Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-17
THE DAILY NOVELETTE,
AUNT JANET'S BEAU
By augusta Le,cis
ssDO YOU suppose he'll ask her to-
- night, Maidie?" piped up Laura

ssDO YOU suppose he'll ask her to
- night, Maidie?" piped up Laura
from her seat near the window.
Maidie only laughed and answered :
Maybe, with the surprise Aunt Janet's
planning"
We both clamored around her and
tried to learn what the surprise was
But as shc refused TO tell us we left
the room rather sulkily. 1t was then
Laura told me OF Aunt Janet's beau-Ed
Saunders, who called on her every
Thursday. escorted her to meetings on
Tuesday, walked home with her from
church on Sunday. and literally carried
her around with him the rest Of the
week with a most dominant air Of pro-
prietorship.
/ This state of affairs" said Laura.
has been going on for almost seven
years and yet Ed has never asked Aunt
Janet to marry him, and the family are
getting rather impatient"
knew there were many wild spccula-
tions as to the reason for Eds attitude
toward Aunt Janet, but Laura's version
came nearer being right than any.
ED was too sure of Aunt Janet
chlrped she. "All he needed was a jolt
to take him out of the masterfu air he
oaraded when with Aunt Janet"
| could control my curiosity no longer,
so | turned to Laura.
What do you suppose the surprise
is? This morning" | didn't finish.
for shrieks of laughter were coming in
torrents from the room above (Aunt
Ianet's) and could distinguish Maidie' =
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
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
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 size 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 a most rakish angle,
"Why, Aunt Janet h--o-w--, WHY,
stammered Laura and ] between gasps
Eds coming tonight, you know" said
Aunt Janet, "and 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 even
ing I was delegated to watch for Eo
Saunders on the porch and tell the
girls when he turned in at the gate.
I had been out on the porch few
minutes when ! saw him coming W
the walk to the house. There had beer
: loud voices echoing from the living roon
before. but now they seemed to pound
forth, and amid gales of mirth I could
head the words: Aunt Janet's new
bow. He's sure to take notice. I won,
der how she found" And then the
voices traied off into indistinguishab bl,
sounds; and Ed heard As much of this
as I had Just as | started to bolt ht
came up to me and grasped me by The
arm,
Aunt Janet's new beau--what do yo,
know about it?" He fairly splutteret
the words. and then with two strides
he made for the front door. only to bt
4 broad beams of welcome the orange
| bow bristling with Importance in all IT,
grandeur. BY this time the family had
| circled around the two. and we all heard
| Ed say: Janet. Janet, l-l--you'l II
| keep the old beau now, won't YOU
| ianet? And we'll he married tomorrow
| 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.
The next complete ovelett.-"Reso-
lutions."