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The Emancipation
Of the Chaperons.
By ALICE LOUISG LI:!?. ,
Copyright, 1305, by AIJco Louise Lcc.
H
L'll!" Merrlwetber ntrotehe.1
Ills lega out luxuriously In
front of the grate and pulled
at IiIh pine. "A CfirlHttiuiR
house party at The I 'lues." Then after
a patWc, "Who are Invited'"
Ills nephew leaned against the man
tclploeo and .stuffed his hands Into Ills
pockets as he enumerated the guests,
the uncle keeping up a running and
caustic comment:
"Engaged-going to he-Introduced
for matrimonial purposes engaged
the same." The numeration ceased,
"yes, I see myself helping to chap
eron your house party. I stroll Into
the reception room tind Rtumblo over
an engaged couple. I sneak Into the
library and am frowned out again by
a newly Introduced couple. I bang in
to the music room and overhear a pro
posal. No, thank you, Hoy; I shall
spend Christmas in peace and my own
room."
Hoy picked up his bat and moved to
ward the door. "Modern house parties
are not conducted along the lines
you've laid down, uncle. Change your
mind and Judge for yourself." He
turned the knob. "Hy the way, I
didn't mention iho other ohapVron,' did
I? U'h Mrs. Angell, IJertba's widowed
mint, you know." With this parting
shot, which he know was effective, Hoy
discreetly retreated. i
After he had gone Merrlwetber sat
an hour staring at the tire and pulling
away at a smokeless pipe. Then he
arose and looked earnestly at himself
In the mantel mirror. "We're apt to
run down," he apostrophized his re
flection; "apt to run to seed, we Imche
lorn. Now, this tie-let's see, It's six
months out of style, and Ocrtrudo used
to be-huni." He stepped to the phone
and called up his tailor, realizing that
his mind hud already undergone the
change Hoy hoped for.
Ten days later he arrived at The
Pines just In time to dress for dinner.
lie was accompanied by a man and a
smart lot of luggage, accessories which
mane so marked a change In his ap
pcaranee that when at 0 o'clock he de
scended to the lower hall Kurthu Mon
roe, awaiting her aunt at the fool of
the stairs, surveyed him In delighted
amazement.
"Why, Uncle Hruee," she exclaimed,
"you look so line I scarcely knew you!"
Ilerlhii was his nephew's tlnucce and
already claimed relationship in private,
to the uncle. "I'd make Hoy wear
evening clothes in the morning if he
had such a splendid tlguro-so filled
out, you know."
Merrl wether, following her Into the
living room, laughed grimly at the
doubtful compliment. "Oh, he'll tip the
scales at 10 soon enough, don't wor
ry!" "Vou surely don't look that stout."
began Hertha and, turning abruptly
toward the entrance, finished with.
"Does he. aunlleV"
(Jcrtrude Angell swept past her niece
and met Merrl wether's outstretched
hand cordially. "Look? Why. he looks
surprisingly like the Hruee Merriweth
er I used to know so well."
"fifteen years iicii." was on the ml
of Merrl wether's tongue, but he cheek-1
ed himself Just In time. Cert rude prub-'
ably ignored lapses in time as women'
have a habit of doing, be thought. I'.ut '
surely hers was a face, a form, a bnir-i
big. which had mi successfully with-1
stood time n to entitle her to thcVp
pclkitlou or youth. Her brown hair
had not lost lis luster, nor had her blue'
eyes lost auirht of their sparkling in-1
terest in pre. while she carried beivelf
wllli her old time spring and laeb..
Merrlwelher noted all these things as,
he sat opposite her at dinner. His
memory Hashed picture after picture
before hlm-lhe primary days lit their i
old home school, their grammar room1
betrothal, the warm friendship of later
yea r-, which had meant something1
more to.hlin; then her marriage and
life abroad. As he looked at her he'
had the uncomfortable feeling that, al
though her birth had antedated his by
one year, she was many ,eais id's
Junior. ,
lie was Just eliaraclerl'iiiL' lilmvit
as "old" when Ids nephew's v, ,,.,.
aroused him and added point io hi
rellecllon. "Tomorrow morning we
skate," announced Hoy Joyfully. "I've
had the pond back here cleared for
action, and the Ice Is O, K!" Then lie
added curclessl", -Hy the wa.. I'nclo
Hrttce. 1 forgot to tell you to bring
skates along, but I can easilj piovlde
you with a pair."
