The Washington herald., 1921-09-18


been rented some years back BY Uncle Sam.
A political accident had placed the oficial
rectansls Of pigeonholes to the left Of thu
souyenir-laden sideboard and the name q;
Aeneas Splint on the Government payroll
but 1t was the efficiency of his wife, Elmila
Splint, who had kept them there.
A two-eent stamp was sufficient efcuss
anong the neighbors for a dish Of gosdp
with the good natured Miry and her pretty
daughter Dicie, provided Aeneas was not
there to make the conversation q monologue
That Aeneas Splint loved the sound Of his
svn voice could Be proved at every loafng
place In the village When there was spy
big national problem under discussion h,
views were listened 10 with tolerance. &c.
when there was Government business 10 he
transacted the villagers were glad It was
Eimira whose rubber stamp starred easS
tnfrequeut mail On its outward jou-rey.
On late August morning the stsss driver
had thrown OF the little bag Of Ceatervills
mai. and Elmira's practiced hands had
quickly sorted It. She and Dicis we're seated
before the dining-room table, - WIT.
cloth turned half back from its shiny oak
surfaca
Il declare 10 goodness, Dicis," Elmira
was saying - she searched for a needle
among the print folds Of her plump bosn,n.
does seem a pity you cont have t.
feather for Minis party"
oh, well" laughed Dicis. 30 lonv ri.t.
named that only the family Bible stiIl ken,
the euphonious Eurydice, 'It might rain and
L might have to wear my beaded fascinator.
anyway. Here, take the little shears. ms,
SOS you won't cut the feather"
With q few careful ships the lon, xh,,.
piame which had curled cavalier fashion owe,
the brim of EurJdice's best summer hat Law
N mas red and white checked apron.
It's pretty thing" remarked Elmir,.
bar brown eyes lighting up - shs smooth.d
ts soft white tronds. Here, take til /
hear Tat Taylor's buEry squeaktnx into th.
gard She ran an experienced ere over
the pigeonholes and, taking letter from one
u them, threw her apron over her head and
spened the door Of the dds entry.
guezs here's jour letter from Newt
Hzths- see it's postmarksd Boston" I" she
crested he woman In tie baxxy. I'm
eakns . tip down that VIZ myself .e.t
weak" h . voscs that tried hard tp b.
fsEfy International
de teIir'' exclaimed Me- rayiar. ~Afn't
- one dck, b therey'
Oh, nor laughed Nm. spffut. sAovtn<
two dfmples which bad not ret rrovn tnto
sse-revcaEng lines. mo, Enas IN siyinr
ns Q fttls trip, taking ns down 10 the
oauvcntien with him I hav.n't boz. n
Boston since Dicie's heea cid enouxA to Loo&
after herseR"
Amt that n;rs, nav! heard Enos v,s
rutn- Tn glad he's Erttia' . chanc. 10
show Oh that NV uniform . his I 'spe-s
fhersn Be lots . Ceremonies, par,des and
thinzA And Enos II Q great sos sor ueA
dntnL What you spin' 10 vearys
oh, ] haven't bad anything nsv for
<ngs ass- / got my BLACK sin from lass
Christmas, - good % nev, and I hav.a't
Nurn my bonnet bot thres tine. Etne. Sally
Eewcembe put that it upright q d.
Il guess yuu1 Iosk - good q any of
them city fDIks, MJ spiint," r.narted
hrA Taylor admtrinxH, - shs gathered up
her retnA Beats an how yoa do bold onto
ysr looks, and aiv,Js did hks you I'm
th4t horsehar bounet"
Etmtra hushed deHyheedly, and hss
laughing protests followed tks nattsrsx, a
efucktnE to her horss she squeaked out the
narrow driveway Indoors Efmira absent
mindedy teok tie apron Of her head and
EraixhtsDed IL aros the 'front.' Of her
v7pp1- TAen Ebs lifted the uieorns oi
Aeneas' u1vr1 rexafa With due esrsrnsny
from In cae-
It's lucH left the Old stitches in,"
she said to Dicie, her voice mufHed with G
nouthfuI Of pins, '-or I'd never have gotten
this feather hack in the right place"
IT WAS Eks Aeness spfint to have speni
Al the profits from his lsst hay crop TO,
the elaborate resaha Of his lodge instead ol
promised 10 do, and Il was Ike Ma and Dicis
to patiently shine in his reflected glory and
b keep On Carrying water from the pump
sztHde Any secret missivinss about th,
snitsrm which they may have had meitei
sray when the lodge unanimously elected "a
r.nd Pa a q delegate to the CONVENTION.
Hu carefully ignored the fact that Pa VA
De only man tn town Who had the fun re-
saiia nscessary for q delegate.
NY, won't Pa look Erand!" sshed Dicis
is her mother held mp the hat with tn,
feather anchored securely In It's home port
and tvirled IL around on her forefnger.
"NsEer, mind, Dicie, DEAR" eomfortet
Ma, with her mothers trained intuition
any feTov would rather take . girl to 4
party ina kiss-me-quick than q broad brim'
med hat Hand me . silver fruit knife, ant
IN curl this up little"
Dics blushed prettily As she searched 1,
ths sidebosrd drawer. "Quit your plsguing
Ma! Here comes Pa now"
Asneas Splint needed no announcing. H
could always be heard before he was seen
Now they could hear him calling to tn