The herald., 1921-05-12
Polly Acts as
Cupid
By FREDERICK CLARKE
70. 1921. Western Newspaper UuionJ


scoundrel. How old are your
"Twenty-four, sir" answered his
nephew respectfully.
'Twenty-four And was engaged
three times before l was twenty-four.
Confound you, sir, why the deuce
won't you ask Dorothy to marry your
Because l don't love her. my dear
uncle" answered the young man.
Love. Love. What has that got
to do with it," exclaimed the old man
irascibly. How can you help loving
every girl at your age? COnfOund you,
Frank, sometimes l think you are as
coldblooded as Ephraim over there
Ephraim, hearing his name spoken,
stirred in his cage.
But Dorothy doesn't like me at
ALL" said Frank Leasing. BE little
reasonable, uncle"
I'm not going to argue with you,
sir" shouted the old man. "But I'm
not going to see the Eastdale property
divided. 1t cost me thirty years of
"OEh u get liidl pIcNc VI ihhN ~
gether, and If you don't get married
Tll-Tll leave it to the Home of De-
cayed Parrots that I'm contemplating
establishing"
"Ha! hal" croaked the parrot.
SERVES him right! Serves him right |!
Confound your impudencer'
Frank, put a cover over that bird,
that's a good fellow" said his uncle
pettishly. And Ephraim, thus sup
pressed subsidized into silence.
Frank Leasing was the orphaned
child Of cousin of William Jennings,
| and the kind-hearted old merchant
had made himself responsible for his
up-bringing. That he should marry
his daughter Dorothy had been his
earnest wish. and of late he had be-
gun to express 1t forcibly. But be-
tween the young people a feeling of
conStraint had arisen which was rap
idly broadening into active dislike.
Frank Leasing, during the course OF
a business trip out of town, felt the
loss of his cousin profoundly. 1t was
with happy anticipatiOns, therefore
that he rang the doOrbell of his uncle's
house on his return, after on absence
of q couple of weeks.
"Hello, Frank, come I'M" cried his
uncle, shaking him by the hand. "Con'
found you, sir, I've missed you more
than should like you to know"
"How's Dorothy, uncle?" asked his
nephew.
The old man looked at him with pa
thetic eagerness.
"She's WELL" he grumbled. "But
Frank"-he led him into the little
room which had been fitted up as hi:
cousins boudoir-"you'd better tr.
your fortune again. Now listen to m,
and don't be a fool. Do you SCI
Ephraim In that cornerT
"Why, yes, uncle"
swell, he lives here now"
"What? Dorothy's been MAXIM
friends with Ephraim?" asked tn
young man incredulously.
When he was left alone Frank liftet
the cover from the cage and regarded
the parrot intently. 1t stood watching
him, its head on one side, its CLAW
poised, its beak half open. And thel
from its throat proceeded a most re
markable sentence, and one whicl
Frank Leasing had never heard 1t sa,
before.
"Oh Polly" 1t croaked. "can't 20,
tell Frank"
"Go on" shouted the young mar
'Tell Frank what"
Frank Leasing turned away in dis
gust and flung the cover over the cage
"Oh Polly, can't you tell Frank tina
do really love himY' the parro
squawked in shrill protest.
Frank Leasing turned as a light foot
fall sounded in the hall. He strod
toward the door. Dorothy came ir
stopped, looked at him, and suddenl
found herself In his arms.
Dorothy, can you-can't you?
Frank began, then stopped. for ther
was no need to say anything more
In fact five whole minutes had passe
before a heavy, equity footstep nea
them suddenly recalled them to tn
conscience of externals.
, They sprang apart, looking at tn
old gentleman guiltily-and then Dort
thy perceived Ephraim's cage.
"Why, uncle, whatever made you pr
Ephraim In my roomr she asked.
"Only a within, my DEAR" responde
the old gentleman. II thought perhar
, he might give Frank a message frol
me-"