The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1919-06-19
If l Had
Known
~
xcopsrishi. 1914. BY Mcclure Newspaper
syndiosss)

ffLorffINf kss, bf Mcclure Newspaper
syndiosss)
"why don't you ask Carol Thurston
90 joln your MerrymakersT Aunt
Lursila F0x asked Mariana Marks.
"She's rs young as a lot 81 your mem
bers. and she's never been IN anything
hut the Ladies' Aid aud the Patriotic
Sisters"
"No. indeed" replied Mariana, with
toes Of her auburn head. shell
have 10 stay sith the Ladies' Aid or
else organize n League of Old Maids.
She was born one anyway"
stun aud nonsense! :" exploded Aunt
Lnrc,fa. Carol never had chance.
Her mother made her into an old WON
IN before she was through with her
teething ring. We older women can't
help her. but she might catch the habit
~of being young from you"
The Merrymakers wasn't organized
to do missionary work." shifted Ma.
risnna, ss she nounced away.
Carol felt BIZ wistful when word
of the Merrymakers reached her. II
vas the first organization In Sloan
Center which aimed 10 combine pleas
ure With profit and work. But she was
very busy Jus, then. as the Ladies' Aid
was arranging living calendar. and
the Patriotic Sisters struggling 10 put
bust ~ Lincoln on the public library.
You are So much younger than the
rest OF us was the stock phrase which
urged her on to effort In these socie-
Ties.
Carol was thirty-two True. that
had been the child Of age. and what
ever her masterful mother had thought
or read or been, Carol shared with her.
The only appreciable difference made
IN her life by the death Other mother
was that all Of Mrs. Thnrston's old
friends felt free TO levy upon the
daughters time.
''The Merrymakers cnve progres.
sive dinner last night" Aunt Lureita
was making q morning call upon Carol.
you know-Started with soup. that
was NJ Fanny Bonner's. and had one
thing nj each house until they wound
up with lee cream and cake at Mari- |
Annals"
Carol, pretty picture In her pale
blue chambray. ms she sat peelnc !
peaches on, her shady back porch |
flushed ~
"They seemed 10 he having good |
time when they passcd here" she re-
piled. aGaing. 70 turn the subject, "We
have on five dollars more 10 raise
for our Lincoln hust. Aunt Luretta."
as that Soi" Aunt Luretta asked |
abseuty. "They say that Mariana
has her eye on Edward Lindsay. the
new lawyer aud that he has his eye on
the nomination for congress from this
district. ] fancy that Mariana would
admire running In and mut NJ the
white House and meeting all the way
up folks down at Washington"
mariana Is real good-looking,"
vouchsafed Carol, half indlferenilv
dropping peach In the blue bowl be-
side her.
"Mph, II you like red hair and as
bossy a way as ever was" shifted
Aunt Iuretta. zone thing. she's got
enough brass 10 tell the president and
all OF congress how this government
ought 10 be run. But ! am forgetting
my errand. Old Mr.. Banks is worrying
about the Harvest Home entertain
meni yon know. it's his tenth year
as superintendent and he's about out
Of Ideas. besides being so old. so he
wants help with the Sunday school.
Mariana won't let the MerryInnkers
take II up--too poky she says. So the
Ladies' Aid Just had to promise TO help,
and when We talked II over we decid-
ed. since we were all SO busy and you
being so much younger than the rest
OF U.S.
Carol dropped the peach she was
peeling and groaned.
Aunt Luretta, !" she. rebelled. The
next time ladies Aid or Patriotic
Sister says that "a me. just "a get me
to do what she doesn't want 10 do her
self, rll--i'll have my front teeth
pulled and take 10 crutches and ban
dages might as well. for all the he
Ing younger has ever brought me. ex-
cer, hard work"
"why. Carol !" siammered Aunt Lu.
retia. Il didn't--why. nobody thought
YOU always"
"yes." admitted Carol, duly. rs she
resumed her work II always have
and suppose ! always win. ! didn't
mean TO fiy ofY--only the monotony Of
things gets on my nerves. will be nj
the ehurcii--when did you say
Thursday evening" Tell Mr.. Banks TO
expect me-"
Thursday evening was suliry with
Gne choking dust suspended In the air.
II was the last parched effort OF sum
mer to asseri Its reign. and Carol walk
ID with tagging steps, remembering
Inc hammock under her shady arbor.
bui the Ladies' Aid had promised Mr..
Ranks her help. She knew that II
would mean many hot evenings drill
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