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Copyright.]I To-Day's Short…

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Copyright.] To-Day's Short Story. A PROVIDENTIAL AUNT. I By Mrs. H. H. Penrose. George Lascelles was at the end of his tether, and that by no fault of his own. Only a. few months ago his father had left him a heavily-mortgaged property and departed to the region where it ia popularly supposed that creditors cease from troubling and debtors are at rest. The elder Ijascelles had left a widow and two particularly hepless daughters, whose support devolved upon George, and none of these ladies had the least idea of doing any- thing to lessen the burden. They were not selfish, nor intentionally idle; they were merely helpless. In theory they were quite ready to devote themselves to dear George; ■ in practice they were absolutely incapable of doing anything more useful than making themselves look nice. George was in the Army, and loved his pro- fession, and his heart was heavy with the thought of being obliged to give it up. The girls wept over the prospect, but it did not occur to them that they might obviate the necessity. Mrs. Lascelles was in despair, and wished all sort3 of things; but she could no more strive towards the fulfilment of her wishes than she could journey to the moon on a broomstick. The decisive etep had not yet been taken, a.nd George had got a week s leave, .to spend at home. for the purpose of advising his mother with regard to the choice of a small house. It was the day after his arrival, and a wonderful letter had just been read aloud at the Dreakfast-table. .Mrs. Lascelles' only sister had married a rich American named Jabea E. Shorter, and died childless. Tha Laeoelles children had been instructed to call this gentleman "Uncle Shorter," to keep him supplied with photo- graphs of themselves, taken at various stages of growth, to make him little presents on his birthday, and to fiend him cards at Chrifctmaa and Easter. His disposition towards them appeared to be very friendly, a.nd res lit3 were taken for granted; but five years before this time he had returned to America, and married, one of his own countrywomen. He was a Jl elderly man then. and disin- clined to mingrle old interests with new, eo the old were dropped, the new reigned para- mount, and the Ijascelles heard from him no more. They were notified of his death in du time, and Mrs. Lascelles wrote ae kindly arl she could in the circumstances, to condole with his widow; but that had happened, a year ago. and, until to-day no news of the widow4 had been received. Xow Mrs. Jabez Shorter had written, and Mrs. Lafieelles was purring over the letter. The widow held out hopes. "I should like to see your boy. Poor Jabez took a great interest in him, and I have no children of my own. Please send him to mQ quite aloice. If I don't like him I shall return him safely." She gave the address of a small private hotel at Bournemouth, and filled np the remainder of her sheet of notepaper with a few polite remarks about England. troubles are over, George," said Marian, the younger sister. "What a provi- dential aunt!" "She will take you in and do for yon:" said Gladys, the elder, facetiously.- Thteo young women, although unable to "do for" themselves or anyone else, had a very fair understanding of the meaning of "axi eye to tho main chance." "Things don't often happen so appropriately," ehe added. "Marian has provided MM. Jabez Shorter I with a really weU-chosen name. We shall always call her 'The Providential Aunt. A-s a matter of fact, she isn't our aunt at all," George objected. Don't adopt, that attitude, whatever you do." entreated Mrs. LaseeIlM. "Call her aunt' continually. I never heard her Christian name, but if you can find it out quickly call her Aant Deborah,' or Aunt Martha.' as the case may be. It will sound more friendly than Aunt Shorter.' Yes," said Gladys, adhering to the main issue, be sure to make her feel that you regard her as a real relation. One doesat know how many thousands may depend on it." I wonder what she is like," babbled Mrs. Lascelles. "Old. of courre, as there were no children, and she speaks of Georgo a3 a mere boy—compared with herself naturally. Jabez was nearly seventy when he died. Allow that she was ten years younger than he, that would make her at least 60 now—older than ¡ I aci. George, yon see, so it is no wonder she calls you a. boy.v I suppose she wears caps and grey side curls like—who is the woman? Some American celebrity," observed Marian. vaguely. George, your are a very lucky man. Make the most of your prospects." "You forget," said George, "that I may be returned with thanks." But, nothwithstand- ing this possibility, he looked remarkably cheerful as he drove to the railway station later in the day, and still more- cheerful when he reichgd Bournemouth. There was a large garden surrounding the boarding-house to which Mrs. Jabez Shorter had directed him to come. and a lady was walking about among the lilacs and syringas, followed by a little dog of forbidding appear- ance. My lady was very slight and girlish-look- ing. dressed ia soft white gown with black ribbons here and there, and carrying a daihty sunshade