Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-04-15
jANET'S BEAU
BY AUGUSTA LEWIS.



do you suppose he'll ask her to-
night, Maidie?" piped up Laura from
her seat near the window.
Niaidie only laughed and answered:
Maybe, with the surprise Aunt Janet's
Planning"
We both clamored around her and
tiled tic learn what the surprise was.
But as she refused to tell US we left
the room rather sulkily. 1t was then
laura told me of Aunt Janet's beau
Ed Saunders, escorted her to meetings
Oh Tuesday, walked home with her
flOm church on Sunday, and literally
carried her around with him the rest
Of the week with most dominant air
of proprietorship.
"This state of affairs" said Laura,
has been going on for about seven
years and yet Ed had never asked Aunt
Jane to marry him, and the family are
getting rather impatient"
knew there were many wild specu-
lations as 70 the reason for Eds atti-
tude toward Aunt Janet, but Laura's
version came nearer being right than
any.
ED was too sure of Aunt Janet"
chirped she. "All he needed was
jolt to take him out of the masterfuG
air he paraded when with Aunt Janet"
could control my curiosity no long
er, so l turned to Laura.
"What do you suppose the surprise
is? This morning" l didn't finish,
for shrieks of laughter were coming in
torrents from the room above tAunt
Janet's) and l could distinguish Maid
les shrill voice saying: But where
did you get it, Aunt Janet. it's really
too" And again she went off into
gales.
Laura and needed no urging. With
one bound we had made the top of the
stairs, and fairly flung ourselves into
Aunt Janet's room. There, doubled up
on the floor, sat Maidie rocking in
paroxysms of laughter, and mother
with her face working spasmodically
tried to keep back the smile which how
cred round her lips, but finally burst
out in howl of laughter. And Aunt
Janet-we took one look and collapsed.
Standing in the center Of the room
with very grim expression she
stood, wearing in place Of her somber
black bow a gorgeously-colored and
highly-ornate orange one of Haunting
length, embroidered with black beads
and set at most. rakish angle.
''Why, Aunt Janet, how, why"
stammered Laura and between gasps
Eds coming tonight, you know"
said Aunt Janet, land when he sees
my new bow"
We turned and fed. The sight of
Aunt Janet standing there as demurely
as the bow would permit was too much
for our tender young minds. Then we
planned the performance for the eve
ming. I was delegated to watch for
Ed Saunders on the porch and tell the
girls when he turned in at the gate.
/ had been out on the porch few
minutes when l saw him coming up
InC wan W Tie uOuSc. lHcTc lldu Dccu
loud voices echoing from the living
room before, but now they seemed to
pound forth, and amid gales of mirth
/ could hear the words: "Aunt Janet's
new bow. He's sure to take notice. l
wonder how she found" And then
the voices trailed off into indistinguish-
able sounds; and Ed heard as much of
this as l had. Just as l started to
bolt, he came up to me and grasped
NE by the arm.
"Aunt Janets new beau-what do
you know about it?" He fairly splut-
tered the words, and then with two
strides he made for the front door, only
to be confronted by Aunt Janet wreath
ed in broad beams of welcome, the
orange bow bristling with Importance
in all its grandeur By this time the
family had circled round the two, and
we all heard Ed say: Janet, Janet,
I-I-you'll keep the old beau now,
won't you, Janet? And then" the
words stuck.
OF course. Aunt Janet attributes the
success of the plan to the new bow,
but Laura and think differently.