Show AUNT POUTS POLLYS DESCENT she was old fashioned but knew cupids cupida way by IZOLA FORRESTER betty was sweeping tho the hall ball when the bell rang and tho postman handed banded in a handful of letters six for geraldine Gerald lne said betty sitting ting down on tho the stain all valentines this ono one feels feela soft and satiny that must be from mr raleigh vlaha were engaged too BO somebody would send me one like that ill nevor never lia IQ if I 1 stay here all my lif alf playing maid to geraldine geraldino no and jothand hand girl to aunt margaret I 1 wish if I 1 ever did have one all my very own it would say bay on it to dotty betty from jack the last was in a will whisper behind her camo came Aunt Nf margaret argaret downstairs eyeglasses at tho the proper angle serene and well poised os aa always dont neglect the corners betty sho she said pleasantly has the mall mail arrived oh yes for Ger gertrude trudel how popular and loved the child Is certainly said betty vigorously attacking attaching the broom once more 10 dont bo be ungenerous even in thought betty you had better oil tho stal rease too betty stood still tor for a moment looking after hor her aunt agnf but mrs afro potter crossed the ball and went into the dining room to her late breakfast jack was just finishing hla his with the morning paper propped before him ho he wished his mother a perfunctory greeting and went on reading mrs afro potter opened her mall mail one letter attracted her attention it was waa a curious letter the envelope was long and narrow and of thin pale blue paper with a sort of chec checkered kere d effect she opened it and glanced over the first arst page and jack looked up from his paper at the quick cry of alarmed stir surprise prise chos dead mum mums le dont be flippant jack the shock Is quite bad enough I 1 have a letter from your fathers sister polly Po llyrA A most impossible sort of an old person jack I 1 have not seen her in over fifteen years not since your father made his fortune out of potters pure pellets she lived on a farm somewhere up in connecticut your father was born there but he got away from tho the environment as soon as he could fairly toddle jack laugh laughed td and took the letter the writing was a bit quavering flug and but ho he made it out it was a simple a 1 mp 01 a hoart tul letter lull fall of sin ity and a rea reaching 1 ching out after ones awa wn people dear sister bister maggie Alag gle it rend read 1 I have been thinking of you and the children tor for some time ond and I 1 do want to see you before tho the lord calls me home so 80 weing as you given to visiting 9 I 1 thought id take ahn time 0 b by the forelock and come to see you T I 1 know you will be li surprised but life Is short and my heart strings airings begin to after some borne of my own flesh and blood as I 1 prow grow older hoping fopIng this finds you all in good health as aa I 1 am at present and trusting to be in your midst shortly I 1 remain your sister polly ann potter geraldine Gorald lne came in dressed for her morning walk through the park she was a tall pretty girl rather pallid but sweet faced and well bred chos betty helping out of the cab nid mother ther sho she asked it looks ike noahs great grandmother jack I 1 am going to taint faint exclaimed mrs potter buck buc k up mumble and bo be decent warned jack as he bo opened the door and faced dotty betty loaded with two large covered baskets and an ancient black leather traveling bag bettys face was radiant heres aunt pollyl polly I 1 she an bounced noun ced behind her stood the oddest figure As geraldine said afterwards she cho did not think there were any people like aunt polly left in the world tall and spare head well up with a wide 1 genial l smile that took in all creation in its approval she had happy gray eyes and cronky gray hair parted in the middle and drawn down over her ears well how are you folks she exclaimed her voice trembling with tears bless my heart and soul its so BO good to see YOU all how your chloka have bave grown sister been them the pellets regular botty betty take your aunts parcels up to the gray chamber how do you do polly you are very wel welcome corne mrs afro potter closed hor her eyes as a martyr should and pressed a bird peck on the wrinkled cheek nearest her betty child you lot them satchels and things of mine alone ordered aunt polly vigorously 1 I never lot let folks wait on me well maggie how be yo ye anyhow you look sort of havo have to speak up louder cause my hearings defective come nearer children sho she sank iown down into a rocking chair and beamed on the two this Is the girl you named polly folly ann after mo me it wo we call her geraldine Gerald lne to avoid confusion polly mrs