The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1918-01-23
ELAINE'S AUNT
Bv IzOLA FORESTER.

tossed him the letter. "Read 1t your
self"
Delaney obeyed, and the CLEAN OF
fun in his blue eyes deepened.
"Who is Aunt Jess? Sounds to me
like a pretty good old sport"
"You mustn't call her an old sport"
replied Elaine, with touch Of hauteur
in her tone. "After all, ones family is
ones family, and it is not for any out
siders to speak Of the same bantering-
ly. She is very respectable maiden
lady from Middlebury, r. !. I have
not seen her since I was little girl,
but she was my fathers favOrite Sis
ter, and, of course, shall do the prop
er thing by her.
"Of course, you WILL" drawled De-
lancy, pleasantly, ''but Mt the same
time, it's an internal bore having her
on here just at this time. You won't
be able to 60 to the ball."
'Indeed I WILL" replied Elaine, 'if
T have to- hire trained nurse to look
out for Aunt Jess while I'm away"
Thursday afternoon Elaine went to
the railway station to meet Aunt Jes-
sica. The express was on time. She
stood ut the gate watching the pas
sengers as they passed through, look
ing for little, somewhat bewildered
woman in clothing Of a past mode.
Suddenly some one touched her on the
shoulder, and the clearest, most at
tractive contralto voice asked:
'Isn't this Elaine?"
For the moment Elaine was speech
less. Could it be possible that this
slender, beautifully tailored woman
was Aunt Jessica? Her suit was in
the latest mode, right to the tops Of
her dark tan high-c,rt boots. Her wide
brimmed straw hat was black. with
Just exactly the right touch Of hand
embroidery on it to make it smart, and
underneath the brim there smiled at
Elaine the brownest Of laughing eyes.
Her dark hair was dressed high,
Elaine could tell, with not trace of
gray. Her complexion was perfect,
and she looked about twenty-eight at
the most. Elaine motioned to a por-
ter to carry the suit case and call a
taxi while she tried her best to accli-
Matte herself to Aunt Jessica.r
'.Now, dear, don't let me upset any
Of your studio plans or engagements"
said Miss Stowell as the taxi whirled
them DOWNTOWN. "YOu know have a
very nice little millinery shop in New
port, and 1 have been running up to
Boston every spring and fall for the
new styles. This year I decided to
try New York, although you catch the
more conservative foreign touch in
Boston, I think. Just 60 ahead with
your own work and don't mind me. We
professional women understand per-
fectly the value Of time. You're really
keeping yourself up very nicely. So
many artists let themselves run down."
Elaine was reduced to state Of alb
solute meekness, almost gasping for
breath. That night, instead Of the
usual little bachelor supper, Aunt Jes-
sica insisted on going downtown for
dinner, with box seats afterward at
one of the snappiest shows in town.
She had all her campaign mapped out,
just the plays she wanted to see, the
places where she wanted to cat and
the people she wanted to meet.
Elaine never forgot that week. The
first time that Delaney stepped foot
into the studio his languor vanished
under the stimulus Of Aunt Jessica's
greeting. She swished him off as her
escort that afternoon, and he was her
slave thereafter. Elaine, slender. and
frail as poets narcissus, sat back in
an oak chair the night of the artists
ball and WATCHED her aunt dance, not
only with Delaney but with every elig-
ible man in the quarter. She danced
beautifully. And this was the woman
for whom she had expected to hire Il
trained nurse! AS they passed by she
caught Delancy's adoring look. De-
lancy, Of all. people! The dilettante
novelist, everlastingly seeking new in
terests.
The next morning he came over to
the studio with an oddly sheepish look
Of happiness on his face.
"Has she told you yet?" he asked.
"Lord, Elaine, don't see what wO1n-
an like her sees in me. She's SO glor-
iously efficient. 1t makes me ashamed
of all the months I've wasted. I'm
going to pitch in now and do some
thing worth while. She's going to let
me handle her advertising matter and
thinks she can get one Of the big stores
in Boston to let me try theirs, too"
advertising matter!" Elaine gave
him one long look. A week ago, De-
lancy had seemed necessary part Of
that window seat, and now he was 60
ing to write millinery ads for Aunt
Jessica.