.Merrl wether miaked luwardlj. bin
made no reply until after dinner, when
ho backed ids nephew Into a cornet
and addressed liini privately and force
fully, "I've not been on skates for ten
years, and I don't Intend to make
spectacle of myself now by any
means "
"Wh., uncle or -you know, that
makes things rather awkward, for Mrs.
Angell does all those tilings so well,
and er wo don't want her to feel
boted here."
"Oh!" groaned Merrl wet her. "In thai
cute I'll try. bin watch out for a rep.
.
anon or n ennpter in tne 'I'lcitwtcK
rnpore!'" nnd he turned abruptly Into
tho ballroom.
""Are you looking over tho scene of
former triumphs?" asked a gay voice
beside him. And Mrs. Angell moved
aero.su the room to straighten a candle
In one of the candelabra.
Merrlwelher noted with admiration
her free, light stop. She was it superb
iipeclmen of womanhood, but ho fer
vently wished she had appeared oldei.
"Why Is It," ho asked Impulsively, ig
noring her question, "Unit women re
tain their youth so much longer thun
men?"
She paused with her hand on the
candle and looked back. "I think," she
replied thoughtfully, "It's because they
Insist on doing youthful things."
"There It Is again!" ho thought, with
an Internal groan. He would be obliged
to skate and dance and do all the other
uncomfortable things which forty years
nnd 2120 pounds shrink from. Still as
lie watched her move about the room
the burden of, It did not seem so oner
ous after all.
Therefore he danced not badly, but
laboriously, alt the while admiring the
graceful ease of Gertrude AngcU's mo
tions. "At least," be determined resolutely,
"I'll not be caught skating, as I was
dancing, without n bit of practice." It
was 1 n. in. when he made this resolu
tion and Issued the command to his
mnn, "Peter, get me up at 7 unless,"
In sudden inspiration, "It should be
storming."
Promptly it I 7 he was awakened In n
rebellious frame of mind. "Stiff as a
cart horse," he grumbled. "I hope it's
snowing like blazes."
The man raised the shade and looked
out. "Sky clear as a whistle, sir."
So, with bis sleep cut short two hours
at both ends of the night, Merrlwetber
dragged himself and the pair of skates,
produced by bis thoughtful nephew,
out to Uie pond behind the bill. For
an hour bo skinned bis kuccjt, bumped
his bead and" disturbed the equanimity
of his temper before he was able to
move alone with moderate speed and
keep bis feet under him.
When he went in to breakfast he was
thankful for a few moments alone In
front of a glowing grate tire. He
stretched his aching legs toward the
beat and rubbed the back of his bead
where a bump was appearing which Is
not laid down in phrenological charts
and pains from which were darting in
every direction. lie listened idly to
voices in the ball uutll Ids attention
was chained by two comments made
Just outside the door.
"Isn't she a perfect delight of a chap
eron? And so young ton! She can't be
thirty."
The reply was given in a doubtful
tone. "Wby-e-e, yes, she must be all
of thirty."
"Forty-one." muttered the listener
doggedly, the light of Ills new resolve
shining again in his eyes.
At 10 o'clock the entire parly went
out to the pond, and Merrlwetber skat
ed ;ind skated and skated until Ids
teeth were clinched in desperation uuA
his forehead knitted In his efforts to
hold out as long as Mrs. Angell did.
That lie was becoming a in. in of one
Idea he acknowledged to himself thai
afternoon on the sleigh ride. "What
Certrude dares, I dare." he told him
self in feeble Jest. That sleighing par
ty was a nightmare to hint for days
afterward. The drifts were deep, and
the sleigh was overturned again and
again, generally with Merrlwelher at
the bottom of the heap, owing to the
fact that .sleighs incline readily in the
direction of -J'JO pounds. Then, to vary
the monotony of the tip-over.-, there
were miles of hillsides with a souther
ly exposure where the sun had melted j
the snow and obliged the parly to
walk.
Merrlwetber tolled up the slopes, bus.
banding Ids wind by maintaining si
lenee. watching Cert mile's clastic Mops
ruefully and feeling bis resolutions in
respect to .onlhfiilnos.s ooze from bis
chilled linger lip-..
"All out for our last climb:" cried
Hoy as the horses stopped at the foot
of a steep rise. "This is our last hill."
