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Show I ' PRUDENCE SAYS SO I I By ETHEL HUESTON -prudence amorac H Copyright Bobbt-MerriO Co. M CHAPTER I. H The Chaperon. M- "fTir'n (in.' dowal Quick 1 1 H uiiiii to See how ynii luiii. !" 1 I r i c I in ' stniiit nt I In- foot of tin' H stairs, deftly drawlBf on htf black K Hllk ffliieH (loves still (food ill I'm 1 fjeoce'l eyes. Munich I'nlry liml kHIg B itOCe illsriirili'il them ns unfit for MM H let. There whs open nnxli'ty In I'm H ili-i ' expression, nnil puckers of H worry i-tp nli n':i i ! creased her white forehend. WM "Olrls!" she called aKiiln. "Olrls. H nri you deaf?" H A door OpCMd in the hnllwiiy above. H :ind Connie whirled down the stairs, H fully dressed, except Hint she limped H ii.ee: in OM stocking; foot, her shoe H In her H "It's ho silly of you tn get nil dressed in inrc you put on your vl i. Connie." H I'rudenee reproved tier us she nunc H down. "It wrinkles you up so. But H you do look nice. Wasn't it dour of the H Ladles' Aid Rive yon thnt dress for H your hlrtlidny? Do lie en refill, dear. H nnd don't net mussed before we MM H ""I i Aunt (Irnce will he ho niucli H Ktndder to live with us If we nil look H sweet find dean. And you'll he Rood. H won't ynu. Connie, nnd Twins, will H come?" H "They are sewing tip the holes In H eneh other's stockings," Connie vouch- H anted. "They're nil dressed." H The twins, evidently renllzlntr Hint H Prudence's pntlence wns nenr the H lirenkititr point, started downstairs for H npprovnl, n curious pruccsslon. All H dressed ns Connie had said, and HMMl H charming, hut they walked elose to H tret tier, t'nrol stepping gingerly on one H font nnd Lark stooping low. currying n H needle with (Trent snlielttlile the H thread reaching from the needle to a H small hole on Carol's Instep. H "What on earth are you doing?" H "I'm sewing up the holes In Carol's H stocking," I.nrk explained. H Prudence frowned dlsnpiirovlnKl.v. H "It's n very had hnhlt to sew up holes H In your stockings when you are wear- H Ing them. Mercy. Lark, you have too H much powder on !" B "I know It Carol did It. She said H she wanted me tn he of Intellectual r pallor." Lark mopped her face with one hnnd. H "Ton look nice, twins." Prudence H ndvanced n step, her eyes on Carol's L hair. sniffing suspiciously. "Carol, did wT yon curl your hair?" H Carol blushed. "Well, just a little." H she confessed. "I thought Aunt Grace H would appreciate me more with a H crown of frizzy ringlets." H "You'll spoil your hair If yon don't H leave It alone, nnd It wdll serve you H right, too. Oh, Fairy, I know Aunt H Orace will love you." she cried ec- Wm statically. "Vou look like n dream. H you H "Tna a nlghtmnre." said Carol snip V pll.v. "If I saw Knlry coming nt me Ww on n dark night I'd " B "Papa, we'll miss ihe train!" Then H ns he came slowly down the stairs, she Ww said to her sisters again anxiously: U "Oh, girls, do keep nice and (dean. pU won't you? And he very sweet to H Aunt Orace I It's so awfully good of H her to come nnd take care of us " t Prudence's voice broke n little. The t admission of another to the pnrson- H age mothering hurt her. H Mr. Starr stopped on the bottom 9 step, and with one foot its a pivot, m slowly revolved for his daughters' In- U spectlon. H "How do I look?" he demanded. "Po M ynu think this suit will convince Oracl M thnt I urn worth taking cure of? Vo H I loo', twenty ihe dollars better than M I did ycslcrdny?" H The girls aaatd -it him wdth most B adoring approval. 1 "rather ' Yon look perfectly grand ' B isn't it beautiful? of eonrae yon j looked nicer III. n niishoily else ecn In the old suit, hut It well It was " H "Perfectly dlsgriii'efiillv shabby." P put In ruhy ipilckly. "Kntlrcly tin HB worthy a minister of your er lovely BB "I hop' Bone of vou have let It nut BB among the member how long I wore Bm that old suit. 1 don't believe I could Bb face my congregatl m Rundajn if Bl I thought they erere mentally ralcnlat BB ing the wearing value of iny various BB garments. We'll have to go. pru-BBl pru-BBl BP "And don't muss the house up," BP begged Prudence, as her father opened BB the door and pushed her gently out on BBl the step. H The four sisters left behind looked BBb at once another solemnly. It was n BBf eerlous business most serious. Con- BB nle