Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1920-04-29
CHAPTER I-contlnued.

: iii tell you I'LL KNOW just as
was sailing from France got letter
from Uncle Bash stating in a most
BuSineSslike fashion that no was
about to be married to lady he had
met on the trip out to japan. The
dire event was to occur at the Amer
Ican embassy the following day.
From which / judged that my presence
Mt the ceremony was neither expected
NOR desired. Oddly enough, months
afteFward, l picked up an English
paper in a French inn that contained
IN announcement of the marriage In
the usual advertisement form. The
lady was succinctly described as Mrs.
Alice Wellington Cornford, widow Of
the late Archibald Reynolds COrnfOrd,
Pepperharrow road, Hants. All Tor
renee knows of the subsequent pro-
eeedings is what he got In official re-
ports Of Uncle Bash's death from the
eOnSul.general at Tokyo. Whether
the widow expects to come to Amer
Sca ultimately or will keep moving
through the Orient marrying husbands
and burying them Is dark mystery.
II she should turn up, the house at
Barton is hers, Of course, but with
her rowing disposition fancy my
aunt Alice wouldn't like the place.
The Jap stuff is worth bit Of money,
and If the lady is keen for such
things and not a mere adventures
Ghe may take 1t into her head one OF
these days to come over and inspect
the loot"
~ can see the vampire" said
Dearles musingIy, Handing at the
Grand Central with enough hand
luggage to I'LL a freight-car; a big.
xaw-bOned creature. with horse face
and a horrible mess as to clothes.
You will be there to meet her, defer
Antial, anxious 20 please. You will
pElOt her up to the coast of Barton,
tip the servants heavily to keep them
from numbering her, and twiddle
your thumbs in your garage as you
await her further pleasure. By the
way, are those ancient freaks still on
the place-thOse broken-down hotel
employees who were your uncle's sole
experiment in philanthropy"
florence assures me they are all
very much there"
Searles yielded himself to laughter.
"An Englishwoman with lofty ideas of
domestic service would certainly enjoy
a romp with that crew."
~Oh, they are in the same class with
me-" explained. "The place can't
be sold till 1 die, and while 1 live
they're to be harbored-about thirty
Of them-clothed and victualed."
Il think there's farce in the idea,
and / may try it one of these days."
he said, scribbling in his notebook.
"A refuge for broken-down chamber
maids, venerable bell-hops grown gray
In the service, and the head waiter
who amassed a fortune in tips and
then toyed with the market once too
Often and lost his ill-gOtten gains.
What was the head walters name
who presided with such stateliness
IN the dining-rOom Of the Tyringhamr
That's Antoine. who married the
assistant housekeeper at the Tyring
ham. He's the butler and has charge
ef the place. When get settled I'll
aSk you up and you can study the
bunch at leisure"
splendid! I'll be up in a couple
q weeks. I'm going to Ohio tOmOr-
row for a family reunion and a look
at the loved spots my infancy knew"
You're lucky to have home-folks
even in Ohio" remarked envlously.
We'll, there's always your distant
aHntfe cruising the seven seas In
pursuit Of husbands. Nobody with
an aunt to his credit can pretend to
Re alone in the world. Aunts must
rank rust a little below mothers in
Saa heavenly kingdom. When was
a boy out in Ohio there were TWO
great occasions every year in my
TSe-One when went to visit
Grand old aunt / had in the country,
ne ether when she visited us. arriv-
AANWa