The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1922-04-06

day with her ahA tht children, and
that meant always complete change
and shifted viewpoint, even when, as
frequently happened, Linda took the
older-sisterly privilege OF scoldlng.
When Harriet had chaperoned Nina
and Amy TO the Friday afternoon mat
lnee, and had duly deposited Amy aft
erward in the Hawkes. mansion, and
had escorted Nina TO her grandmoth-
er's apartment, she was free 10 direct
Hansen to drive her to the Jersey
tube, and to spend hot uncomfort.
able hour In a stream of homegoing
commuters, on the way to Linda's
house.
She mounted the three cement steps
from the sidewalk level, and the four
shabby and peeling wooden ones that
rose TO the porch On this hot sum
mer afternoon the front door was
open, and Harriet stepped into the
odorous gloom of the hall, and let
llle SCIttH uool bahS HShNly ptAihb
her.
Immediately. In the open arch1 ny
into the parlor, a girl of fifteen sp.
peared, a pretty girl with blue Eyes
and brown hair, shabby but fresh
little shlrtwaist belted by a shabby
but clean white skirt. and a napkin
dangling from her hand.
"Oh, Mother-it's Aunt Harriet, Oh,
you darling-w
Harriet, laughing went from the
child's wild embrace into the arms Of
Linda herself. a tall. broadly built,
pleasant-faced woman with none OF
Harriet's own unusual beapty. but
with n family resemblance ts kcI
younger sister nevertheless.
swell, YOU sweet good child" he
said warmly "Fred-here's Harriet Z
Well, my dear, isn't 1t fortunate that
we were late! We'd hardly COM
mencedw
The remaining members of the fam
lily now streamed forth: Fred Daven
port, n thin, rather gray man of fifty,
with an intelligent face, worried
forehead, and kindly eyes; Julia, a
blonde beauty OF twelve; Nanny, a
fat. sweet boy of Ave. with bib on ;
! and Pip. n serious ten-year-old with
black hair and faded blue overalls.
Fred was newspaper man. one Of
Che submerged many. underpaid, over
worked. unheard. yct vaguely gratiiied
through all the long gears by the feel
ing that his groove was not quite the
groove of the Office the teller's desk.
or the travelling Saiesman's beat
Here in the little suburban town his
opinions gained scrae little weight
from the fact that he had been ten
years with Il New York evening paper,
Mrs. Davenport was interested in ev
erything her sister had to say; knew
the Carriers, and even some of then
closest friends. by name, and asked
all sorts of questions about them.
Later The evening Fred was at
the piano. Il was a poor piano. and
he was poor player who smoked his
| old pipe while he painstakingly
fingered Mendelssohn's Songs With
out Words" or the score of THE
Geisha." But Linda loved him.
"lIe will putter away there. per-
fectly content, for an hour" she told
Harriet "And at ten you'll see him
starting TO get Josephine. They're
great chums-she thinks there's no
one in the world like Daddy"
Harriets thoughts had wandered.
"How's Davld?"
Lovely. He always comes 10 US
for Sunday dinner" Linda said. "And
ne always asks for you she added,
with some significance. David Daven.
port, Fred's somewhat heavy aid plod-
ding brother. successful Brooklyn
dentist, had never made any secret
of his feeling for the beautiIr' Har.
riet
"I like David!" Harriet said, IN ar
swer TO some faint Indication of re-
proach in her sisters tone. But im.
mediately afterward she added, in &
lower voice: Ward Carter hes hard
Royal Blondin at the house this
week -
Linda's rocker stopped as If by
shock. There was an electric silence.
When she spoke again ii was with
awe and increduIity and something
like terror In her tone.
Royal Blondin! He's in England 7"
"He was" Harriet said, dryly. 'He''
been in New York for two years now.
Linda shuddered.
II know remember" she said IN
whisper. And size added fervently.
IL hoped he was dtC4."