Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-09-09
The Van Der Donck Mansion
BY special arrangement with. The
Chicago Tribune Byndicate)
IN TWO PARTS-PART TWO
THE STORY so FAR

itaOG ~ Aft4 "tA aH
aunt in a small midwestern town, went to
New York following her graduation from
school, but not before she had fallen In love
with Professor Bartlett, an instructor in a
small college. Honor Is employed in the Of
flee Of a trade magazine. During her long
stay in the city she had written often to her
aunt and the professor, and had led them to
believe that she moved in New York's high
est social world, while in reality she was a
tenement dweller at a place which she
called the Van Der Donck mansion. After
ten years away. she is summoned by a Iele-
gram, saying that her Aunt Delight has had
a serious accident.
And now the story
She was prepared for the telegram, in q
way. Even the splendid extravaganza of
yesterday had not destroyed the nest egg
laid by for this moment. Yet who is
ever quite prepared for the ten important
words when Fate actually speaks them?
Her first thought, after she finished
blushing over the implied intimacy of
the word Grantland, was, II can give my
ticket to hat bleached stenographer,
She'll look ridiculous In that seat"
Such was her efficiency that two O'Clock
the next afternoon saw her, with all
packing done, complete arrangements
made OF the offices OF the All-American
NNOclSA lldOt JOllldl lOT Ill lIlQellQlJe
absence, her first night seat given to the
bleached stenographer, her ticket to Aga
tina slowed in her brown handbag, and
herself in her Pullman speeding west
ward. At the hour when the opening
strains of Aida" reached the ears Of the
Willy Westons. Honour McMinn was
climbing soberly into upper ten, with
drawing her neat ankle from the top of
the stepladder, and thinking as she did
that in all probability she would never
see 1t again in a pale gold silk stocking.
She had put Happiness in her trunk
after some debate. Would Agatha ever
offer her any opportunity for the velvet
dress n the brocade evening coat? Then
remembered that Aunt Delight would
love 1t. How badly were people hurt when
injured?
Gravely, she rejected, as she lay in
upper ten, was a characteristic word. No
one but Grantland Bartlett would have
used it in a telegram. Grantlandl AS
found herself thinking 1t her cheeks
burned becomingly in the darkness of her
berth.
A day and a night beyond Chicago lay
1t was Grantland Bartlett's face
she saw waiting for her in the early
morning sunshine outside the new sta
ton. For all the excitement of seeing
the station was new, she saw all too
that he was too thin, too pale,
and that his neat suit had seen more
n season. His smile, as his out
hand helped her down from the
platform of the Overland. was as she re-
1t as she sat in seat thirty
row seven
Aunt Delight" she asked him. F.:
Making a remarkable recovery An
an amazing woman
He was getting her into a little car as
he described the accident. Aunt Delight
had skidded, as she rounded the corner
by the %postoffice. Her car collided with
telegraph pole. She had gone through
windshield. Her first words on re-
consciousness had been, Send
for Honourl"
After all. her injuries had been less
grave than was at first feared. There was
broken wrist, a badly sprained ankle,
lacerations about the head that
bled profusely, but turned out to be
fairly superficial. There was shock and
weakness. And almost every hou of the
day there was the wish hat Honour
would come.
He left her at the familiar doorstep,
and she heard his little car making ex-
traordinary reports Of progress as it dis
appeared up the street. Up in the serene
sxpanses Of her old four-poster she found
Delight, looking like q rosy Turk in
her head bandages.
Turn around and let me see your
she commanded as her niece en-
tered. rs that where they have the full
now in New York? You never said
If you cut your hair or not. My opinion
is It's going out"
Honour kissed her venerable relative.
"Darling!" she said, her voice a little
tremulous n her eyes wet. Suddenly it
to her that she had been away a
long time, hat Agatha was a sweet,
green, shady town, and that Aunt De-
quiet bedroom was heaven.
Tell me, really. how you are"
"Im all right" said Aunt Delight, In a
surprisingly hearty voice. First time I'd
to drive the thing alone. l took a
car full Of neighbors out to Professor
fathers funeral. He was
and hadn't seen a thing for
1--WE years, poor SOUL Fortunately, I'd
got everybody home. Nobody hurt but
me. And I'd insured it for all kinds Of
accidents. I'm glad your skirts are short.
No use in getting old before your time.
Nobody does these days. I'm young my
self as I ever vas"
The one eye not obscured by BAN
verified by It's brightness all that
she q said.
1--WE got Professor Bartlett's house
ASCRLA AOWs A aOA v lldfC UlQSll IStQ
her, except for meals, and he's coming
here for dinners"
Honour McMinn, sitting by her injured
Aunt's bedside, blushed a becoming
blush. A picture had formed itself be-
fore her eyes of herself at Aunt Delights
Did pie crust table facing Grantland
There would, she foresaw, be
many dinners before the venerable in
valid sat with them. AS she looked So
.icitously into her aunt's one visible eye
she knew that the accident had been de-
olorable. She realized again the pang
she had felt as she tore open the
telegram. Ehe knew afresh that she owed
years OF devotion to her aunt. And yet
there bounded in her veins an irrelevant
10y that she had brought along in her
trunk the pale gold stockings, the bro
,aded velvet wrap. and the quiet but I'M
1eniably good afternoon dress Of that
-osy shade of gray that made her eyes SO
blue. The dress a. been a mere incl
lent In her career on that memorable
saturday afternoon two weeks ago.
A soon as your trunk comes" said
Aunt Delight. II want you should show
ne all you New York clothes. I'm hav-
ng h Ladies Aid on Tuesday. You'll
to put them all On. We're studying
women OF the harems. but since I'm
sick, and they're meeting in my bedroom
all, / guess it'll be all right"
Not only was she guest OF honor at the
lext Fraternity luncheon, but she was
booked for a speech before the Literary
Twelve, and for q series Of talks on Ten
in Modern Drama and Art be-
ore Professor Bartlett's seniors.
Your letters" he told her over their
bird dinner table together, have been
inspiration. Your wonderful aunt
them with me. And my classes
orofted. There was something so warm
and vital In the pictures you conveyed
no amount Of reading of reviews
Gould give. My boys n girls owe you