Evening star., 1928-11-24
THE EVENING STORY

almost her first show of rebellion,
mayn't I set the flowers in the back OF
the garden? They are so beautiful they
can't do any one any harm"
There you go again." snapped Mrs.
Sntll, letting the bars down to the
temptations of the world. I sometimes
wonder just where you and your father
would end up-no. don't wonder, l
know--if / wasn't here to keep tight
rein over you. But it shan't be said that
Matilda Smell ever failed to do her duty
by her family. You chuck them weeds
on that trash-pile and get into this
house"
So engroSsed was Mrs. Smell with be-
rating her daughter that she did not
hear the door behind her open. She
was unaware of the fact that her hus-
band and a tall, good-looking old wom-
an were standing mute spectators to the
little scene which was being enacted
in her back yard. The first warning
she had was when a pleasant but firm
voice spoke close beside her and hand
was laid upon her shoulder.
There. there, that will do, Matilda" F"
said the woman. Let the girl have her
pansies, and anything else she wants.
Surely you haven't forgotten what a
hand you were for flowers and fol-lolS
when you were girl. Mother used to
say she never could look out of
window in Winter or take a step in the
yard in Summer without you yelling at
her that she was stepping on some Of
your posieS. I think if this Is the way
you act now you are carrying it little
too far, even if you think you are still
taking revenge on Silas Courtney for
running off and leaving you for Kitty
Long. And he'd never have done it If
it hadn't been for that come-outer re-
vival where that old fool of an eXhorter
had you young folks all upset over the
sins of the world being found in flying
ribbons and floating feathers, or was it
the other way round? Let the girl have
the flowers, and you, Jasper" she said
to Mr.. Smell, run along and set them
out for her like a good fellow. In the
meantime I'll have a little talk with my
sister here. She'll feel better when
/ get through with her; she always did
when she was girl. And you, my
dear" she called to Anne, who stood
looking on with bewildered eyes at the
meek way her mother was taking all
the other woman said, when you get
your posieS set out, come in and see
what lot of pretty things 1 have
brought YOU" And to her sister she
said firmly. Come in the house, Ma
tilda. see you and have got to have
little settlement, and I can see there
will be plenty to say. 1t must be all of
Is years since we squared accounts be-
fore - too long, too long," she added
soberly.
An hour later. when the precious
pansy plants. were all safely set in the
ground and Anne Snd her aunt were in
the big guest room upstairs, and Miss
Hortense had just finished hooking
over Anne'S plump figure a pretty rose
colored silk, the door opened and Mrs.
Smell stuck her head in the room. She
gasped when she saw how her daughter
was arrayed and she opened her mouth
as if to speak, but Hortense merely
gave her a quick look and, taking a
pin from her mouth, said:
Looks nice, don't she, Til? When
she gets decent shoes, stockings and
underclothes and loosens up her hair
a bit it will make good looking rig,
yes. very good looking rig. BY the
way, just saw fine man go into the
house next door. Who is hep" Mrs.
Smell silently withdrew her head, but
Anne, with her face crimson with
bushes, which Miss Hortense seemed
to read with good deal of satisfaction,
said:
THAT was John Binner, Aunt Hor-
tense. Mrs. Binners brother"
And Aunt HortenSe silently thanked
her guardian angels and the girls also
that she had come in time.
THE END.
tCopyright. 1921