Show L e HONORABLE UNCLE LANCY F by 9 44 ETHEL H 0 LIES TON CHAPTER X continued 12 think del was some sort of a heathen said aunt olympia he e day after they arrived at shires mad nd im not sure but in some ways r is she added thoughtfully seems eem s to me even a heathen would have hav e the nerve to speak to that worm r rn about his conduct my dear remonstrated the senator that la Is one thing that cant be done one in any sort of political circles what cant be done speaking to your opponent about wo conduct u chos talking about your opponent im talking about cece dodd I 1 want you to tell him to keep away from here ive got trouble enough my dear he was supposed to stay with us what you hired him for it well I 1 hire him to go calfe calf e eyed over limpy you tell him to quit looking at limpy every time I 1 glance up I 1 see him looking at LIMPY its getting on my nerves you tell him to stop IV it f my dear he said in a pained voice 1 I cant do that he a i boy you know hes doing a good jab you cant tell a man what RS s to look at even if hes bes working hr you have me up before bages ages and hours in no time I 1 C do 0 you see eee any sense paying a jofan an wages to spend his hours looking at at an infant Is that what the N L R B stands for my dear youre making too much of this limpy Is only a child and a nice child I 1 like to look at her myself ashes a mere child you silly dunce t dont you know knof bren arent what they used to fren thus us frustrated on every evary hand oly olympia m pia conceived the notion of dropping a few delicate hints herself she come right out in the open about it because she realized that even if limpy herself felt elt no personal interest in cecil ahe e did enjoy being admired and ihben en opposition would arouse her fid id her sisters with her to her own Je tense so olympia decided to be diplomatic well cece she began pleasantly when she finally cornered him alone what do you think of our girls 1 I think lovely he said with a warm smile maudlin olympia called it just lovely in tact fact when I 1 think of poor len attic stuck k with those brats I 1 think I 1 struck it pretty mso ae olympia ground her teeth but silently adele beautiful she asked leading him on they all are he said generously every one of them adeles the most beautiful and you cant deny it she persisted doggedly 1 I dont agree with you he lighted a cigarette looking worldly and sophisticate dL beauty you know Is anti entirely rel ay a matter of taste it is not she said rudely its a 1 matter of complexion and features ind and hair and it may interest you to know that all real ceal authorities on beauty artists and sculptors and real authorities say adele is far and away the most beautiful oh perhaps from their point of view he conceded personally ont dont agree with them yell ell wrong with her byks its you a silly illy dunce she de ln irritably i nothing nothings wrong rong with efthem em her looks are lovely but in my opinion her kind of beauty Is well its not natural its not spontaneous it looks artificial almost theatrical aunt olympia could hardly elleve believe her ears she was speechless now you take beauty well like limpas tor for instance he be said warming to his subject now lim pys beauty is honest and clean cut and straightforward theres nothing stagy about it it just plain unvarnished straight to the heart beauty adeles not varnished eith either er 11 she said feebly ive seen her come straight from her bath ive etched ched her make up I 1 know rait t rm im talking about fah oh probably not 11 he said in but the effect Is the d same ame it looks made up limpas different afferent j do you realize began olympia halt half choking that limpy Is isa perfect infant A mere child 1 to a man of my age and general experience he said gently there is nothing in inthe the world so beautiful as a brave glowing little bud just blossoming bloss oming out aunt olympia got up and walked straight out of the room she had bad to she was afraid if she remained she abi would choke him hl in with her bare bar hands and that would end tho the campaign in a hurry probably end up by my do ing it anyhow she told the senator savagely but im making every effort to wait till atter after the election you cant really blame him my dear for or liking the childs looks he argued mildly everybody likes her looks you know to tell the truth he continued hesitantly 1 I like her looks better than adeles myself 10 olympia groaned that was the gall and wormwood of it she did too her distress was to so great that the senator decided to speak peak to cecil himself without telling her anything about it tor for the senator was wai devoted to olympia and would humiliate himself to almost any depth to spare her distress he had cecil sen sent t u up p to his library and closed this the door see here cecil he began mat ter of factly 1 I want you to stop flirting with limpy cecil rose right up out ot of his chair to answer that flirting with limpy sirl sir I 1 im not flirting with limpel Limp youre nott youre not flirting with limpy well what do you call it 1 I dont call it anything sir but I 1 know it flirting im crazy y about limpy well stop her aunt and I 1 will positively not permit anybody to be crazy about limpy until after the election 1 I dream of flirting with limpy said