"Thank the Lord!" hiild Merrlwelher
devoutly behind his mustache. n
watched' his chance when the atten
tion of the oilers, especially Certrude,
was directed elsewhere, and' then, as
sisting his pedal extremities laborious
ly over the lde of the sleigh, he fell on
hen heavily, trusting to luck rather
than to his tired legs to keep him up
right. Near the end of their climb he re
marked to Mrs. Angell. with all the
nonchalance he could command. "I
should think you ladle.-, would be a bit
tired."
A light laugh put him to shame, and
a pair of dancing blue eyes met his
In a glance which stripped him of lif
ted .ears and led him back Io the
days when he had walked beside her
with necr a thought of fatigue.
"Tired!" she returned carelessly . "And
by such a little trip as this?" '
I hat reply, coupled with the day's
unparalleled exertion, turned the tide
of .Merrlwelher' - resolutions, in his
room before dinner he eased his aching
that evenln .j ue elitnvTi or "T t. ""
gcll's prooioLC, and he uoticci, t ,
wlUt a p.ui' of o ..ethlng ver.. I
jealousy, that Hriggs, the you.i c
man in the part.,, occup c.l his sp . e
moments loo!.. a.; in her direction.
"I'll see what tho weather prow, o
for tomorrow," w.u his Irresolute cj.o-
ment as he reached his room at ml.i-
, night and noted Unit Peter had one-
Udlently packed his thing. ready for the
0:10 train. "If It sluuld storm, m.iy-
j bo" was his last conscious thought,
1 mid then he drllted off into a I. mil
where Gertrude spent her Clirlstmases
I with him benlde a quiet hearthstone
and chaperoned bouse parties no nitre.
Next morning, when he awoke, the
snow was driving ag.ilnst the window,
while tho wind whistled savagely
through the trees. Merrlwetber turn
ed over with n deep grunt of satisfac
tion. There could be no sleighing uo
skntltig, no tobogganing, such a day
as this, and that night was Christmas
eve and the Christmas tree. He had
purchased an exquisite copy of "Maud",
for Mrs. Angell. It was a poem they
had once read together, and he won
dered If bis memory of the fact would
touch her. With these thoughts ho
drifted back Into sleep, and the morn
ing train went thundering cityward
without him.
-
bones In a mnn Is clinir and determined '
to return to the city cail.v next morn
ing, lie would be old and sensible and
comfortable once more, lie would for-1
get Certrude as long as he could not
keep up with her youilifuluess. !
Hut alas for his determination! He
nearly forgot his brubes aud sprains i
.s'o" hm;m' unit luiiUnl havU
Hut his triumph over the state of the
weather was short lived. At the break
fast table his nephew curdled his blood
by the announcement of the plans for
the Christmas trees, which yet stood In
the forest a tulle across lots. "Two of
the men are sick Ibis morning, fellows,
so we'll have to fall into line anil fetch
the trees." Hoy proclaimed, with a rel
ish born of twenty-three years and
warm blood.
The "follow." Including Merriwcth
or, worked in the storm until noon be
fore the trees were properly out. trim
med, cleaned and set up in the ball
room ready for the decorations and
gifts. The ladles had Hie decorations
in charge, but Merrlwetber found there
was no rest for the weary. He bal
anced himself perilously by I lie hour
on the top of slopladders. which sway
ed and creaked ominously under bis
weight: he climbed stairs to fetch pack
ages from the billiard room; lie search
ed for lost hammers nnd knelt on nils
laid tacks until he relegated Christmas
and house parties to the lower regions.
At last the trees were decorated, and
Hoy called the party Into the music
room to practice Christinas anthems
Merrlwetber saw his fellow workers
safely into the iiinsli- room: then he
dragged himself upstairs for a t.olaelng
smoke, only to Ibid hN lire out and Ills
chamber cheerless.
Shoving bis aching feel into slippers,
he got himself into a smoking Jacket,
lif bis pipe and descended to the libra
ry. The library lay back of the living
room, far from the music, and li con
Iniucd an inviting couch, at whhli
Morrlwother had looked longingly, hut
had not found time so far to orciip.v.
He pushed aside the curtains at the
entrance with a broad sweep of Ids
hand and stepped within. Then In
stepped abruptly. The couch was occu
pied. "I beg your pardon, Gertrude.
I thought ,ou were singing."
Singing!" she responded crossly,
struggling into a sluing posture. "Why,
I've not a shred of voice left to sing
with!" She did uoi smile, but passed
her hand across her e.ves in a gesture
which caused a great light Io break In
on Merrlwelher.