gravely put on her shoe, and liut- BB toned It. Lark Bbwed up the hist hole BB In Carol'a stocking -Carol balancing BBl herself on one foot with nice preciaton BB for the purpose. Then, all ready, they BBl looked al one another again-even BBl mure solemnly BBl "Well," said Fairy, 'let- go in and BH BE Silently the others followed her in. BBa and they all -at about, Irreproachably, BB on the well dilated (hairs, their hands BBk folded in their suiooil) and spotless BBi BB 'I'll" sili nee and the sol, 'limit;, were flB very oppressive. H "We look all right." suhl Carrl I. el BBj llgerently r. i This i linrming 'story depicts the life of live loveahle girls In Ihe Methodist pnr-otiage al Mount Mark. lown. They preside over the home and make things Interesting for their widowed father. Prudence, Pru-dence, the oldest, Is the "little mother" of the family. Kalry Is her aide lieutenant. QaroJ and Lurk, the twins, fill the place with mis chief. Connie, the "baliy," aids and abets them In every prank they play. This Is a wholesome tale, with dashes of Joy and sorrow, love it tii I laughter, light and shadow. i in; KIHTOK. No one IBM ered. When the silence continued, Carol's courage waned, "oh, girls," she whimpered, whim-pered, "Isn't It awful? It's the beginning begin-ning of Ihe end of cverjthing. Outsiders Out-siders have to come in now and take care of us, and Prudence'll get married, mar-ried, and then fairy will, and maybe us twins i meal, we twine, And then there'll only be father and Connie left, and Miss (ireet, or someone, will get ahead of father after nil and Con-nle'll Con-nle'll have to live with a stepmother, and It'll never seem like home any more., and " Connie burst Into loud and mournful mourn-ful wails. "You're very silly. Carol," Fairy said sternly. "Prudence will I e at tin head of things for nearly a year, and I think we're mighty lucky to get Aunt Ornce. It's not many women would be willing to leave a line, stylish home, with a hundred dollars a month to spetid on Just herself, and with u maid to wait on her, and come to an ugly old house like this to take care of a preacher and a riotous family like ours. It's very generous of Aunt i ! race very." "Yes. It Is," admitted Lark. "And as long as she was our aunt with her line home, and her hundred dollars a month, and her maid, I loved her dearly. Hut I don't want anybody coming In to manage us. We can manage man-age ourselves. We " "We need n chaperon," put In Knlry deftly. "It Isn't proper for us to live without one, you know. We're too young. It Isn't- conventional." "And for goodness' sake, Connie," said Carol, "remember and call her our chaperon, and don't talk about a housekeeper. house-keeper. There's some style to a chaperon." "Yes, Indeed," said Fairy cheerfully. "And she wears such pretty clothes, and has such pretty manners that sin will be a distinct acquisition to the parsonage. We can put on lots more style, of course And then It was awfully aw-fully nice of her to send 00 much of her good furniture the piano, for Instance, In-stance, to take the place of thnt old (In pan of ours. And do you remember, remem-ber, girls, that you mustn't ask her to darn your stockings and wash your handkerchiefs and do your tusks about the house. It would be disgraceful. And be careful not to hint for things you want, for. of course, Aunt. Orace will trot off and buy them for you, and papa will not like It. You twlns'll have to be very careful to quit dream lug about silk stockings, for instance.'' There was a tinge of sarcasm iu Fairy's Fai-ry's voice as she said this. "Fairy, WO did dream about silk stockings you don't need to helleve It If you don't want to. Hut we did dream abent them, just the aamel" Carol itghed. "I think I could be more reconciled to Aunt t Irnce If I thought she'd give me a pair of sill; stockings. You know. Fairy, sometimes lately I almost don't like Aunt Orace any more." "That's very foolish and very wlc!;-ed," wlc!;-ed," declared Fairy. "I love her dearly. dear-ly. I'm so glad she's come to live with us." "Are you?" asked Connie Innocently. "Then why did you go up In the attic and cry all the morning when I'rudenee I'ru-denee was ti;,ig the room for her'" Fairy bluahod, nnd caughl her under lip between her teeth for a minute. And then, tn u changed voice she said. "I I do