cecil any time the election has nothing to do with it well youve got her aunt all upset about it and we cant worry about limpy and win an election at the same saie time but what have I 1 done senator ive been very careful I 1 only gave her that pin and everybody wears sloppy pins and mrs Slop shire asked me to be nice to the girls to the girls yes not to limpy just to helen and adele as good as married anyhow not limpy you know senator cecil confessed shyly 1 I could get married myself if itsie she was old enough with my political experience in this campaign im sure to land a good job somewhere and ive got money enough to take care of a wl aia a woman I 1 could do a lot better for or a girl than len hardesty youve got to stop looking at tier her said the senator firmly but senator you must realize ther theres e a no place else to look when lampys there remonstrated cecil desperately im sorry cece but youve got to stop it pay attention to your work and when you are discuss ing ng the campaign with us you address your remarks to limpy ashes not running for office and I 1 am ill try senator he said unhappily lap 1 I dont want to upset mrs Slop shire and I 1 do want the campaign to go through all right but senator you must see how impossible it Is to look at anybody else when w hen limpas in the room ill keep her out of the room as much as I 1 can promised the senator kindly you keep your eyes glued to mrs Slop shire discretion is s the best policy at your age when you get to be my age a glance or two wo at limpy wont hurt 3 you tt it even set you up a little but tor for the time being you stick to mrs Slop shire CHAPTER XI during the first week of october the trailer entourage established Bays town as headquarters and were giving parking facilities in the community center from this base the campaigners went off dally daily on flying junkets by automobile with a noisy escort of police it had been a hard week for this was the beginning of the senators statewide state wide weep sweep for votes on saturday aunt olympia exhibited a degree of nervous energy for or which not even the hard week could be held entirely accountable she spen spent t the morning relaxing in bed and studying manuscript she spent the afternoon having a facial a wave a mud pack and a hot bath the senator had gone off with dave and cecil to attend a picnic of the young democrats at hardcastle planning to return to bays town in time to address the big rally in the auditorium at eight chehad he had wanted to take the girls along but aunt olympia had put her toot foot down on that no mo I 1 want them to get rested up so they be pretty and fresh tonight she said and if limpy were off with you and cece I 1 be able to concentrate you go 90 and keep your eye on cece if he be gets back here ahead of you ill have him arrested rested ai aunt olympia made mad the girls take a brisk walk she had tea and sandwiches ready for or their refreshment on their return 1 I want you to wear your prettiest rocks frocks tonight and look your sweetest our windup wind up costumes asked limpy eagerly for or those fetching etching gowns had been kept under lock and key all summer no not those the next to pret test Is this a special meeting auntie asked adele well its apt to be admitted aunt olympia nervously and I 1 its my policy to bo be prepared for or anything you see very possibly this may be the night the senator will be late and call on me for or my extemporaneous speech why I 1 ordered these little corsages for or all of us rosebuds I 1 prefer orchids but they look too expensive bof or a campaigner but why do we have to wear corsages and look nicer than usual they wont call on us will they oh no dears 0 of course not but you will have to sit bit on the platform and look nice and take a bow or two but bu we always do yes but when I 1 make my extemporaneous speech via we always have extra photographers on hand band ladles ladies and gentlemen she murmured working on her chin and smiling urbanely at six groups began streaming into the park micro phones had been set up all over the grounds so that those unable to crowd into the auditorium might hear at seven floodlights flood lights were turned on and the band struck up wed better dress now said bald aunt olympia its very crowded for or four to dress in here objected adele cant we take our bags and dash over to the hotel no its more effective for or them to summon us from the trailer in case they call on us of el course adeles not varnished either she he said feebly better take the full length mirror adele it make so much difference about the rest of us aunt olympias Olymp lai words were prophetic at eight after preliminary speeches and introductions jim allen alien the state c chairman shouted into the microphone attention attention attention ladles ladies and gentlemen we have just received word that our good friend senator Slop shire has haa been dunavold unavoidably detained at Hard hardcastle eastle he will not waste a moment getting here but in the meantime out here in the trailer just finishing their quiet supper we have that grand old trouper olympia Slop shire the senators wife and her young nieces shall I 1 try to induce olympia to make a few remarks until the senator gets here A roar of applause went up jims probably mentioned trying to