"You're tired!" lie accused In a ring
ing voice of triumph.
She leaned back, resting her .head
against the wall. "Tired?" she repeal
ed In an Intense voice. "Pin half dead
with the awful pace of these two days.
If I wore a big healthy man now."
glancing resentfully at the proportions
of the mnn before her. "I might be
able Io endure everything ami yet feel
fresh, but, being a woman and forty-one"-
"Certrude." Interrupted Merrlwetber
In a lone of solemn Joy, "fire you forty
one?" "Of course 1 am." she responded al
most Irritably. "You know that I am."
"Ye-es," be replied vaguely, coining
nearer, "but I didn't know Hint you
knew It!"
".I have every reason to know it"
tho tears v v
"when skat
tlsm, and C
that sleigh
hands out hi
enn't endure '
home toinoi'r
leave yon toe'
tire you." '
lashes, an! '
Merrl wet' - . .
Invited. "Ge:-tru :e." lie !.. .. .
voice In which ratr: it Kathfnclhu
of harmony with h: a.moimce. .e
"the exertion attendant on diaper
Ing this house party and keeping u,
with you has given me the rheumatism
In every Joint and muscle, and not o-ily
the headache the effect has penetrated
to my disposition, which Is"
A door opened somewhere, and a
burst of niuslq Interrupted hlin. "Peace
on earth, good will to men."
The door closed, and silence reigned
In the library. A realization of the
Hplrlt of the words came to Merrl
wetber. Ills light manner dropped from
lilin. He leaned over and laid 'his hand
on Gertrude's. "Let's bo old and peace
ful together, dear. Don't go back to
morrow. Spend Christinas here with
tne."
The firelight played sofUy over tho
woman's face. She glanced up with u
smile which was tremulous In spite of
her mocking words, "Now thut I thinlc
of It, Hruee, I hnven't bought my tick
et yet, and It Is more comfortable to
be old!"
The Cause of Many
Sudden Deaths
country most dangerous bccausOso deccjv-
uvu. luiuiyuuuucn
deaths are caused
by it heart dis
ease, pneumonia,
beart failure m
- apoplexy are of lco
Td Ui ft MP
ill m i 1J41 V T X Jr
iilfiHMo
3831 ii
SSs --kn
Dodging Thirtocn.
"When I lived in New York," writes
n former New Yorker from Herlln,
"there was a house near Central park
which should have borne the number
l.'i, but because of the superstition of
the occupant permission was secured
to place the number 11a or l,"a over
the door. I spoke of the circumstance
n few days ago and learned that tho
thirteen superstition was more clearly
marked here. In the instance men
tioned by me an Individual was con
cerned. Here It was the most Impor
tant corporation in Wiesbaden. There
Is no No. l.'J bathroom In any of the
bathhouses, no No. Kt room In any ho
tel and no No. 115 place at any table
d'hote. AtLangenschwulbaeh the baths,
under government cou.Ail. also have
bath cells No. 12a where they should
be numbered l.'i."- New York Tribune.
the result of kid
ncy disease. Jf
1f!fiiirv frmiti1 io
allowed londvutice
Uickidncy-noiwik-
V BMBrriBV - m-mm 4 UtJSA VV 1 I 4A."'
tack the vital organp, causing catarrh of
the bladder, or thr. kidneys thcniwlve
break down and waste away cell by clL
Bladder troubles almost always result
from a derangement of the kidneys nnJ
a enre is obtained quickest by a proper
treatment of ie kidneys. If you arc feel
ing badly you can make no mistake by
taking Dr. Kilmer's Swamp-Root, the
great kidney, liver nnd bladder remedy.
It corrects inability to hold urine and
scalding pain in passing it, mid over,
conies that unpleasant necessity of bcinr
compelled to go often through the day)
and to get np many times during the
night. The mild and the cxtroordinar r
effee of Swamp-Root is soon realized.
It stands the highest for its wonderful
cures of the mo6t distressing coses.
Swamp-Root is pleasant to take and is.
sold by all druggists in fifly-cent und
one-dollar size bottles. You may have a.
sample bottle of this wonderful new dis
covery and a book that tells all about it,
both sent free by mail. Address, Dr. Kil
mer & Co., Hingkamton, N. Y. When
writing mention reading this generous
offer in this paper. Don't make any
mistake, but remember the nanie.Swamp
Kool, Dr. Kilmer's Swamp-Root, and the
address, Uinghomton, N. Y., on ever
bottle.
j Illustration Sliwlnc Mlxwl Farming .soi,u in
WESTERN CAHAHA
A Worthy Antagonist.
