Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 177, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 July 1912 — Aunt Judy [ARTICLE]

Aunt Judy

By PHILIP KEAN

(Copyright, 1912, by Associated Literary Press.) . Aunt Judy in the eyes of her nephews and nieces was too bld for romance. yet Aunt Judy was only thirtyeight When Newton Hale moved to Queen’s Point he Wrought with him all the belongings of a man to whom money is no object. There were motor cars, riding horses and dogs, golf sticks, a half dozen trunks, a man and two maids and a housekeeper. His coming revolutionised the dull little place. “He says he likes the Oakes so well that he’s going to buy it He enjoys a quiet life, and he hates the city,” Natalie said to Aunt Judy as the older woman fitted a sheer pink lawn on the girlish figure. "He’s sensible,” said Aunt Judy. "There isn’t a prettier place in the world than the Oaks.” Natalie turned to get a better view of herself in mirror. “Don’t you think you’d better make the skirt a little shorter in the back?” she asked. Aunt Judy pinned it up obediently. "I like pink,” she said, sitting back on her heels to view the result. “I used to wear it a lot when I was a girl.” “Did you?” said Natalie, vaguely. “Do you think you can get my dress done by Tuesday?” Til try.” . "Mr. Hale Is going to give a moonlight garden party. I guess you’ll have to chaperon us. Aunt Judy. He said we’d better ask some older person.” “I don’t know what I’ll wear.” “Oh, anything—nobody’ll notice.” said Natalie. —■ Aunt Jpdy had a momentary sense or resentment Nobody took any interest in her. An old white dimity, scant of skirt and with an embroidered collar proved rather becoming, and Aunt Judy decided to wear it Some impulse guided her to pile her wavy hair jon top of her head in a style which accorded with the quaintness of the gown. At the gate she stoped and' picked two sprigs of white lilac and tucked them in her belt. Then she wandered across the road and up a long lane and entered Newton Hale’s garden. i There was an old sundial in the garden, and Aunt Judy loved the motto which was carved on it: “Grow old along with me—the best is yet to be." • As she came out from a long lane of blossoming almond bushes she saw the master of the house standing at the top of the terrace. He was in white flannels, and from the top of W handsoige gray ITQAd -Rnther-foe ” of his white buckskin shoes be was up-to-date, well groomed. He came down quickly.- "Which of the Morgans is tt?” he asked, smiling. “I have always known them by the color of their hair —it’s like old copper with the firelight on it.” “I am Aunt Judy,” said the little lady. “I fancy I’m early—but I like it here in the garden.” “I like it. too,” he said. Then the young folks came, and Natalie took possession of their host. “You said we should have a ride in the motorboat.” “Surely,” he responded. There was room tor all but one. “Aunt Judy won’t mind,” said Natalie. carelessly, “will you. Aunt Judy?” When they came back they trooped to the dining room. Newton Hale gave Aunt Judy the place of honor. After dinner she weht out on the porch, and Newton Hale followed her. Natalie, coming out later, looked in vain for Mr. Hale. She did not think of Aunt Judy. She was probably curled up in the library over a book, or was amusing herself in some quiet corner. Aunt Judy was never lonely. As a matter of fact. Aunt Judy at that moment was skimming over the waters of the bay in a motorboat, and tbe owner of the boat was saying, “Nobody will miss us, and I’m going to make up to you for the ride you didn’t have today.” That night Natalie talked some discontentedly about her evening. “I don’t think Mr. Hale was very polite not to look after his guests, do you? He was away half the evening.” The next day the big touring car came around to the door, and Natalie came presently to her aunt “He went* you to come," she said, with a shadow on her face. "Some of the boys wfll have to stay at home. But as be asked for you especially. I suppose he thinks a chaperon is necessary. Some city people do, you know." "Yes. they do," said Aunt Judy. Mr. Hale helped her into the seat beside him. somewhat to Natalie’s discomfiture “I don’t see why ho should carry the chaperon idea quite so far,” she.murmured to her sisters. But Aunt Judy had a lovely time. Newton Jlaie and she belonged to the game generation. “The young women and girls of today are a bit too strenuous for me.” salA Mr Hale, “that’s why I left town. I wanted to get out of the whirl." They stopped at a roadside inn for

lunch. There was an American woman selling lace at the doorstep. Mr. Hale made her display her wares. There were some collars and tbe girls exclaimed delightedly when he presented one to each of them. "Bqt you have chosen nothing," he said to Aunt Judy, and Natalie said quickly: “There’s a lovely table square. We could use it when we have card parties in the evening. Aunt Judy." Mr. Hale shook his head. “She must choose something for herself,” and when Aunt Judy protested that the table square would be very nice, he said to the woman, “Haven’t you something?” and with a quick glance at his interested face, she opened a sandalwood box, and showed a scarf of exquisite fineness. “That’s just the thing,” said Newtop Hale, but Aunt Judy protested. “The poor woman needs the money,” he said, half humorously, as he handed the scarf to Aunt Judy. "Look upon it as a charity to her." “I really think, Aunt Judy,” said Natalie the next night, “that the lace scarf Mr. Hale gave you would be much more appropriate- for one of us girls. He really had to get it for you, you know, after that woman showed it” “Yes,” said poor Aunt Judy, “perhaps he did." “You won’t mind my wearing it to Mr. Hale’s porch dance, will you?" asked Natalie, who was all in pale blue. “Oh, no,” said Aunt Judy. She laid away the sandalwood box. At least the possession of that was undisputed. Long after Natalie left Mr. Hale called. As" the big automobile drew up in front of the porch, Aunt Judy went down to meet it. Newton was in evening clothes and wore no hat. “Why didn’t you come to my dance?” he asked abruptly. “The girls said there would be other chaperons,” she said. “And, besides,” she laughed, cheerfully, “Ilhad nothing grand enough to wear.” “You let Natalie wear your scarf,” he said. “I —I wanted to see you in it—l confess I was —bitterly disappointed.” Aunt Judy was silent with astonishment. That any act of hers could cause any one pain was beyond belief. She had been Ignored for many years—nobody had cared what she wore. "I—l didn’t know—” she said, softly. “Haven’t you seen,” he said, impetuously, "that you are dearer to me than anything In the whole wide world? You are what I’ve been looking for all my life —the sweetest, the gentlest—woman." "Oh,” said Aunt Judy. She was faint with happiness. “Oh. I didn’t dream —” “Then let me tell you now,” be said eagerly. "When I saw you there in my garden I knew that what the sundial said was true —‘The best is yet to come.’ And I have only waited to give you time to know me before I asked you—to marry me —Judy." When Natalie came home that night, in all the glory of her aunt’s lace scarf, she exclaimed at the sight of the big red car at the gate. “Why, Mr. Hale," she said, "everybody has been asking for you.” “Well, I guess they had a good time,” he said, comfortably. “I came ever to talk to your Aunt Judy.” “To Aunt Judy?” —“Yes, and I can’t keep my happh. ness to myself any longer. She has promised to marry me and be my mistress of the Oaks.” “What?” stammered Natalie. “Why, Aunt Judy’s too old —to get married.” Mr. Halo laughed delightedly. “Youth is blind,” he said. “Why, Natalie, can’t you see that she is beautiful and that she’s so rare that if she lived in town the men would worship her. I’m going to have her wear pearls always—great ropes of them, and white satin, and sables and plumes" He said a great deal more, while Natalie looked at him in a stunned fashion and was silent. But that night as her aunt helped her braid her hair the young girl said: “Pearls and diamonds —and sables— why. Aunt Judy, you will look wonderful —you are a beauty—and to think —we never knew!"