to supply the place of the hat which she had evidently left indoors. Her fair hair rippled and curled entranc- ingly about her broad forehead, and she had the most mischievous blue eye in the world. The dog was not one meriting a very particular description. His strong point was the uncompromising attitude when he gene- rally assumed on first acquaintance. Directly George opened the gate the animal rushed towards him with a great show of ferocity, making a very noisy pre- tence that be meant to devour the stranger on the spot. He really had no each inten- tion, merely desiring to inspire proper res- pect. but he had seldom found himself un- derstood as this man appeared to under- stand him. "Don't imagine I'm afraid of you," said Gecrge, "and please keen away from my feet or you may get trodden on." The confident tone acted like magic, and th-3 dog was wagging his tail before his mis- tress had time to call him off. Nevertheless, she came forward and apologised with infi- nite graciousnefas, and George found him- self wondering if he had ever seen a prettier face, and concluding that he had not. "Test is real mean to most people," she ex- plained. "I call him Test because anyone he makes friends with is sure to be the right sort. "It must be nice to possess a dog who is Buch an unfailing judge of character," sail George, reflecting eve:1 as De spok. He hoped she would give him an excuse to prolong the interview, and experienced a most unreason- able delight when she found that she was not averse to conversation. "That is so." she answered. "I find him real useful. I have him out here with me to-day on plUrpcsc, because I am expscting a visit from a big schoolboy, and I presume Test will tell me what to think of him faster than I can find out for myself. The boy is a, stranger, and I don't want to bave anything to do with him if hö's ugly." She used this word in the sense of un- amiable, and George understood as much from 1:he context. "I sriip>pose you wouldn't lend him to me,(> j Raid George, with the smile for which he was was justly celebrated. "I, too, am juet going to meet someone for the first time, and I should like to apply the Test. Perhaps you know the. lady I am id search of, 3d you a.re staying here, and she is one of your country- woman." "May I ask what country you Teckon I belong to?" "The finest in the world." said George, promptly atoning for his indiscretion. "America. An Englishwoman can't pass her- self off as an American by any possibility, you know." The girl in white appeared to be satisfied, but ignored the implied compliment. w no is the lady you are looking for?" she asked, with polite indifference. "My auut, Mrs. Jabez Shorter. An elderly lady, 1 believe. Do you know her?" yes, certainly. Bxit she's not expect- ing you, is she?" I talievo she is. At least E.he invited me to visit her. My name is George Laooelles. She has not, perhaps, mentioned me to you?" The girl's face crimsoned. Test," she said, we may as well go indoors. There's no schoolboy coming to- day. Mr. Liasoelks, I am the old lady you have come to see—your aunt, Mrs. Jabez Shorter. It was George who crimsoned now, and lefit his presence of mind. "Good Heavens!" he exclaimed. "Can you explain it?" She could—and did in the course of the evening. At eighteen she had been persuaded into marrying Jabez Shorter, and she had made him a good wife until the day of the irmutual release, lie hAd spoken little to her of his Eaglish connections, but she had put two and two together for herself, gathering tha.t expectations had been raised and die- apipointed, and she knew that if Jabez ha/d not married again George Lascelles would have been his heir. Concerning George, personally, she had known as little ae it was passible to know, and the only photograph of him that. Jabez had ever shown her represented a. boy of ten in an Eton jacket. During the early days of her widowhood she became possessed by a desire to offer com- pensation to this unknown English boy, and finally decided to see for herself whether he was worth all she thought of doing for him. Hence her letter to Mrs. Lascelles, and George's arrival on the scene. George got an extension of leave, pleading urgent private business, and a fortnight later he was still arguing with Jabez Shorter's widow a^ont the impcssibility of his accepting from her any of the "oompen- sation she had intended to bestow. They were out again among the lila-ce and syringas, and Test was fawning round George's legs. "It is perfectly absurd," said "The Providential Aunt," "that you should have any scruples about it. You have confescied to me that your career is at stake." "I know," said George, "but there are some things more important than even a career. It was impossible the day I first met you. It is ten times more impossible to-day." "Why?" she asked, umderstanding per- fectly. Because I love you." I gueos that reason isn't good enough. If you loved me you would want to please me. Now, if I loved you-" Well, what would you do?" His voice was very unsteaily. I would marry you-if you asked me." And that was how George Lascellcs made the most of his prospects with "The Providential Aunt."

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