Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1921-02-18

in q culVert out on the MalecOn Sc
'ired fOur-wheeler an went out an
rescued the pore lamb. I'D 'er until
the harrival o. the next fruit steamer
wen | shipped 'er to New Orleans In
care O the stewardess. Iii 'ad 'eI
put in the Catholic convent there, for
as Emery said; 'Enrietta, keep an
eye on the little nipper an do yer
damndest to see she's raised a ydy
'Er father was a gentleman, an you
never want to forget e made YOU Mrs
Colonel jerks SO Hive made lydy
out o. her, Willie: education pianner
lessons, pantln slngin', an deport-
mint. After she graduated from the
convent, 'ad her take course in the
University O. CalifOrna-New Or
leans wasn't 'ealthy for 'er, an she
needed a chynge O. climate-an' for
the last two years she's been teachn'
in the Ugh school in Los Angeles"
"And you haven't seen her in all
these years?" Geary demanded.
mot a look, Willie. She's been aft
er me ever since she graduated from
the convent to let her come 'Ome an
visit me, but Hive told er to wyte-
that I'd be comm soon to visit her.
An now, s'help me, she won't wait no
longer; she's comm to visit me Cor
Willie, she's on her wy"
$50 this cablegram would Indicate"
Geary observed. Nevertheless, Moth
er. I'm at a loss to know why you
should feel so cut up over the i'm
pending visit"
There was real fear in Mother
jerks tear-dimmed eyes. 81 cawnt
let 'er see me-" she walled. 81 wasn't
this wy wen my sainted Emery hen
trusted the lamb to me; 1t wasn't until
awfter they hexecuted Emery that l
commenced to slip-an' now look at
me. Look at me, Willie Geary; look
at me, I sly. WOt do yer see? Aw,
don't tell me I'm young an 'andsome,
for I know wOt am. I'm frowsy,
drunken, dlsreputable baggage, with
no heduCatiOn or nOthlnk. All along,
hever since she learned to write me a
letter, I've been 'Enrietta wilkins to
'er, an Mother jerks to every beach
cOmbin' beggar in the Caribbean
tropics. I've lied to 'er, Willie. I've
wrote er as 'ow 'er fawther. before e
died, give me enough money to hedu-
cate 'er like a lydy-"
Again Mother jerks grief Overcame
her. "GOr', Willie, I amt respectable.
She's comm to see mean | cawnt
let 'er She mustn't know 'Ow got
the money for 'er heducatiOn-sellin'
ell-fire to a pack Of rotten dorgs an
cOnsOrtin' with the scum of this stink
in 'Olel Oh, Willie you've got to 'elp
me. cawn't ave er comm to FL
Buen Amigo to see me, an | cawn't |
ruin 'er reputation by calm on er in
public at the 'Otel MateO. Oh, Cor,
Willie, Mothers come a crOpper
Willie agreed with her. He patted |
the sinful gray head of his landlady |
and waited for her to regain her COM
posture, the while he racked his agile
brain for a feasible plan to fit the !
"She been picturin' me in er mind /
all these years, Willie-picturin a
fraud" walled Mother jerks. 'If she
sees me now. wOt shock she'll get.
pore sweetheart-an' 'er the Spittin'
himage Of a hangel.s And OH Willie.
While she don't remember wot l
Ooked like, think O. the shock If she
meets mel In 'er lawst letter she said
S 'Ow was the only hanchor she had
q life. HO, yes. A sweet-lOOkin
anchor l am-an' Hi was 'opin' to die
efore she found bout. I've got a
anuerism In my cart Willie, so the
urgeon on the mail boat tells me, an
yen I go, I'll go like-that!" Mother
enks snapped her clgarette-stained
myers. I'm ffty-seven, Willie, an
ince my sainted Emery passed away,
'aven't been no blOOmln' hangel."
he wrung her hands. "Oh, wy in ell
ouldn't them harteries ave busted in
line to save my lamb the 'umlliatin'
that she's beoldin' to the
kes O. me for wot she's got-an' 'ow
got 1t for err"
Billy Geary had a bright idea.
Well" he said, "why not die-tem-
Orarily-lf you feel that way about
t? You could come back from the
rave after she's gone"
But Mother jerks shook her head.
No." she declared. "Whlle Dolores is
now. still, If anythink ]
lppened an she was to need 'elp, I
lip is sOmethin' no ghost can give.
'hlnk again, Willie. Cor, lad, w'ere's I
er brains?"
"Well," Billy countered thought !
lilly. apparently there's no way Of
eading her off before she takes the ,
teamer at New Orleans, so we'll take
for granted she'll arrive here in due ,
curse About the time she's due, /
oppose you run up to San Miguel de :
adua for a couple of weeks and
,ovo mo to rim al Puan AmtpO In