage sat
In his back office porting over the let
ter written by his brother-in-law's law
yer friend, part Of which read:
From the above recital of facts you will
plainly see, being man of business your
self, that Mr.. Cameron's financial affairs
were In a much worse condition when he
I Immediately looked UP the Stone
bridge Building and Loan association. It
is even more moribund than the papers
state. The fifteen hundred dollars Mr..
Cameron put into It from time to time
might just as we'll have been dropped into
the sea.
You know he had Only his salary on
the Morning Beacon. They were rather
decent to him, when they saw his health
breaking doIUn n offar him ha ri moo ~
going to the Mediterranean as correspond
emit He was to furnish articles on 1.-THE
Debris Of a World War"-stories of the
peaceful sections of Europe which have to
care for the human wrecks from the bat
tlefelds.
1t rather cramped Mr.. Cameron's Inn
mediate resources for your sister to go
with him, and he drew ahead on his ex-
pense and salary account. 1 know that
Mrs. Cameron feared to allow him to go
alone across the ocean. He was really In
bad way; but she proposed to come
back Immediately on the Dunraven II he
Improved on the voyage across.
Their means really did not allow of
their taking the child; the steamship COM
pany would not hear Of a half-fare for
her. She Is a nice little girl, and my wife
would have been glad to keep her longer
but In the end she would have to 80 to
you, as, understand. there are no other
relatives.
OF course the fiat is hare. and the fur
niture II you do not care to come on to
attend to the matter yourself. will do
the best can to dispose OF either or both,
Mr.. Cameron had paid years rent III
characterization an unwise thing, I
thought-and the term has still ten
months to run. He did It 80 that his wife,
on her return from abroad, might have
no worry on her mind Perhaps the fat
might be sublet, furnished, to advantage.
You might state your pleasure regarding
this
You will see. by the copy Of your BROTH
er-in-law's will that I enclose, that you
have been left ip fYll and sole possession
and guardianship OF hip property and az
fairs. Including Carolyn May.
And II somebody had shipped him
crocodile from the Nile Joseph StAa0
would have felt little more at loss
as to what disposal to make OF the