Show The Honorable Uncle lane Lancy Laney By ETHEL HUESTON O robbe BoMM Co Ce THU sm a CHAPTER I 1 1 Aunt Olympia the Senators Senator's wife Mrs Delaporte properly but rarely pronounced went to Iowa for the funeral fu Even In their sorrow lorrow the three girls girl tragically orphaned Inthe in inthe inthe the double bereavement took plaintive plaintive plain plain- tive pleasure in that thaL It was Wal no nomore nomore nomore more than she should have done being beIng be bee ing their mothers mother's own and only sis i ter Still she he was a senators senator's wife and young as 81 the they were and little as they had seen of her ber the girls had learned that senators' senators wives even more than officeholders themselves themselves them them- selves make unlimited use of the safe alibi of bills pending This was Wat an important session eulon too it being be ing election year Aunt Olympia flew out from Wash ington This added definite Importance tance Lance to her ber coming Although Aunt Olympia was a senators senator's wife not by any imaginative flight could political po po- political significance be attached to her attendance at the funeral The Senator had no constituents Jenu to be placated there Iowa was wu not his bla state Brother a deacon Inthe in inthe inthe the church that had been their thelt fa father fathers father's fathers father's fa- fa ther's ther drove over to meet her at atthe atthe atthe the airport in Iowa City Their own car would never run lun again It lay layn In n the garage of Bill Blakely BlakelY- one Blakely-one one lne of their members members-a a twisted and charred harred mass of metal from the collision col with a drunken driver at the corner of North Square and end Main On prayer meeting night it had happened The three girls Helen twenty-one twenty Adele nineteen and named Limpy-named named for Aunt Olympia Olympia- three years younger felt tearful sor sore sorrow sorrow row even shame that they had bad not gone to prayer meeting with their thelt parents on that fateful night When they went to prayer meeting meeting-if meeting U if even one of them went went their their father always alway stopped at Karls Karl's Kandy Kitchen for an ice cream sundae on the way home borne Reward of merit he be called It Baksheesh the girls said IBid it was having gleefully adopted the word from the lecture of a returned returned returned re re- re- re turned missionary trying to raise funds for the further evangelization of heathen Near Easterners On that terrible Wednesday night If U even one of them had gone the hour half spent over the sundaes at atthe atthe atthe the Kandy Kitchen would have de des delayed delayed their parents' parents arrival at the corner comer of North Square and Main and there would have been no collision col listen with the big car careening madly along the icy streets with poor Bob Saunders drunk at the wheel But that night only their father and mother had gone and now they lay together in a double casket in the Allan Funeral Parlor awaitIng awaiting await await- ing burial on the morrow Both had been instantly killed in the crash Poor Bob had been tossed through the door and flung across thirty feet of ice and snow and had incurred only a broken wrist and a bruised brow The girls watching from the window window window win win- dow of the parsonage saw Deacon drive carefully up to their curb bringing Aunt Olympia from the airport They did not as asIn asin asin in normal times run happily down the steps to greet her but waited decorously inside the door while the Deacon assisted her ber up the icy ley ash ash- strewn steps Aunt Olympia who had turned violently red and at the sight light of the sheaf sheat of ot wheat and frozen lilies on the front door broke into open sobs in the presence of the three girls They looked pale and young and frightened in their slim sUm blac blae gowns Adele both in mourning mourning mourn mourn- ing and out was the beauty of the family but Helens Helen's quiet dignity and maternal gentleness were appealing appeal ing and the quivering eagerness of youth half hall brave half hail ter rifled carried her straight to Aunt Olympias Olympia's heaving bosom Aunt Olympia had a series of emotional emotional emo emo- expressions with which the girls later became amusedly familiar familiar famil lar and to which in time they accorded accorded ac corded the dignity of statistical I numbers The first of these these the the theone one that swept over her at sight o. o of of the wheat and lilies mils on the parsonage parson age door manifested door manifested itself in a sudden sudden sud sud- den quiver of what would have been beena a double chin had bad it not been for forth forthe forthe th the vigorous hundred strokes waged upon it three times a day by the in ins Olympia This trembling of the under under chin chin was followed by a adeep adeep deep flush that descended swiftly from the roots of her hair out o of sight below the neckline of ot her dress accompanied by a hissing hilling suction of the lips Ups which she finally brought under control by catching the left corner of her mouth between between be bee tween very strong white teeth On rare occasions of ot absolutely uncontrollable uncontrollable emotion as aa now this expression ex ex- spent itself in explosive