love her, and I am glad- -but I I keep thinking ahead to when Prudence Pru-dence gets married, and and oh, i girls, when she Is gone It it won't lie BltJ home to me at all !" For a moment there wns a stricken silence. "Oh, pooh!" Carol said at Inst, bravely. "Ycu wouldn't want Prue to -tick around and lie an old maid, would youl I think she's mighty lucky to Ret h fellow as nice us Jerry Harmer I mys.li. I'M het juu don't make out half as well. Fairy. I think shed be awfully slll not to gobble him right up while she has a chance. For my own part. I don't believe in old tnaiiN I think It Is a religious duty for folks to gel married, mid and you know whut 1 mean race suicide, you know." she nodded bar bend aageljr, winking one eye in a st Intelligent faahloc, "And Aunt Orace is so ipilcl she'll not be any bother at all," added Lark. "She won't scold a bit. Mnyti Carol and I will g" a chance to spend some of our spending money when she takes charge. Prudence confiscate- It all for punishment. I think lis going to be lots of fun having Aunt Qrace with US." "I'm going to take my dime and buy her something "Connie announced suddenly. sud-denly. "I didn't know J'ou had a dime," laid Lurk. Connie 111. shed a little. "Ves oh. ye- " she snld, "I'm- got a dime. I I hid It. I've got a dime all right." "It's nearly time," said Kalr.v rest lessly. "Number nine has I n on lime I for two mornings now so she'll probably prob-ably DO here In time for dinner. It's only ten o'clock now." "Where'd you get that dime, Connie?" Con-nie?" "Oh. I've had It some time," Connie admitted reluctantly. "Hut where have VOU had It?" Inquired In-quired Lurk. "I thought you acted suspicious some wny, so I -n t around and looked for myself.' "Where did you look' The twins laughed gleefully "Oh. on top of the windows nnd doors." suid Carol. "How did you know " began Con-' Con-' Ule. "You aren't slick enough for us. Connie. We knew you had some fUWIJ place to hide your money, so I Bjnve you thnt penny nnd then 1 went upstairs up-stairs very noisily so you could hear me. nnd Lark sneaked around and watched, ami saw where you put it. We've been utile to keep pretty good track of your finances lately." Carol riise and looked at herself In the glass, "I'm going upstairs," she said. "What for?" inquired Lnrk, rising also. "I need a little more powder. My nose Is shiny." So the twins went upstairs, and Fairy, after calling out to them to be very careful ami not get disheveled, went out Into the yard nnd wundered dolefully about by herself. Connie meantime decided to get her well-hidden dime ami figure out what ten cents could buy for her fastidious and wealthy aunt. Connie was in many wnys unique. Her system of ninncy-hldftiK was horn of nothing less than genius, prompted by necessity, for the twins were clever ns well as giusplng. The cookstnve sat in the darkest and most remote corner of the kitchen. ami where the chimney lilted Into the wall It was protected by a email zin plate. This zinc plate protrum d barely bare-ly an Inch, hut that Inch was quite sul'icicnt Ur coins the size of Connie's and there, high nnd secure ir t' shadowy corner, lay Connie's dime. She went Into the kitchen cautloualy careful of her white canvas shoes iBjd put a chair beside the stove. She had discovered that theillshpan turned upside down on the chair, gave her UlDcleul height to reach her novel banking place. Put alas for Connie's calculations Carol wns born for higher thluga than diahu ashing, nnd she had splashed Boapeuda on the table. The pan had been -et among them and then, neatly wiped on the Inside, It had been hung tip behind the table with the endu mi the bottom. And It wns upon this ! same dlehpnU Hint Connie climbed so carefiflly In search of her darling dime. The result wns certain. Aa she slowly slow-ly and breathlessly raised herself on tiptoe, si 'tidying herself with the lips of her lingers lightly touching the toveptpe, her foot moved treacherously treacher-ously Into the soapy area and slipped. i -. .,,.... ,... i t.. . . ...... Connie .screamed, caught despemtely nt the pipe, and fell to the floor In a sickening Jumble of stovepipe, dlsh-paO dlsh-paO and Boot beyond her wildest fancies fan-cies : llcr cries brought her sisters flying, nnd the sight of the blackened kitchen, ami the unfortunate