"Did you visit any of the old caves
when you were up in Scotland''" .for-'
kins was nsked by a friend.
"Yes," replied .lorklns reminiscenlly. !
"and. by gum. we had to forcibly pull .
Maria out of one cave."
"Cood gracious! She was fascinated
by lis beauty. I suppose."
"No. It wasn't beauty. You see. there
Is a wonderful echo In I be cave. ii"d
Maria couldn't bear to think of the
echo having the last word." Liverpool
Merou ry.
His Eminence.
A French cardinal, being small of
stature and hunchbacked at thai, al
ways gave I he keenest repartee when
addressed with "highness" and "emi
nence" "My highness Is live feet two
inches, ami the eminence I carry on
my back."
Some ot the choicest lnn! Inr praln ir.,vu.lniv
stock ralcluar ami mixed farming in the now dis
tricts of Saskatchewan ami Alberta Jiavo re
cently been Ononis for Settlement udor tho
Revised Homestead Regutetiitiis
IJntry may now tws mnrio by proxy (on i i.rtaln
conditions), by tbc father, mother, son,hiihtcr,
brother or Bister of an Intending hotuwk'ttder.
Thousands of homestcuds of 1G0 acres vntb ar
thus now easily obtalaable In these great rraln
Browing, stock-raising and mixed furmlntr sec
tions. There yijii will find healthful cliinato, cood
nclchbors, churches for family worship, tchoots
for your children, good laws, hplcndid i-iops,
and railroads convenient to marLet.
t Kntryfceincaehea-wjlsyiO.OO. For pamphlet,
"LnRt Ilest West,"partlcu:arsastoratCK routes
best time to go and where to locate, apply to
W V. MJNN'KTT
601 New York I.lfe Illdg . itnaha. Kcb.
Canadian (oivermotc! ArmI
Bryan Speaks at Montreal.
.Montreal. Feb Id. V .1. Uryan
spoke heioie two meetings hero.
Hotb wcie limited in attendance only
by the size of the church in which
the were held.
Drs. W'eiriek X Uiddile. Kyc. F.ar,
Nose aad Throat Specialists, t Masses
lilted. Over Ceriuan National Hank.
Mercer's
Barber Shop
Basement ot
Potter Block.
Massaging
a Specialty
MAKE A GOOfl INCOME
tsrflbl ' f f JMltfClf. Ifiir.i. ....
J t iti.u . niiJttcuMlth to Hurt a trclur
a j irl i rn tilOW JOU hv I u ikh i.ifcl
wr t nfMI vm piULUNO 1.1MS tt.in , t
c&
U rll uifth
. ----.-.-....-. mi. . iitf.1 i, in 1I
I.....M . . " ?,'"'.' ;,"n,Tl '' ' lr -Ir r U.l.r CMI..1
' "'. ""' ..! fott.k ..r.,.,1 . Utlt, r -,ultt
tma "! iirlLiTtntialimri ariKnihTi m
H J. !w .. .. i . ,,.:,, ,. JHB
HstarOrilling Machine Co., Akran.oj
Hit rit.J loin; othr r 1 LU
1 INSURANCE
against Fire, Lightning, Cy
clones mid Windstorms, see
NO. B. STANSER?
agent for tho Farmers Union Issur
imco Co., Lincoln, Neb., the beet ia
surance company rutbe s'lte.
City Dray and Express Line,
F. W. STUDEBAKEli, PIIOP.
Goods Delivered to any part of the city.
Charges as low as the Lowest
CITY AGENTS FOR ADAI& EXPRESS CO.
TELEPHONES,
Residence 188.
Offieng.
JikbibiiofcliifeUobibibilUikfcibtbMiifavbh4ivlMbibib
SAY, H1STER!
Do you know Mint it will pay YOU, us
well us US, to buy your Building Ma
terlnl and Coal at ouryards? Not only
that our prices average: lower, or at
least as low, as those of our competit
ors, but because wo take especial care
of and protect all onn be olassed as
REGULAR CUSTOMERS.
PL ATT &
Coal
FREES CO.
Lumber.
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