The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1919-10-31

|. keep me. out Iii the open air. But if
perhaps your finances"
ooh, it isn't that SO much" the old
gentleman laughed uncomfortably. II
guess we could still afford new horse
or two, if need be-"
II thought you said"
The Major waved his hand airily.
ooh, few retrenchments where
things were useless. And If you want
this thing so very much"
"It's not important enough to bother
about, really, of course"
swell, let's wait till autumn, then,"
said the Major in tone of relief.
"We'n see about it In the autumn, If
you're still in the mind for it then.
You remind me of it, along in Sep
| tember-or October. Well see what
| can be DONE" He rubbed his hands
cheerfully. "We'n see what can be
done about it then, George. Wen
see."
And George, In reporting this con-
versation to his mother, was ruefully
humorous. "In fact, the old boy
cheered up SO puch," he told her,
you'd have thought he'd got real
load off his mind. OF course 1 know
he's anything but misery; still can't
help thinking he must be sailing lot
Of money away. / know prices are
| higher than they used to be, but he
/ doesn't spend within thousands Of
what he used to, and we certainly
can't be spending more than we always
have spent. Where does it all go to-?
7 Uncle George told me grandfather had
| sold some pieces Of property, and 1t
looks little queer. I have faint
suspicion, not that he's getting miserly
| not that at all-but that old age has
begun to make him timid about money.
There's no doubt about it, he's get
ting a little queer: he can't keep his
mind on a subject long. Right in the
middle Of talking about one thing he'll
wander off to something else; and
shouldn't be surprised If he turned
out to be lot better off than any Of
us guess"
! 1SdDCl udu q UIlSht luCd. NCOi SlC !!
| Instead of tandem wouldn't it inter-
est you to get one of Eugene's automo-
| biles?"
| 81 don't think so. They're fast
enough, of course. In fact, running
one of those things is getting to be
quite on the cards for sport, and
people go all over the country in 'em.
But they're dirty things and they keep
getting out Of order, SO that you're
always lying down on your back in the
mud and"
"Oh, no." she interrupted eagerly.
Haven't you noticed? The way they
make them now you can get at most of
the machinery from the top. I do
| think you'd be interested, DEAR"
George remained Indifferent. "Pos-
sibly-but I hardly think so. know
lot of good people are really taking
them up, but still"
"'But still whatw she said as he
paused.
"But still-well, I suppose I'm a
little old-fashioned and fastidious, but
I'm afraid being a sort Of engine
driver never will appeal to me,
mother. It's exciting, and I'd like that
part Of it, but still it doesn't seem to
me precisely the thing q gentleman
ought to do. Too much overalls and
monkey wrenches and grease! No; I
believe I'd rather wait for September
and tandem. mother"
/ Nevertheless George sometimes con-
sented to sit In an automobile, while
waiting for September, and he fire.
| quently went driving in one of Eu-
| genes cars with Lucy and her father.
He even allowed himself to be escort
ed with his mother and Fanny through
the growing factory, which was now,
as the foreman Of the paint shop in
formed the visitors, turning out car
and quarter day."
From the factory Eugene took them
| to lunch at a new restaurant, just
opened in the town, place which sur
| prised Isabel with its metropolitan
air. and, though George made fun of
her, in whisper, she offered every
| thing the tribute of pleased exclama-
| tons; and her gayety helped Eugene's
to make the little occasion almost a
! festive one.
Georges ennui disappeared in spite
of himself, and he laughed to see his
mother in such spirits. II didn't know
mineral waters could go to a persons
head" he said. "Or perhaps it's this
place. 1t might pay to have a new res
tauraDt opened somewhere in town
every time you get the blues"
"No," Isabel said, "what makes me
laugh so much at nothing is Eugene's
factory. Wouldn't anybody be delight
ed to see an old friend take an idea
out of the air like that-an idea that
most people laughed at him for
wouldn't any old friend Of his be
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