The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-09-21
NOW GO on WITH THE STORY
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

VXTHEN the pOstman called at
w the Mcneil house Monday
morning she left one letter in the
box. Susie who was busting in the
hall went out and brought it in.
Nothing about it escaped her. The
envelope was square and grayly
blue and the letters that spelled
Mr.. Johns name and address were
upright and dashing.
From a lady," she said aloud.
Cant fool Susie"
She propped the letter upright
on the hall table against the
raised mahogany leaf and it stood
out Importantly.
When John came home to lunch
he found it there, studied its ex-
terror for a few puzzled seconds,
took it into the library and slit it
open with a paper cutter. This is
what his puzzled eyes saw:
Dear John Mcneil: Here's a
letter from the pesky brat (you
once called me thatD who used
to admire you so eXtravagantly.
Time out here while you look for
my name at end Of letter."
CHe instinctively followed the
suggestion and turned to look for
the name. Having seen it, he kept
on staring at it. It was several
minutes before he remembered to
go on reading)
I'm at college at Graycastle now
and am planning to run off during
fall vacation-two weeks distant
for a visit to mothers old home
which used to be-and I hope still is
the house next door to you. I had
such fun there when I was a kid
that I've always wanted to go back.
just a within, but I can't seem to get
away from it. 1 suppose it will be a
disappointing visit since we can
never recapture the old childhood
spirit, but at least I'm going to
attempt it. 1t would help a lot to
find one familiar face there besides
Penny's.
In short, when I arrive will you
come through the althea hedge and
greet me in the old garden? I'd
adore seeing you again and talking
over old times. You'll find me aged,
though not decrepit.
otherwise the same Elaine
Chalmers.
'P. S. (Of course there would have
to be one) Do you remember how
you turned out the entire neighbor-
hood to look for your Eagle Scout
badge? Well, I had stolen it for
purely sentimental reasons. hid it
in the old globe in the library. May
be it's still there. E. c. Un-
repentant0
John reread the letter and had
- begun on a third perusal when
Susie called him to lunch.
He held his mothers chair as
usual, then went and sat in his
own place. He unfolded his nap
kin, took a drink of water and be-
gan mechanically to eat.
Mrs. Mcneil said, I've asked
you twice, son, if you feel well. You
don't look quite right. Is anything
wrong at the factory?"
He answered quickly, Excuse me,
mother, I didn't hear you. I'm ali
right. Just thinking, that's all. Ev-
erything'S fine at the factory. Mr..
Benefits back and not coughing
at all. He's got a new cold cure
that he wants everybody to try"
What is it?" inquired Mrs. Nc
Neil with keen interest.
John described the treatment as
well as his confused thoughts could
recall it. He. got it Startlingly
wrong. saying that Tom Bennett
swallowed the grease and camphcr
mixture and rubbed his chest with
what he should have swallowed.
While Mrs. MCNEIL was marveling
at this revolutionary step in medi-
cine, Johns mind was ticking off
phrases from the letter, had such
fun there as a kid . will you
come through the althea hedge and
greet me in the old garden 1. your
Eagle Scout badge =. hid it in the
old globe in the library E. C.
Unrepentant-"
Mrs Mcneil saw presently that
he was unaware of what he was eat
ing. 1t was his favorite lunch
celery soup, lamb chop and fresh
peas-but it might as we'll have been
a dish of dry rice for all the notice
he took of the food.
She accused, teaSingly, You're
thinking about Elainel'
When he Redeemed to the roots
of his hair she was sorry she had
spoken. She did not want to be a
prying mother. She tried to close
the matter gracefully. shes a very
attractive girl, John. But last night
y. -