New-York tribune., 1920-10-24
sclf-centeredness among my relatives


Florence looked puzzled but
pleased. "You mean we're gener-
Gus, Aunt Julia?"
"Too generous! With curiosity, l
mean, Florence"
"Oh, do you think they are?"
Florence cried. "Well, you might
be right for once, Aunt Julia, be-
cause | and Cousin Herbert were
getting up theater in Herbert s
attic, and it was ruined because
Aunt Hattie and all of 'em'
'1 included you and HERBERT"
said Julia wearily. "You and Her
bert especially!'
Florence was hurt. "Well. I and
Herbert can't help being related to
you, can we, Aunt Julia? And if
you're goin' to marry anybody he'd
be | and Herbert's uncle, wouldn't
he? I guess if you look at it that
way, we certainly got perfect right
to-
II can understand children being
ungrammatical," said Julia, "but I
can't understand their being allowed
to be so sentimental
Again her niece was puzzled.
'Sentimcntal'?' she repeated
"Why, it's only because you are re-
lated to us that I and Herbert pay
any attention to what goes on here.
It's our own grandfather's house.
ism t it? Well, if you didn't live here
and if you wasn't our own grand
fathers daughter, Aunt Julia, we
wouldn't ever pay the very slight
est attention to you, Anyway, l
don't criticize all these people that
keep calling on you--any way not
half as much as Herbert does. Her
bert thinks he always has to act
so critical, now his voice is changin'."
At your age" said Julia, con-
tinuing to press her point, my mind
was on schoolboolSs especially Eng
lish grammar
"Why, Aunt Juliaw Florence ex-
claimed in frank surprise. "Grand.
pa says just the opposite from that
I've heard him say, time and time
again, you always were this way.
ever since you were four years old"
What way?' asked her aunt.
Like you are now, Aunt Julia.
Grandpa says by the time you were
fourteen it got so bad he had to
get new front gate, the way they
leaned on it. He says he hoped when
you grew up he'd get a little peace
III his own house. but he saws it's
worse, and not for one minute the
llvelong day can he"-
Il know Julia interrupted. Gle
talks like a Christian martyr and
behaves like Nero. l might warn
you to keep away from him, by the
way, Florence. He says that either
you OF Herbert was over here yes
terday and used his house spectacles
to cut a magazine with and broke
them. | Wouldn't be around here
much if | were you until he's got
over it,"
ut must have been Herbert broke
= em,' said Florence promptly.
Papa thinks it was you. Kitty
Silver told him it was"
"Mean ole reptile,' said Florence,
alluding to Mrs. Silver; then she
added screnely: "Well, grandpa
don't get home till s o'clock and
it's only about a quarter of 2 now.
Aunt Julia, what are you waitin'
around here for?"
II told you: Pm going walking."
II mean: Who WITH"
Miss Atwater permitted herself
light moan. with Mr.. Sanders
and Mr.. Ridgely, Florence
Florence's eyes grew large and
eager. "Why, Aunt Julia, thought
those two didn't speak to each other
any more!
"Thcy don't,' Julia asserted in a
lifeless voice. at just happened
that Mr.. Sanders and Mr.. Ridgelv
and Mr.. Dill, all three, asked me to
take a walk this afternoon at 9
O'clock
But Noble Dill isn't going if you
say'-
"No,' said Julia. 81 was fortu-
nate enough to remember that ID
already promised some one else when
he asked me. That's what didn't
remember when MI Ridgely asked
ne
I'D have gone with Noble Dill
Florence said firmly. "Noble Dill is
my very ideal. I'd marry him to
morrow
ut seems to me-" her aunt re-
marked, Il heard your mother tell
lnS somebody the other day tlat you
had said the same thing about the
King of Spain"
Florence laurhad ooh +bo+