potter passed the point of danger with poise and 1 T I think she resembles my side of the family dont you does seem more set up than the ses aunt polly smiled and turned to meet jacks hearty salute im jack auntie hows things down home homa well fair to fair to mid dlin I 1 brought you up some hubbard squashes and good pecks pleasants and nuts and ginger cookies I 1 aint forgot when I 1 was young I 1 know knew the children would enjoy things right from tho the old place where their father was born barn so kind of you polly ac knowl edged mrs airs potter sweetly betty you may remove them to tho the kitchen kitchan walt wait a minute I 1 aint got a good look at you yet this Is millies girl aint it she favors Al millie lIlle too geraldine Gerald lne smiled shyly call me gerry auntie jack does she bho dont hana handsome some a bit does sho maggie polly said eald anybody sitting with you yet child im to be married easter week my IMY backward aint yo ye laughed polly run along and take your walk whoa she ahe going to io marry maggie 7 A gentleman in a wall street office delit r you dont tell me aint that too baal but love goes where it will jackle jackie help your old aunt oft off with these pesky tight shoes and get my old slippers out of that bag on top I 1 pretty near lost all my religion wearing them down here jack knelt on the floor putting on the slippers mother avar worries too much hurried too rn mu ch worries she has hai h a good many social engagements 1 I know lot let potters pure pellets into new york society chuckled polly land jackle I 1 remember when your father used to putter around home over his little dough and sugar pills and a little pepsin and he yit ju t oi on the labels cure everything on earth excepting chill blaids blains and bolls seems queer to think he made a fortune out of them before he died k its about all gone now said bald jack cheerfully were putting on a lot of dog auntie that we cant back up with the real goods its in tho air down here dotter better come home with me youre a potter through and through jackle jackie sitting with any girl jack grinned and shook his head out in the hall ball they could hear bear bettys voito singing 1 I want petty betty lie he said simply she sings like an angel have you asked betty to have yo ye ashes only sove seventeen auntie 11 danay do Dp n nay it 11 86 ce time sonny 1 I was inao in tove vo luean a and nd we kept awalt ln and awalt ln for his folks to die and my old bedridden father to stop roe me and by the time all passed over the shining strand my lad died too and wed missed our way somehow along loves lovea post road sometimes you cant put much faith in the sign posts along that road now you brace right up to the occasion and ask betty while ashes sweet as a rosebud how long can you stay Aun auntie tto well it depends A day or so I 1 come up on a little business besides said polly placidly gathering her bonnet and knit muffler and coat and shawl together debbe ill take you homo home with me jackle jackie jack stood where she eho left him and betty camo came in somehow the old ladys simple philosophy of life had put new counge T anio to h him I 1 in betty I 1 he aid slowly dotty betty listen aunt po lys offered to put mo me to work on hr h r woodpile it if I 1 marry you betty dropped dr 0 ap pp the broom and dustpan with a ba ig g and looked at him jack had alwa a boon boen her bar horo hero ever since the day when somebody had brought her th there e to live a little pensioner on her godmothers od mothers bounty ashes just t taking fun I 1 guess said betty with a sigh you cut wood 1 I could learn lear deat dear jacks arms folded around 11 ikse r somehow as it if they belonged there wed chuck all this city life and go back home theres about it a hundred and sixty acres there of land waiting 1 ar OP kome somebody body to wake it up I 1 kemem or er dad telling about it would you g a with me betty betty turned tu arned ler er head to answer and met hla his it lips and so go mrs potter alps found them as s a 0 came in the dining room followed b ba aunt polly jack im ama zed at you she began in a cepres mpr od ed sorrowful tone but polly laughed he oh good land la ian I 1 aegle Maggie let tho the children kiss it til ti oy ey want to its all my doings I 1 feind fo ind one sane cane member in the family faintly hes hea going to marry betty here a an d coming to live with their eld d aunt on woodchuck hill and vork the farm on shares aint you jackle back to the tai fa ml III exclaimed mrs potter despairing y back to 0 retorted aunt polly forcibly nhen you got get back from your trip slater sister maggie batter bertei run t ip p and stay atay awhile wed bo be real plea ed d to havo have ye 11 copyright 1913 by associated pr e |