sobs lobs Aunt Olympia never surrendered long to emotion One after another she drew the girls to her in a pas embrace and began divestIng divesting divest divest- Ing herself of her furs fun with a bus show how of energy Aunt Olympia couldn't take he her eyes off Limpy Limpy had fairly taken her breath away Aunt Olympia Olympia pia hadn't a very clear Idea of what wha she had expected Limpy to be bej sometimes she had thought of hei her he heras as i the child being for he her mischief and then remembering the Ibe years year had bad reminded herself that tha Limpy was a young lady lady about about like Helen lelen perhaps And here bere she found that tat Limpy was neither the one nor northe northe northe the other but poised expectantly between be be- tween the two with eyes turned al ale one way and the other How old are you Limpy she Ibe demanded suddenly Oh about seventeen said uld Limpy Sixteen y the family Bible corrected Adele Seventeen minus a small maU fraction frac fret tion insisted Limpy Sixteen plus and not a very big plus either argued Adele Oh well sixteen plus is 17 minus minus mi mi- nus according to the mathematics mathematic I flunked last lut year I prefer mi mi- Callers Callen came came to the door almost almot constantly The women kissed the girls all aU round One raised tenta tents Ive tive lips to Aunt Olympia but was deterred by a sudden ludden tightening of the full flushed face Funny thing she remarked later ater in her resounding whisper how kissing seems seem to go neck and neck with bereavements In my opinion a kiss lUll is U not a bit more sympathetic than a hearty handshake hand shake hake and not half at II hygienic Dr Ainslie Brother the girls called him the district superIntendent superintendent super- super of their Conference came carne too And as II If by prearranged agreement the neighbors trooped In I from rom all aU over the house from kitchen kitch en and dining room and from up- up O Ou t t u y L t jt r I How lIow about the future stairs where they were Interestedly unpacking Aunt Olympias Olympia's bag and tidying up drawers and closets with that fond license bereavement so 10 blessedly accords Dr Ainslie shook hands with ev ev- everyone everyone murmuring words of sym tym sympathy pathy couched in Biblical phraseology ogy as far as possible and then said ald Shall ShaU we pray pray AH AU dropped to their knees beside their chairs They had gone through many bereavements and knew what wha was expected of them Helen glanced rather uneasily toward Aunt Aim Olympia and was relieved to see lee her kneeling with the rest lest though no not without some trouble In in her smart gray skirt which had bad not been fitted for prayer Dr Ainslie went into a detailed exposition of the tragic event anc and dwelt at ardent length on the rare virtues of the deceased parents and the pathetic estate of the three sweet girls until he had them all aU in tears Aunt Olympia cried too she couldn't help it IL But when he reached the final and prolonged amen she he rose as hastily as she could in her tight skirt and left the room without a word Please excuse me me Ill Ill I'll go with Auntie said uld Helen wiping her eyes She followed Aunt Olympia silently silent ly Iy up the stairs The upper hallway wide and old fashioned spotlessly clean clean kindly kindly neighbors had even even freshly laundered the hall haD curtains curtains- showed bowed four doors doon three standing invitingly open one closed Aunt Olympia took one look at the closed door loor and turned quickly away dabbing dab bing furiously at her eyes eyu You are to have my room Aunt Olympia at the end of th the hall baU Helen lelen said gently I moved in here herewith herewith herewith with Adele That's That room It its it's so 0 tiny theres there's hardly roam even for one There was no need for her ber to say uy they could not not not-not not yet yet bear bear to put anybody not even Aunt Olympia in n that room behind the closed door Their room loom it had bad been their fathers father and mothers mother Mothers Mother room room they had always alway called it though shared by bo boOn both On the day of the funeral Aunt Olympia was strangely quiet Her voice when she he did speak peak was soft oft almost tremulous Her lIer oddly keen pale ale blue eye eyes were gentle genUe Though she watched everything that went wenton on about her ber the she made no comment com ment She objected to nothing She broadcast no scathing whispers For Forthe Forthe Forthe the most mot part she he watched the girls all aU of them together and each of them hem separately Limpy in lar ar She noticed their mannerisms mannerism their movements not even the intonation in of their voices escaped her She scrutinized their clothes clothe and the cordial and sisterly understanding between them and did not overlook the very apparent affection shown hown them b by everyone who came to tc their door whether on errand of justness business or sympathy The church was wu packed for the funeral It was their fathers father's own church the biggest church in town and both the minister and his Ms wife had Sad been warmly loved The suds sud suddenness denness dennell the tragic o of the manner of their thelt passing the double bereavement even the double double dou ble casket and the double interment