The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1920-04-29
D HII51ai
by GEORGE Z. COBB

tcopgrlsh,. isss. western Newspaper unssaI
"Ifumphl" observed Miss Celia
Bland. sthe girl viii ind out that she
Il not coming to a palace or n play.
house. ! see n very stern md lin.
cult task before me. hut I shall no,
swerve one iota from the path OF
duty"
Mis- Bland wns taking on new
nri s'rious responsibility. u meant
an Invasion of the calm and even
curr NJ Of her well-regulatcd life. For
seve NJ years she and single servant
hll been the only occupants 81 the
ME cldfashlone-i home. and NJ the
az 20 thirty. with one unfinished ro-
vance % recall. Miss Bland had set.
,'-i down 90 definite spinsterhocd.
Tier brother Ralph had gone away
ffon his native town over eighteen
ears before and had married con.
cart singer. tnter n movie actress. u
vas only on rare occasions that he
communicated with his sister. Miss
I.iand. with her stralght.laccd no
lions 81 Oh. giddy denizens % world
all frippery and Incidence. never IN.
vl,ed them 10 visit her. Even when
they announced the birth ~ little
daughter. Murlel. she preserved a
chilling silence. They drifted FAR
apart. Then both her brother and his
wife died within the same month. aud
almost NJ his last moment Ralph
Bland wrote 10 his sister imploring
her TO take Muriei Into her charge.
GrudglngIy Miss bland Ind written
% some Kind friends ~ her brother
who were caring for the penniless or
phnn. sent them money and for q
week was busy preparing n room for
her expected guest. Day after day.
with grlmly set lips and resolu'e de-
cIsIon. Miss Bland formulated plans
In regard TO the little lonely waif.
"we shall have n handful" she
told old Mary. the household servant.
"Just think what n spoiled, wiliful
child Mnricl must he. brought m in
unreal thca,er life and roaming from
place TO place, You must cooperate
with me. Mary. In checking the lack
81 discipline and dlsobedience that's
bound TO come 20 the surface. We
must be firm. even grim and severe
We must set the child hard. practical
tasks that viii count for her good"
And five minutes after the little
guest entered the house all the care
fully studied system 81 Miss Bland
was smashed TO smithcreens. A
scared looking. foricrn little miss 81
fifteen. carrying battered suitcase,
none too well aitIred. Muriel stood nj
the threshold with big. wistful eyes
viewing her s,ernfaced aunt. Sud.
denly down went the suitcase. the III.
tie pleading hands were extended.
"Oh. dear aunty. please kiss me.
please hug me. n only once, to show
that you love me. for you are all I
have IN the world now - she quavered.
The poor yearning dariing!" blub-
bered old Mary. overcome
"Yes. come" unbent the fancied
ogress. II will truly love you II you
only let me-" and she too broke down.
"And ] promised papa would mind
you and help you work. He said II
ever become the grand. neat house
keeper you were. ! would turn out 20
his hearts desire. For oh' we were
SO tired Of rowing from place to place
and never knowing what home
meant"
Little Muriel. given n room 90
sweep, put two IN order. When she
did up the dishes she polished them.
Gradually Muriei brought Aunt
Celia 10 understand that her father
and mother had been rare helpful
children of the world. Muriel had
brought with her some Of the old movie
costumes. There was one dress that
sfuriel took the notion was particu-
larry adapted TO her Aunt Celia.
"Piease try II on. won't you. 60
please mef' she pleaded. "you win
look ~ nice In H."
Perhaps I will, some Time" prom
ised Miss Bland.
One day Murlel was hailed by Rob.
ert Lang. a longtime resident ~ the
town Murtei had learned that he
was the renter u the one romance In
Aunt Celia's life. They had kept com
pany for some time when lovers
quarrel made the one resentful and
the other obstinate. They had avoid
Ell each other after that.
Little girl" spoke Lang. "you ere
so nice aud friendly 20 everybody ]
believe you would DO kindness for