induce me said olympia Olymp la blandly dusting her face ace with powder and tucking back a nervous curl jim allen alien banged on the trailer door olympia opened it mrs Slop shire the senator is unavoidably detained a few minutes wont you come over and lust just say howdy to the folks just pass away the time till the senator gets here now jim you know I 1 dont know a thing about I 1 leave all that to the Sena senator torl protested protest ed aunt olympia Olymp lar well they want to see you anyhow just hear them cheering av over er therel there you dont have to make a speech just give them a ar smile come on mrs Slop shirel come on girls dont forget any of those extemporaneous wise cracks youve e been thinking up nil all summer bummer whispered pe red limpy if I 1 do you can prompt me said aunt olympia in high good humor the auditorium was packed to the door packed a hundred feet beyond the doors in tact fact there was a rear entrance giving easy access to the platform but jim allen alien forced a way through the crowd to lead his smiling contingent right through the voting public there she there they firel arel good evening mrs Slop shirel rah rah rah the lad ladles lesl the ladles ladies clod od bless them half a dozen hands reached down from the platform to assist them to mount olympia Olymp la helen adele and limpy the applause continued tor for ten minutes while the ladies looking very pretty stood bowing smiling waving their hands L lampy 1 ampy remembering the brats threw kisses then jim allen alien roared for silence ladies ladies ladle sand and gentlemen this lady needs no introduction to youl ashes your lady this is our old friend olympia Olymp la Slop shirel she wont make a speech she just wants to say your lady ladles ladies and gentleman olympia Slop shirel shire I 1 olympia advanced smiling to the rostrum and put her handbag and gloves on it then she turned and shook a playful finger at jim now jim allen alien you only asked me to come and take a bowl you say a word to me about making a speech she protested gaily 1 I cant make a speech I 1 dont even know how to bigin begin especially on politics I 1 always say one politician in a family is enough sometimes I 1 think it is more than enough I 1 now if you wanted a speech on keeping the house on running the family budget on cheap recipes tor for canning fruit and making pre j serves I 1 could talk till election why I 1 am not even enough of a politician to call you constituents constituent sl she cried k keeping well in range of the microphone youre not constituents to mel me youre just friends old friends and neighbors 2111 all I 1 know about politics now because you are only my friends and neighbors I 1 want you to meet these three dear little children of mine who have made me so EO happy and kept my heart and hands so full this year girls come on sta stand nd apt I 1 want them to see what you look like the girls tripped up and stood smiling grouped about her now those of you who have families she went on understand that between providing nourishing meals doing the mending and darning superintending super intending the laundry safeguarding the health of my husband a and nd these three children I 1 have time to meddle in politics it 11 I 1 wanted to but the girls mean more to me than politics why I 1 want you to be their friend and neighbor as you ate are mine this is helenl helen this is adelel and this is my little limpel stand up on a chair limpel so they can see youl limpy was boosted blushing upon a chair but she rose to it gallantly and threw more kisses you can sit down now girls but I 1 would not give y you ou the wrong impression about my ati attitude continued aunt olympia with sudden earnestness 1 I am interested just as you are in every detail every movement every law every national policy that affects our I 1 tate state and our country women are concerned with politics because all problems that touch the home the family the school the church the health are problems what is there that concerns our nation naion that does not eventually lead straight to our homes your home and mine labor relief flood control wages and hours taxation even war itself rearmament a naval policy the affairs of commerce and agriculture all these are powerful electrical currents by which our oar homes are made safe and sweet or are destroyed destroy edl and since by our american system of government the most glorious system ever devi devised may it never grow lessl less since by our system all these delicate problems of government of justice of fair play and of protection must be worked out through politics then yes I 1 am interested in politics lesl what woman worthy the name of wife of mother could remain uninterested and indifferent to the system by which food clothing and shelter are provided for her children which gives them education which safeguards them from the ravages of war which insures the security of their future and endows them forever with the sacred right of freedom so yes to that extent I 1 am interested te in politics well now in this campaign you may be surprised to know she said with a light laugh that these girls and 1 I are for se senator Slop shirel arent we girls arent we for the senatore Sena torl the girls applauded prettily and why are we tor for the senator |