Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-29


stopped neatly before a brick
Il house. slightly Georgian. dis
gorged Lucy and her bag, re-
ceived it's just due and whisked around
the corner. All this. SO to speak. in
the twinkling OF an eye, with Lucy
left in a rudderless condition on the
sidewalk. The brick house bore no
visible number. Next door was a
Dutch Colonial cottage and at the
curb before it stood. strangely
enough, another, taxi family chugging.
A weeping lady. smartly dressed.
leaned from 1t and beckOned to Lucy;
beckoned insistently when Lucy stared
at her.
Come here, child she called. "Of
course you're Lucy. You got my
wire? was sure you'd find your
way. l simply could not meet you.
! have been Frustrated"
It's Aunt Elsie said Lucy with
profound surprise.
Cert" began the lady. Halfway
through the word her face fell into
the widest contortions. She beat the
air with her left hand, applied her
handkerchief with her right. A vol
ley of muffied sneezes broke upon the
listening ear. The taxi driver gla need
at his watch.
"Bcdder GO" said the lady. weeping
freely Just a minute. though" She
leaned toward Lucy. IF had stayed
another day l should have died. she
said, simply and sincerely. Charity
will take care of YOU until your Uncle
Carl gets home from that business
trip. He's always on a business trip
when I need him.
S. e paused to weep.
Hell take you to the Country Club
~ oy11
girls. 7 can come home in two weeks
probably. I'll give you some parties
then"
"Where-where are YOU going?"
asked Lucy feebly.
ITO the Adirondacks." said. Aunt
Elsie. only place I've ever been
able to breathe in this time Of year.
I'm fool-each year I try to stick 1t
out at home. Goodby. I hope you'll
like my Polly. Pray Heaven you may
never have hay fever
She sneezed and the taxi whisked
as it's fellow had done, around the
corner.
I UCY went up a tagged path, be-
- tween barberry bushes, to the
Dutch Colonial house. which bore.
prominently, the proper number.
There was no one on the front porch.
and for all her ringing no one came
through the living room to unlock the
screen door and let her in. She was
disconnected, her head yet whirling
from her hostess departure.
a man carrying a long ladder came
from around the corner Of the house.
He answered when spoken to. but one
eye. which seemed to stare across his
c1n tad
her with an idea that he was mat.
tentive.
Don't know" he said. II Just come
back to get my ladders. Amt seen
nobody round"
He went to his wagon. standing at
the curb. and. with exhortations to his
horse, drove off. His wagon proclaim
ed him I. Bunn-Painter. Aunt Elsie S
house was spick and span and smelly
with new paint. Lucy took up her
bag with a sigh. The August after
noon sun was very hot. the bag was
very heavy and 1t all seemed very
strange.
She found a vine-shaded back porch,
and there a small child sat upon a
large green watermelon. She was
holding a half-grown kitten. and sur
veyed Lucy over its head without
emotion.
This must be Polly" the visitor
ventured.
And dis is little Dandelion," said
the infant. referring to the kitten.
Pleased to meet you" Lucy muir
INJURED.
4 large and kindly colored woman
appeared in the doorway. "Oh. dear!
she said with distress. THAT doorbell
STONED ringing Yesterday. Miss Lucy.
isn't it,"
She took Lucy's bag and led her in.
Too bad you missed MiZ Ken
wood" she said.
But I didn't" stated Lucy. for
lornly. II saw her for a minute"
a inmate to meet for the first time
famous aunt-by-marriage whom
one has been dying to meet for four
years, Submerged by flooding waves
Of depression, she allowed herself TO
he led inside and upstairs by Charity
and Polly and little Dandelion.
"S'posc YOU was taken aback by
Niz Kenwood's Goin'," said Charity
placidly. You'll git used to her
she does everything jus: like that. She
was practisin' some new songs. fit to
bust her head--you know she's goin
on one Of her concert towers In Oc-
tober. All of a sudden she began to
sreeze. She sneezed for two days
then up she got and off she went. She
said. Charity. Miss Lucy will be here
today-you two can manage until
Anna and Miss Brown get back. You
don't want mo to drop dead at Your
feet. do you?-and off she went.
Great day" continued Charity plac-
idly. she didn't need 10 bother about
me. I can manage this house and
Polly any time. Now that Miss
Brown
"Nho's Miss Brown" asked Lucy.
admirinC the bedroom 10 which thar-
ity had lcd her. And who's Anna?
Annals the waitress and upstairs
girl" said Charity. I'm the cook.
Won sec. And Miss Brown-Well, some
times they call her a mothers helper
and sometimes they call her a nursery
soverncss. They're both taking va
cation now. Polly likes me the best
of EN- all
A TELEPHONE bell rang in the
"A hall nearby and Charity went TO
answer it.
Yes" she said, and "Oh. it's YOU.
Mr.. Charles in tones OF great sur
prise. Faint clackings of male voice
reached Lucy from the instrument
they sounded explanatory and agI-
tated At last Charity broke in sooth-
;ugly. certainly itll be all right,
Mr.. Charles. There's plenty OF room
and | can take care of you all right.
Don't YOU worry nothin' about IT.
eAi.-t Il shame" she said. re-
appearing. "Somethin's been and Kept
MIR. Charles from gettin back to chi
cago today. and this nornin he was
Just Karin TO go!"
"Well-whos Mr.. Charles? IN
ouired Lucy. feeling like parrot.
"Miz' Kenwood's brother. said
C...arity. Hes been vis!tin' us
while. dom some business in New
NnrL SAYS now he's comm out to