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Show jfSUITORy OF sj "JJfjl v ' " MELISSA RECOGNIZES INSUPERABLE INSUPERA-BLE BARRIER. Mrs. Merriwid's maternal maiden Aunt Jane wore her real rose coral necklace, a pink waist and a mysterious myste-rious smile, the latter adornment being be-ing assumed when Mrs. Merrlwid expressed ex-pressed her admiration of the general effect. "The rate at which you're Improving Improv-ing makes my head swim," declared Mrs. Merriwid. "You'll be tottering around in a hobble the next thing I know." "I don't think that you need feel any anxiety on that score, my dear," said Aunt Jane. "I have always been brought up to consider the petticoat an indispensable adjunct of feminine attire, and bloomers as an infringement infringe-ment on that appertaining to the other oth-er sex." "Dear me!" remarked Mrs. Merriwid. Merri-wid. "Mr. Chubb will be here this afternoon, after-noon, Melissa," observed Aunt Jane in a casual manner, as she shifted her embroidery hoops. Mrs. Merriwid opened her eyes wide and became alarmingly rigid. "Here this afternoon!" she exclaimed. "Why, I told him distinctly that I was going to the matinee. I told you that I had reasons for staying at home, dearie. Surely you remember. When did he tell you he was coming?" Aunt Jane's face approximated the color of the coral necklace. "He telephoned tele-phoned about an hour ago," she re- thing to embarrass you for worlds, Intentionally. In-tentionally. But you know, Auntie, that nobody loves a fat man." "He's not fat," said Aunt Jane. "He isn't a dissipated person, I should imagine, and consequently he hasn't been reduced to skin and bones lxke some gentlemen I could name. He may be inclined to portliness, but that only proves that he has a good appetite appe-tite and sleeps well. I like to see a man comfortably stout." "You've got a treat in store for this afternoon, then," remarked Mrs. Merriwid. Mer-riwid. "Stout people have their feelings," said Aunt Jane. "Still, I'm afraid that I can never learn to love him," Mrs. Merriwid persisted. "It isn't only that I ache to push him over with my finger to see if he won't roll right side up again; it's not merely the fact that he wears those double thick convex spectacles that give him a somewhat pop-eyed effect of looking into my strictly private soul, and I could overlook over-look his regular habits and his side whiskers; poor dear Henry Merriwid had both side whiskers and regular habits. What keeps me from hiding my blushing face in his shirt bosom and murmuring a bashful consent is his delusion that he has a rather nifty tenor voice." ' Aunt Jane looked at her niece queer-ly. queer-ly. "There's something else, isn't there, my dear?" she asked. "I haven't given the matter a great deal of thought," replied Mrs. Merrl- rl'&0M 1 11 Ilk ' ! -SmCQH Aunt Jane Wore Her Coral Necklace, a Pink Waist and a Mysterious Smile plied. "I didn't want to disturb you about it so I said you would be very glad to see him. I thought you liked him, Melissa." "I'm crazy about him," said Mrs. Merriwid, dryly. "I think he's the sweetest thing that ever brushed three strands of hair across a bald spot; still, I'm afraid he'll be disappointed disap-pointed if he expects to see me this afternoon. Me for the impenetrable recesses of the tangled woods. I'll let you console him for my absence, dearie, and you can blame yourself." Aunt Jane'B eyes lost their usually mild expression and she Jabbed her needle into her work with some viciousncss. "Thank you, my dear," she said. "At the same time I don't regard the society of a well-informed and gentlemanly man as an infliction, however you may feed about it, and I nay add, my love, that It seems to mo inladyliko to make personal remarks. TOven If Mr. Chubb were bald which ho is not it would bo no reflection on him." " didn't say it was shiny enough to reflect," said Mrs. Merriwid. "And Inlelleelual men nearly nlways have a tendency lo baldness," pursued Aunt Jane. "There was Julius C;icnar, wid serenely. "There might be, oi course." "It occurs to me, my love, that his not asking you might bo a consideration," considera-tion," suggested Aunt Jane, in a shaky voice. "You might find the further ' fact that he has no idea of asking you j something in the nature of an insuperable insuper-able bar. You see, Melissa, dear, it is highly probable that you have mis- t construed the purpose of Mr. Chubb'8 j rather frequent visits here, and that i however attractive you may be tc some gentlemen, there are other gen ! tlemen who who who-oo-oo " Aunt Jnno snatched the little lace handkerchief from her belt, pressed 11 to her eyes and Btarted for the door, her shoulders shaking with emotion, but before her hand could touch the knob her niece had her In an embrace from which thero was no escape. "Auntie!" cried Mrs. Merriwid. "Look at me! You don't mean to tell me that Oh, you dear thing! Auntie, if I had had the fainlest Idea in the world that You know I didn't menu anything hy what I said, and I think he's a darling and as sweet and lovable lov-able as ho can be. Dearie, please! Here, I'm going lo shake you. Tell I ,,,,, l,-,u 1,,, ,,,-! ,,-.!! , -....I .' lind and Mr. Rockefeller." "They're generally smooth people on lop," admitted Mrs. Merriwid. "You lalk nonsense," snapped Aiinl Jane. "If being bald is a, crime it's Blrango Ihat Ihey have lo keep i,ai--bcrs In priaonii to cut Iho convicts' hair. You ought to get. a. Skye lender I 'I you'ro so fond of things Hint, look Ike door-mats. I suppose that's what you lind ho at trael Ive. In Mr. Victor." " wonder If that Ih It," said Mrn. Merriwid, dreamily, "or 'whether It's because Mr. Victor hasn't dimpled knees? IloneHt, Annlle, dear, don't you think dimpled kneeH on a male person over seven have a tendency to tlcHlroy the Hplrlt. of romance?" "Mellnna," said Aunt Jnno wllh nplrlf, "IT you talk like Ihat I shall leave I he room." "House excuse me, dearie," bogged Mrs, Merriwid. "I wouldn't say any-j Aunt. Jane giggled a Utile hysterically, hysteric-ally, "lie ho has intimated that he will this afternoon," sho sl.nninercd "Heaven forgive you, you've broken i my 1 1 ( : 1 1 ' I ! " Mrs. Merriwid laughed delightedly. "You perlhlioiis things! j Here I've beep thinking all along Ihat I had il chance, and now -Oh, Alinlle, Auntie! Now you can run along and bathe your eyes and pretty ip and I'll he out. of the house Inside of ten mluul-oH." "You you're sure you don't mind, Melissa?" mi ill Aunt Jane, anxiously. MiH. Merriwid kissed her fervently and reassuringly and then, taking her hy the shoulders, turned her out. ol the room and a porii.rophlzod the olec-poller. olec-poller. "Well, wouldn't that agllato you?" she Hlllll. (Copyright, inn, by W. (1. Chnpni,.'!.) |