Evening star., 1920-05-23

know what that throbbin' noise is
that she hears.
"oh. that?" says L only the cis-
tern pump film up the rain water
Automatic shut-off. you know"
Verona" she goes on, ignorin' me.
you are certain it is quite all right,
are you?"
"oh. yes" says Wee. TITS one we
had put in only last week. Runs by
electricity or something. Anyway. the
plumber explained to Torchy just how
it works. He knows all about it. don't
you. Torchy?'
"Uh-huh." says 1. careless.
81 did. too. The plumber had sketched
/ out the workin's of the thing elaborate
to me, but I didn't see the need of
spendin' the rest of the night passin'
an examination in the subject Besides.
| a few of the details l was little vague
about.
VERY well. then says Auntie. And
she consents to make one more stab
at retirin'.
| I couldn't help sighin' relieved when
| we heard her door shut Now if the
| roosters don't start crowin'," says /, ''or
a tornado don't hit US. or an earthquake
break loose. all will be we'll But if
any of them things do happen, I'll be
blamed
Nonsense. says Wee. "Auntie is
l SUNG " nave a ulCS, TeSlI
night and in the morning she will be
herself again.
| Here's hoping" says l.
And if it's good evidence I'd like to
submit the fact that within five min
utes after I'd rolled into my humble
little white iron cot out on the sleepin'
porch l was dead to the world Could
[ have done that if I'd had on my mind
a fendish plot against the peace and
| safety of the only real aunt we have in
the family? l ask you.
Seemed like I'd been asleep for hours
! and hours, and I believe | was dreamin'
| that l was being serenaded by a drum
| corps and that the bass drummer was
mistaAn' me for the drum and thumpin'
me on the ribs, when l woke up and
! found Wee proddin' me from the next
cot.
.Torchy." she's sayin'. rs that
rain?"
En-" says l. mo, that's the drum
corps"
WHAT says she. Don't be silly.
! 1t sounds like rain
| Rain nothing" says l, rubbin' my
! eyes open. 'Why. the moons shining
and-but. it does sound like water drip
pin"
Dripping" says Wee. Its just pour
! ing down somewhere. But where.
Torchy?"
Give it up says /. THAT is. unless
| it could be that blessed tank
That's it, says Wee. THE tank,
Rut-but just where is it?'
why" says L. 'qt's in the attic over
over. Oh. good -night.' l groans.
"Over the south bedroom" says l.
Quick. Rescue expedition No .
Auntie again
i 1t was Auntie. Although she was clear
at the other end of the house from us
we heard her moanin' and takin' on
hofn Ont ftn hnn
| And, of course, we made another mad
dash. Once more | pushes the switch
button and reveals Auntie in new
plight Some situation, I'll say, too
Uh-huh
You see. there's an unfinished space
over the kitchen well and the plumber
had located this hundred gallon tank
| in the middle of it. As it so happens
| the tank is right over the bed. Well,
naturally when the fool automatic
shut-off tails to work and the over
flow pipe is taxed beyond it's capacity
the surplus water has to go some
where. 1t leaks through the f1oorin',
trickles down between the laths and
| through the plaster. and some of it
finds it's way along the beams and
under the caves until it splashes down
on the roof of the pantry extension
That's what we'd heard. But the rest
had poured straight down on Auntie
Being in a strange room and so
treated to shower bath that she
hadn't ordered. Auntie couldn't lacate
the light button. All she could re-
member was that in unpackin' shed
stood an umbrella near the head of the
bed. So with great presence of mind
she's reached out and grabbed that
unfurled it, and is sittin' there damp
, and wailin' in a nice little pool of
water that's risin' every minute. She's |
just as cozy as a settin' hen caught |
in flood and is wearin' about the |
same contented expression. judge.
why. Auntie, how absurd" says
Wee.
1t wasn't just the right thing to say. |
Natural enough. I'll admit. but hardly !
the remark to spill at that precise |
moment. l could see the explosion |
coming, so after one more look I |
smothers a chuckle on my own ac-
count and beats il toward the cellar |
where that blamed pump is still chug- |
gin away merry and industrious. BY /
turnin' off all the switches and han
dies in sight l manages to induce the
fool thing to quit. Then l sneaks back |
upstairs, puts on a bathrobe, and
knocks timid on the door OF the reg l