Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-07-08
Looking for Bobby:
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since men had been admitted within
the sacred precincts Of Shcrin Hill
Mrs. Shcrin's great love had come
lat. in life, when she was a widow
with five daughters. She had fairly
worshipped the unworthy man who on
the eve Of their wedding had eloped
with chorus girl Mrs Sherin had
turned tecluse, and forced her daugh.
tiers to follow her example,
But somehow Ray, the eldest daugh.
ter, managed to meet and fall In love
with Bob Hillman, a tourist, visiting
the little town She married him first
and asked forgiveness afterward. The
forgiveness vas refused but she was
very happy with Hilman. The shock
OF the tragedy OF their double death in
q hotel fire brought the beated par
don and opened Sherin Hill to the lit
tie 6-year.oId wko had been left alone
In the world.
Nearly a whole year had passed
before Robert really began to
miss his boyish playfellows and
realize that even four very pretty
aunts who adored him, were no fair
exchange for one boy chum. Aunts,
despite their prettiness. cannot climb
trees or coast or white and so it
happened that Bobby struck up a
warm, though surreptItious, friend
ship with Ned Huntington, who lived
to the east of Sherin I'm and who had
looked long and lonsingly after the
pretty aunts with no happy results SO
far
A broken sled started the friend.
ship.
Going to fix it," Ned asked, and
Bobby nodded, solemnly.
'It'll take lot Of time he said
yuefully. And youli have to wait three
days before you can go coasting again
Just because there is no man up at
your house to use screwdriver and
a hammer" Ned asked. pityingly
you poor little chap. Pass the slCd
over here and III have it fixed in no
time at all.
Very unwilingly Bobby passed the
. sled over the low wall and followed II
over himself He trotted beside Ned
as that long,legged young man sped
toward the Toulouse, and he was lost
in wonder at the display of tools in
the little workshop.
He did not intend to make a secret
of his visits to Neds, but some innate
delicacy prevented him from telling
the willing aunts that he had found
piayfellow more to his liking, SO it was
several weeks before Dell Sherin, who,
being the youngest Of the pretty aunts,
was Bobby's most frequent playfelow,
began to notice that the boy no long
Oh came to her with please that she
coast Or SIX tie or throw snowballs.
Wondering VIII he should suddenly
find new amusenents, she slipped out
one afternoon to see what took him SO
often to the east lawn. Careful
ly she parted the branches OF the
hedge to peer throughN Bobby and
young man We're pelting each other
with the newly fallen snow, and she
gasped with Indignation as she saw
the young man occasionally throw a
snowfall with what seemed to her to
be brutal force.
She was about to push through and
demand that the game cease when
Ned suddenly sent ball whlzziIg
toward Bobby's head with such force
as to cause the youngster to duck.
The ball sped on and struck the hedge,
The branches broke It's speed but with
10 light shock ii broke against DelPS
snug little fur cap. She gave scream
of terror that brought Bobby and Ned
running toward the spot. Dell was
more scared than hurt. but it was with
q white, anxious face that Ned leaned
over her and sought to assure him.
self that no damage was done.
II had no idea that there was any
one back of the hedge" he cried in
distress. 1T was very thoughtless
OF me. but -you all seem to keep away
from this side Of your property. Only
Bobby ever comes here
1T was to see what he was doing
here that came" she explained Il
was afraid that he might be getting
into mischief
"He was only seeking his own
kind" declared Ned. "A small boy
has a right TO father or an uncle or
some one masculine and since Bobby
was not provided with any of these
very essential relatives, | sought to
supply the deficiency.
''You are very good she nurmur.
ed realizing for the first time that
the Young man was good to look upon
She struggled to her feet, swaying |
slightly, and Ned caught her arm to
save her from fall.
You must let me see you to the
house he said with gentle impera-
tiveness that was new and very pleas
ing to the girl.
Mrs. Sherin and the three elder
girls regarded the appearance of a
man In the Sherin grounds with shock
ed surprise, but Bobby fastened to
the rescue with IN explanation.
me and Uncle Ned was having
SNOWFALL fight" he announced, "and
AuntIe Dell came to look for me and
he soaked her with a SNOWFALL be-
cause he didn't know she was there.
81 call him Uncle Ned" he explain
ed, but, of course, he amt real I'M
NJ.