The Mt. Sterling advocate., 1922-01-17
A TOOTHsOME TALE
ANNETTE c. sYmmEs.

@. 1891 BY MccIurs Newspaper syndicate
When Cousin Phrony Butterfield
made her annual visit to the Blakes,
little Phrony, as she stIll continued
to call her namesake, in spite of
that winsome damsels 20 years, was
unanimously elected to the pleasing
task Of giving Cousin Phrony good
time" A rather bleak and cherries
girlhood which merged into a woman
hood filed with hard and unappre-
ciated toll as the bond-slave OF a
brother whose body was crippled By
rheumatism and whose soul was
warped worse than his body long be-
fore the latter knew a rheumatic
pang, had brought Cousin Phrpny to
her mid-ffties with a girls keen
relish for good times--and she
wanted the kind Of good times girls
have. tool Only little Phrony could
stand her namesake's pace, when she
attempted to cram into fortnight
enough jauntlng to last the other 80
weeks Of the year--and little Phrony
frankly admitted that Cousin Phrony
was more fun than any girl she knew.
ITS wicked, know" little
Phrony said to herself" but Tn glad
Cousin Hiram Is deadi And I wish
he'd died beforei And do wish, too
that Cousin Phrony would sell that
wicked farm and move somewhere
where she wouldn't have to take her
amusement in chunks" But Cousin
Phrony clung to the farm, and came
regularly after haying each year for
her visit.
This year the first few days passed
rather drably, owing to the
guests attendance at a dental office,
where an under set Of "store-teeth"
were being fashioned for her. But the
night after she bore them home In
triumph, she announced cheerfully
that tomorrow she "wuz In hopes t
she'n Phrony could have a real good
time"
Little Phrony knew where to take
her cousin, and from the moment
when they descended from the trolley
into the gay crowd at the beach re-
sort, Cousin Phrony was in her ele-
ment, The changing music Of a merry
gO-rOund drew her into the big pa
vilion. her eyes clinging to the gaily-
painted beasts and their riders.
Little Phrony, knowing what the
woman really wanted, proposed ride
and after a very slight resistance
Cousin Phrony gave In. and settled her
generous weight upon a gaudy ele-
plant, because it'd take an ELEPHANT
to hold her up" The spectacle of the
dear soul, In her black-striped muslin,
her hat, descreet combination of hat
and bonnet and her comfort" shoes,
careering in circle with delight.
written broadly all over her rosy,
wholesome face, was striking enough
to compel the attention of good
looking young man nearby. When
the ride was over, and the two de-
scended, he followed them.
And when they dined. he sat at the
table next them
Now Cousin Phrony had not yet sub
dued her new "store-teeth." The upper
set she was used to; but the new
lower set bothered her to that extent
that the delicious fried CLANS and
French fried" potatoes lost half their
flavor for her, as she painfully con-
centrated upon mastication.
TTake out these horrid under teeth,
cousinp begged little Phrony. at last.
They're spelling your dinnerT'
az declare, l b'lieve will r. sighed |
the harrassed diner, and lifted dis
,reet napkin to her lips When she
removed 1t, the teeth were In its folds.
1t was when they rose to go that the
occurred In her engross-
nent In the dinner, Cousin Phrony had
otally forgotten the teeth lying in her
ap. With horr+fying chatter they
struck the floor, and, not content with
hat. "skittered." to use her own
right out in front Of the young
nan at the next table, who was ris-
ng, too!
Little Phrony made dart for them,
'ut the man was the quicker. Picking
hem up, he handed them to the blush
ne girl. with bow and a smile that
lad in II nothing but kindness and un-
"Mr. Crawford" gasped little
'hrony, and blushed the harder. Just
o think of meeting the distinguished,
Elliot Crawford In
his wayl And to think that, hardly
her at all, he should plainly
e so pleased to see hert
But there was Cousin Phrony to in
roduee, and her rebelllous teeth to be
estored to her. and the story Of the
iorning's dolngs to be told. as simply
s II II was the commonest thing In
he world for girl and an elderly
roman to participate In the giddiest
ports of the beach together.
"And we'd admire to have you come
nth US awhile, Mr. Crawford" invited
ousin Phrony, with country-neighbOr-
oOd feeling for the young man all
lone In A Dlace that demandad com-