The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1922-09-09

forget there Is a condition..
Within the next tWenty-fonr hours
all Of Cariotta's friends had heard
about her western trip. She did moi
trouble them with the condition. In
deed, she seldom thought OF it her.
self, But before Aunt Margaret left,
she called the family into council and
made the ''if',i so emphatic that Car
lotta began to realize that it must be
reckoned with.
Aunt Margaret had looked over
Carlotta's wardrobe and made out a.
list of things for her to take. There
was also a short list Of necessary pn1si
chases. She gave this into Carlottasi
hands.
Il want you to buy these things,
yourself, Carlotta,' she said And
Go not wish the others even to re-
mind $op of what you have to do
They went need to-" Carlottal
laughed. & shan't be able to think
Of anything Csc.
But in spite Of hor happy anticipa-.
TONS, the last week Of school furnish.
ed considerable food for. thought, And
after school ended Carlottas friends
showed their friendliness by shower
iag her with invitations. Not till the.
afternoon of thee 18th did she get
down town to make the necessary pglr-
chases. And then she was in a hurry
She made her selections hastily, or
dered the purchases sent out, and
then went ont to Lylia's, where she
was to take dinner
1t was nearly bedtime when Carlot-
ia reached home.
Where are the packages from
Eastmen' she asked eagerly.
Her mother looked up from her
sewing.
q haven't seen anything from East
mems
Why, they promised to deliver
them today. Isn't that provoking?
Matte, you'll have to go downtown
right after breakfast
Her sister lowered her book.
''Pm afraid | can't, Carlotta. That
wouldn't be playing fair with Aunt
Margaret"
| Carlotta colored.
"Why, didn't think. I'll just get
| what need in Chicago. Eastmen will
have to take those back because they
| were not delivered when they prom
Iised."
/ She went upstairs to do her pack
| ing. It seemed very odd to be doing
it herself. AS a rule when she went
anywhere, her. mother and Matte
packed between them and she had
no responsibility about it. Midnight
came before she had quite completed
her task, and she resolved to go tc
bed and finish it in the morning.
| She meant, to rise little earlier
than usual, but She had been SO late
| getting to bed that she slept a little
beyond the hour When she hurried
down to breakfast in her kimono, hel
| mother and Matte were dressed fol
the street.
/ Yes, we're going out" Matte said
| Wen be at the station at train time
! As a matter of fact, they had plan
ned certain errands because they fell
| ii would be mare than they could bea1
| to have Carletta appealing to then
| Tor aid and be. obliged to refuse.
/ Carlotta made short work of break
fast. She kissed her father and Bot
| goodby and rushed upstairs to fnisl
| backing. Three times she locked tht
| trunk only to recall some necessary
article that she had forgotten An(
| then, as she turned the key for the
| fourth time, she remembered that she
| had not ordered the expressman tc
call for her trunk. She rushed to the
| phone, but the expressnan was out
His men were IN that part Of towr
at O'Clock. They would not bt
around again until noon.
i But I'm going to take an II O'CLOCK
train" Carlotta almost sobbed.
The expression relented. In tina
case he would try to send man BY
i 10 o'clock
i It seemed to Carlotta she woult
| never get dressed. She was -accus
| toned to having someone at hand t.
find her hairpins or bring her comb
or button up ner shoes. 1t was terri
BILE to have to do everything for her
self. The expressman came at Il
| o'clock, but even after the trunk wat
gone she found she had number O.
things to do. And when she reached
the. corner and hailed the street car
she suddenly realized that she had lief
her purse. lying on the bed
i When at length she reached thl
station Matte stood waiting for her.
Where's mother?" painted Carlotta
| hnrrying up. I've got to check MI
trunk, after I've bought my ticket
i Matte looked at her queerly. Car
lotta's eyes went to the clock. Sll,
took a step Backward.
its been gone two minutes sait
Matte, wiping her eyes. ''Carlotta
dear, I'm SO SORRY"
4 Carlotta recovered.
'I'll just so on to Chicago" she ex
i claimed. And meet Aunt Margare
there. She couldn't mean 2
She stopped for Matte handed he
La letter. Aunt Margaret left thi:
tc give to you in ease-in case any
thing went wrong"
Carlotta broke the seal without
word. This is what she. read:
MY Dear Carlotta II you NEE
me at the Junction as planned, yol
L II. ~,