child in the midst of disaster, baulahi d from their minds all memory of the cninjug chaperon, of Prudence's warning word Connie was in trouble. Wuh sisterly sis-terly affection they rescind her. and did not bear the ringing of the bell. And when Prudence and her father, with Aunt Qrace in tow, deepnlred of gaining entrance at tint hands of the girls, came in unniiiniuie'ed. It was a sorry scene that greeted them. I'airy and the twins were 00 1) less s.ioty than Connie and the kitchen. And Connie wept loudly, her tears making hideous trails upon her blackened fine. "I might have known It." Prudence thought, with sorrow. Hut her motherly mother-ly pride VUniahed before In r motherly solicitude, and Connie wns soon quieted qui-eted hy her tender mlnlstratlous. "We love you, Alllll Orace," cried Carol earnestly, "hut we can't kiss you." Mr. Starr anxiously scanned the surface sur-face of the kitchen table with an eye to future spots on the new suit, and then sat down on the edge of it and laughed as only the young heart and old experience can laugh I "Diagraced again," be said. "Orace, think well before you take the plunge. 1 in you dare cast In your fortunes with a parsonage bunch that revels m nils-fortune? nils-fortune? Can you take the responsibility responsi-bility of rearing a family that knows trouble only? This Is your lust cliauce. Weigh well your words." Fairy pursed up her lips, pufhng Milnly at the soot that had settled Upon her face. Then she laughed. Very true, Aunt Orace," she said. "We admit that we're a luckless family. fam-ily. Hut wore expecting, with you to help us. to do much better. You see, we've never had half a chance so far. with only father behind us." The twins revived at this, and loined In Ihe laughter their father led against himself. Later In the day Prudence drew her. aunt to one side nnd asked softly. "Was It mui h of a shock to you. Aunt Ornce? The family drowned In soot to welcome you? I'm sure you rxpect-ed rxpect-ed to find everything trim and fresh and orderly. Was It a bitter disappointment?" disap-pointment?" Aunt Orace smiled brightly. "Why, no. Prudence." she said In her low, -low, even voice. "I really expected something to be wrong! I'd hnve been disappointed If everything had gone Just right !" CHAPTER II. Science and Health. After all. the advent of a chaperon made surprisingly little difference In the life of the parsonage family, but what change there was was all to the good. Their aunt assumed no active directorate ocr household matters. She Just slipped In, happily, unobtrusively, unobtru-sively, smiling much, saying little. The member! of the Lndles' Aid, who hastened to call, said, "She Is perfectly per-fectly ('banning such a fine conversationalist conversa-tionalist !" She wns always attractively dressed, always self-possessed, always friendly, nlways good-natured, nnd the girls found her presence only pleasing. She relieved Prudence. admired Fairy, laughed at the Iwlns, adored Connie. "Of course. Aunt Ornce." Prudence told her sweetly, "we aren't going to be selfish with you. We don't expect you to bury yourself In the parsonage. Whenever you want a trip away for a while, you must feel free to go." "I shan't wnnt to go," said Aunt Orace quickly. "Not right away, of course." Prudence' Pru-dence' agreed. "But you'll find our 1 holiness tiring. Whenever you do want to go" "I don't think I shall want to go ; all." she nnswered. "I like It herv I I like liveliness." Then Prudence kissed her gratefully. grate-fully. For several weeks after her Initiation Initia-tion In the parsonage, life rolled along sweetly and serenely. For ten entire and successive dnys the twins had Mved blameless lives. Their voices rung out gladly and sweetly. They I treated Connie with a sisterly tender I ness and gentleness quite out of accord ac-cord with their usual drastic discipline. disci-pline. They obeyed the word of Prudence Pru-dence with a cheerful readiness that was stnrtllngly cherublmlc. The most distasteful of orders called forth nothing noth-ing stronger tlian a bright "Yes, Prudence." Pru-dence." The twins read Mrs. Eddy's "Science and Health" and their amazing behavior in consequence conse-quence upsets the peace and uiet of the Methodist household. house-hold. Prudence solves the problem. prob-lem. (TO BB CONTINUED.) |