first first In the history of the town- town attracted the morbid interest even of strangers The district conducted the service They would have had bad the Bishop but he was away with his secretary mak make making ing a tour of the Hol Holy Land ga gath gathering gathering tho ering material for a report on the state of the Armenians Their own church choir sang ung Even in their thelt sadness the girls in somber comber black felt satisfaction that Aunt Olympia the Senators Senator's wife was with them she also in respectable but more expensive black As they passed down the aisle they could hear bear among the stifled sobs lobs of their friends among the tender murmurs those poor dear children sweet girls the darlings other words that gave them a sad pleasure the Sena Senators Senator's tor s wife their aunt flew fiew out from Wash Wash- ington Aunt Olympia displayed a proper customary sorrow during the services services servo ices frequently patting her eyes under un der her ber veil vell with a very fine perfumed per fumed handkerchief When Limpy shivered suddenly and end was seized 1 with a spasm spurn of nervous trembling Aunt Olympia put her arm around her and stroked the slim lIm clad black-clad j knee with tender sympathy until j the tremor had passed The parsonage was in quiet readiness readi ness nesa for their sad return Sister r and Mrs Cox family friends had remained away from the funeral in order to attend to those final domestic rites The extra ex ex- extra tra chairs borrowed from neighboring neighbor ing tug houses for the Influx of visitors had been returned to their owners Pieces of furniture had been restored re re- stored to their original position Inthe in inthe inthe the room A cheerful fire had been set act blazing in the grate and a bowl of roses brightened the low table Inthe in inthe inthe the living room Food had been prepared prepared pre pre- pared and the table laid for their evening meal When they had finished their dinner din ner net and sat distraught and ill III at ease the four tour of them before the fire lire Helen had freshly stirred to life Aunt Olympia said laid with some I abruptness How about the future Have you got any ideas made Ideas made any plans- plans worked anything out In your minds about what you want to do from do-from from this on on Only a slight quiver of the curving under chin betrayed her ber passionate interest in their thelt answer There Theres only one thing we 1 can cando cando cando do said laid Helen bravely The in insurance ins In urance will carry us nicely until the he girls have finished school chooL Faher Father Fa Fa- ther her wouldn't let me teach this year though I finished college last lut year yeat and have my state license because he thought I should get a good rest rut after my operation for us tI But I get a good deal of sub u substitute work here in town and next year tear Ill I'll take a school chool of my own and ind settle lettle down to business Adele will finish college of course Limpy will finish high bleh school next month month- Whoever heard of finishing school In the middle of the winter said laid Aunt Olympia A poor way to torun torun torun run a school in my opinion Dont blame the school chool said Adele smiling mUing Rather blame young year seventeen minuses who simply will not study math and flunk it consistently year ear after year Dont you think it Is very incongruous incongruous incon Auntie said Limpy in her own defense that the highest In I. I Q Qs should hould be the lowest in geometry geometry geometry geom geom- etry and algebra You cant can't help belp thinking there theres something wrong either either ei el ther with the school or the teacher There just couldn't be bl anything wrong with the pupil said IBid Adele Well naturally not noti Look at my I. I QI Anyhow Limpy finishes high hleb school next month said Helen Then college That was wat the way we had bad planned and well we'll just lust car ear ry fl on Maybe we can get a small aU house bouse somewhere or a floor Boor of housekeeping room rooms and use our own furniture Even if It I take a 8 school chool away from flom here next year Adele and end Limpy can go right ahead and I will come home borne week ends endl Well We'll have to give up the parsonage parsonage par par- right awa away of course Aunt Olympia drew a full breath and opened her ber lips But for once in her ber life someone spoke ahead of her It was Adele lIel Helen Helin n she be said I dont don't want to go on through college I dont don't want to teach school chooL And we ought not to use ue up that Insurance money as a. we go along We ought to keep keepIt It for for for-for for emergencies Last Lut week it never occurred to an any of us u. that thai and sudden sudden and terrible things thing could happen to us UI upset our plans plan Now we know they can happen We must mut save save as much of that money as we can for just for just such unexpected cri en sea lei I want to take a business course Helen I always alway did want to It wont won't cost much either and wont won't take long Id I'd Ido so se much rather go into business than teach school Aunt Olympia started to speak and then wisely thought better olit ol ot otIL it IL This was the girls girls' business not hers bers She closed her lips ups so 0 tightly |