The Coolidge examiner., 1932-11-11


backs you have heard about.
Her Grandfather traded with the In
dians and the Noble Red Men have
been Paupers ever since.
In the thriving city of Wapahoo,
where nearly all of the important
Citizens moved in about Day before
yesterday, the Harbacks stood out
in cleaning Emlgence like stop
and-go Signal on a frosty Night.
They were Coronas entirely sur
rounded by Stogies. They were
American Beauty Roses nodding in
Splendor above the lowly Chick
weed. They were as near as we can
come, with our limited Kit of Tools,
to bona fide Aristocracy.
For many Years before Aunt Hes
ter departed, she reigned in soli-
tary Splendor In the Baronial Castle
which had been built by her Grand
father, the one who turned the Wa
ter into the River and then nailed
all the desirable Real Estate. 1t
was made of Brick, very large and
cubical, with a high-browed Roof.
The old Manse had become prehls-
toric but 1t contained a vast Sup
ply of Heirlooms and Treasures
the kind for which Collectors sell
their Souls. There was the gilt
framed Paintings of former Har-
bracks who gloried in Cameo
Brooches and Stocks. Some of the
Black Walnut had come over the
Mountains in Ox-Wagons. The Sill
yer dated back to the Time when
Silver was a China Metal. The
Crystal and the China were of the
Kinds that any good HOusekeeper
likes to have around the House so
that she can refer to them once In
a while.
Queens With But a Single Throne.
Aunt Hester had dotted on Edward
and Jennie, who were the Offspring
of her brother, Tom Hanback,, the
one who held the Mint Julep record
north of the Ohio River. Soon after
his aromatic Remains were planted
In Fairview Cemetery the son Ed
ward married Elizabeth Gibbs,
whose Pa was a well-knOwn Loan
Shark and Reformer. Jennie hooked
up with Rodney Derflinger who was
due to inherit the Implement
Works and had been sand-papered
at a College in the East.
Lizzie Gibbs acquired the 1S-karat
Monicker Of Hanback, and soon
after began TO feel different, as the
Blue Corpuscles coursed madly In
her Patrician Veins. Jennie had
proved her real Love by assuming
the Label of Derflinger but she was
still a direct and genuine Lineal De-
scendant of the Rufus Hanback, who
had double-crossed the Indians and
copped the Government Land. She
could not forget that she belonged
to the only First Family in Town.
Also she had great difficulty in for
getting that Eds Wife, nee Lizzie
Gibbs, was the Daughter of Gro
cery Clerk who acquired his Pile by
nursing Chattel Mortgages and cry
ing whenever he had to cut the Rate
to Two Per Cent a Month.
Jennie and Lizzie got along like
a couple of Bengals. The Trouble
was that the Throne had not been
built for Two. The Society Elect
could have but one Queen and she
could sport but one Tiara. Jennie
and Lizzie each had kidded herself
into the Belief that she was that
Queen.
On the other Hand, the two Con-
sorts, Ed and Rod, were true and
loving Pals. They were trying a
Repeat of Damon and Pythias. They
didn't give a Hoot for the Family
Tree or the Society Column or the
fractional Warfares at the Country
Club or the Badge of Shame which
had to be worn by any one who had
not read Foster on Auction Bridge.
After 1t came out in the Will that
Ed was to be Administrator and
that the Contents of the Old Home
were to be equally divided between
Brother and Sister. there wouldn't
have been a Kick or an Argument
If the boys had been permitted to
make the fifty-ffty Split in their
own Way. They would have gone
through the Inventory and shaken
High Dice for each Item and
cleaned up the whole List and no
Hard Feelings.
Divided the Spoils.
Not so with Mrs. Ed and the fa-
vorite Niece who. long ago. had spot
ted the Articles she hankered for
and then waited with Christian Res
ignation, for Aunt Hester to pop off.
The very Idea of Lizzie Gibbs
coming in, from the Outside, and
swiping any of the Hanback, Loot
was altogether repugnant TO Mrs
Derflinger.
She she told Rod to go to Ed
and let him know that she wanted
the Portraits of Grandpa and
Grandma. the old Sideboard, the
Shaffiald and tho IViIlow-plata Chino