The Jasper news., 1918-07-11


them with the carriage at the station,
and Miss Baker met them at the door
Of the Warren home. The exterior Of
the big, old fashioned, rambling house
was inviting and homelike In spite Of
the gloomy weather, and Caroline
cheered up bit when they turned In
at the gate. Five minutes Of Miss Abb
CALLS society and all gloom disappear
ed. One could not be gloomy where
Miss Abbie was. Her smile of wei.
come was SO broad that, as her en-
ployer said, ut took In all outdoor and
some of Punkhorn Neck" place
which, he fastened to add, was forgot
durin' creation and has sort Of hap
pened of itself since"
Abbie conducted Caroline to her room
old fashioned, like the rest of the
house, but coy, warm and CHEEKY
and, after helping in the removal Of
her wraps, seized her by both hands
and took long look at her face.
You'll excuse my bein' so familiar
on short acquaintance, dearie," she
said, but I've heard 80 much about
you that feels II knew you like
own folks. And you are own folks,
| aitft you? Course you are! Every one
| of Lisha's letters have had four pages
of you to one Of anything else. be-
gun to think New York was nothin' but
you and whole lot of ten story houses.
l declare, you're almost prettier than
he said. May kiss your I'd like to-"
She did, and they were friends at
once.
The house and buildings were spot.
less in paint and whitewash; the yard
was raked clean of every dead leaf and
twig; the whole establishment was so
neat that Caroline remarked upon It
at looks as If 1t had been secured"
she said.
"Um- HIM." observed her uncle, with a
gratified nod; that's Abbie. She hates
dirt worse than she does laziness, and
that amt sayin' little. tell her
she'd sandsoap the weather yane II
she could climb up to it. AS tits, she
stays below and superintends Dan
while he does it."
Miss Baker had planned that her
young guest should sit in state, with
folded hands, in the parlor. She SEEM
ed to consider that the proper conduct
for former member Of New York's
best society. But Caroline refused to
sit in the parlor and be company"
She insisted upon helping. Miss Baker
protested and declared there was moth
ing on earth to be done, but her guest
insisted that If there was not she her
self must sit. As Abbie would have
as soon thought of attending church
without wearing her Jet earrings as
she would of sitting down before din.
ner, she gave in after awhile and per.
mitted Caroline to help in arranging
the table.
"Why, you do fust ra.er' she ex.
claimed In surprise. you know where
everything ought to go, jus. az II you'd
been settin' table all your life. And
you amt, because Lisha wrote you
. used to keep hired help, two or three
of 'em, all the time"
Caroline laughed.
give been studying housekeeping fol
,, almost a year." she said.
"And they teach that-at gchoolf'
she demanded. "And take money fol-
it7 And call 1t science2 My land!
. guess l was brought up in scientific
a household, then. was the only CIR
in the family, and mother died when
was ten years old"
After dinner she consented to sit fol
I time, though not until she had don
ned her Sunday best, earrings and all
, Captain Elisha and Sylvester sat witt
!. them, and the big fireplace In the sit
ting room blazed and roared as 1t hat
; not since its owner left for his loni
a sojourn In the city.
n Caroline's mind was busy with tn,
d suspicion which her uncle's words con
corning his future plans for Steve hat
r aroused. She had thought Of nttl,
\ else since she heard them. The cap
q tain did not mention the subject again
+ Possibly on reflection he decided tina
. he had already said too much. AM
y she asked no more questions. She de
= terminad not to question him-yei
a She must think first and then asl
a some one else-Sylvester.
d her opportunity came the following
IL morning, the day before Thanksgiving
It After breakfast Captain Elisha wen
o downtown to call on some acquaint
d ances.
n After the captain had gone Sylyeste
r. sat down before the fire In the sittin
10 room to read Boston newspaper. A
he sat there Caroline entered and cloi