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Addie Bennett’s
OSd Beau
Ladies’ Aid Society
Goes on an Errand
of Mercy
By CLARISSA M ACK IE
The whistle of the excursion steamer
prowled a warning blast. There came
the thunder of hoofs down the length
of the wharf, and Jimmy Howell's
white horses wheeled gracefully and
brought the long hailed stage to a
standstill at. tin.* gangplank.
From the stage there descended
twelve women in gala attire, each one
carrying a paper wrapped shoe box
ennobling lunch.
Tin* Queen City moved nway from
the wharf with a churning foam of
propeller blades, steamed out of the
harbor and turned down the sound to
wn: d New York.
Mrs. Hen Tucker put her particular
iunrh box utidor her chair, removed her
hat aid tied a green chiffon veil over
1,,-r faded hair, and thereby gave to
lief sallow com te»auco*,a ghastly hue.
Mrs Hen Tin ker talked incessantly
rapidly, “like a li.use a lire." said the
long suffering Henry Tucker, and she
t Idl'd with her lips and bet* eyes and
no--* and chin and often with her
•hands, all at one and tin* same time.
She was speaking now to the assem
bled membem of the* Ladles' Aid so-
P ciety of the S<*e< ml Haplist church,
bound on their annual outing to the
giv-it city, hut today's excursion em
braced an errand of mercy, nncj as the
errand was Mrs. Tin leer's idea they nl-
I iwed h r to talk about it as much as
- sin* pleased.
“As I was saying." babbled Mrs.
Tn I. r after she bad tied the green
veil securely and permitted herself sev
. a I deep inhalations of tin* sail air—
■ s i was saying, the idea canto to me
J'ko a lias!) one day w hen I \Vas
watching Addle Bennett i:i church.
Si\ys I to m\self: ‘Tin. re’s Ad Hen nett,
the only one of flu* girls who went to
school with me who ain't, married yet.
NY by ain't --Ik* married?* I asked my
self,, and I set out to answer the ques
tion- and I found the answer!"
Mrs Tucker beamed triumphantly on
h r f s.-ii.at.il lisle' er- Susan Leers
nodded drowsily and shook her fat
shotfldera.
"If you as!: why Addie Hennett ain't
ever married I can answer you that
it's because she couldn't dud a hus
band!" giggled Susan sleepily.
Mrs lien Tu-1 er nodded approval of
this sentiment, and. taking another
deep breath, she femme.l her narra
live:
“I found Addle Hennett had had a
d "‘appointment in her life, and I heard
of it through her aunt. Lyddy Smitlj
Aunt Lyddy spoke* free as air about it.
Ikamf as it wasn't anything that eon
eenied her personally. Scorn's if Ad
die* had a beair fifteen years ago—Hi
ram Decker's hoy. Hob—and for some
reason < .• other they got mad at each
other and Hob went away to New
Voile. AH of his folks have been dead
for years, so hi* never comes dow n to
Little River no more, but some folks j
who have met him say. that lie’s never !
married, all on account of Addie.
"When i found that out I remem- •
bored that the Ladies'. Aid was going {
r ___ ■ _ N '
<S’f3o*.V> • 1
Mli>. HEN* TUCKER HAD HYPNOTIZED HER i
FELLOW MEMIIERS INTO AITENTIVENESS.
to New ' ork on their annual picnic,
and 1 declared that I’d put it lip to
you girls to sop if we couldn’t find Bob
Becker in New York today and let;
him know that Addie, was waiting
here. It would be a great thing for
us to accomplish that—bring two lov- J
iiu hearts together again—what say?"
The "girls." whose combined ages
world have aggregated f>lo years, lis
toned attentively. Mrs. l.ew Shuster
nodded approval of Mrs. Tucker’s no
ble sentiments
"I’m willing to do tny share." she
said practically "1 s’pose you got some
plan all worked out. Annie?"
Mrs Tucker shook her head express,,
ively
"1 can’t somehow think of what to
. <k > Non girls have got to lie!] me out.’
"Wo better divide up into butenes
of two. Each couple will follow up
a certain clue," said Mrs. Spinster In
her decided v« ice.
Then they all talked at once, each
one outlining a different plan for the
linding of Addle Hennett's old lover
and. bringing about a reconciliation be
tween them.
Tin* Queen City entered the Hast
river all too soon for their purposes, for
there was so* nmol) of interest to he
observed here that all thoughts of
Addle Hennett and the errand of men v
popped out of their heads until Susan
Beers, gaping up at the Blackwell's
island bridge, made a suggestion
"Wouldn't it be awful if we found
he'd committed some crime and was
in prison on this island? Maybe lies
one of them men In striped clothes
over there!" sin* pointed dramatically
with a fat forefinger.
Miss Ophelia Otis stiffened at once
“Hob Decker was my sister's bus
hand's nephew." sin* said coldly. Ii
would he impossible for him to enter
such an institution."
Mis* lb o’-s blushed palnfullv "1 was
only thinking." she said ::p >' gcth-ally
"Seems to have a had effect on you.
Susan." tittered young M-hel Shuster
Impertinently. "Don't think any more
please!"
"Ethel!" warned her mother.
“I don't care. ilia, but it does seem
so funny to think *-f you aU feeling
so sorry for Add!- Bourn'ft Site wmit
off on the train this morning wearing
a new gray sr :< and a white hat. and
she looked real sweet and happy I
d n't I *!ieve she's mourning fur Ilol)
1 locker. ’’
“Keep opt'et. Ethel! Don't let me
hear yon dl-tating to your elders any
more. What do w u know about Addie
Dennett, anyway?"
Jus! before the Queen City paused
at the pier to let off her passengers.
Mrs lien Tucker l lrshitig',' s: g—u "d
to Imr companions that they spend a
moment in silent prayer for the sneee; -
of tbelr wissp ti- Hie finding of a hus
band for Addie •Hennett. So the twelve
ladles clou" 1 their eyes end offered up
silent prayer and thereby nearly lost
::n opportunity to leave the* boat, at
Hits point.
When the steamer had faded into
the mist of river trahi • Ihe bat; 1 of
mercy trudged up the long pier to the
bln/Jug city streets.
•*We forgot to eat our lunch!" an
nounced Susan I Jeers suddenly.
“For the land's sake! What shall we
do now?"
With one accord they turned to Mrs
lien Tucker.
“What slntl’ we do. Annie?" -they
asked in chorus
Mrs. Tucker pointed a work worn
thumb over her shoulder.
"Take a cross town car to Hroadwny
and on I our lunch in the park there
Then we can separate and look for
Rob De leer."
They fell into marching order and
approached the* electric ear.
“It's dreadful hot to go skylarking
ell over creation hunting for Holt Deck
or." grumbled Mrs I’eevey.
“It ain't tr*ver too hot to do a good
deed." admonished Mrs. TuYker. wrig
gling her nose
"I s'pose some 'of i’s'll miss that
boat." complained Susan Deers, who
showed signs of weakening.
"We can go home hy train then."
said Mrs Tucker gallantly.
At this moment they hoarded the
ear. and Mrs. Lew Shuster, who was
treasurer of tin* society, tendered the
conductor a dollar hill and requested
him to let them off at the park.
lie eyed her indifferently and walked
away.
It was Mrs. Hen Tucker who recog
nized the square when they reached
Broadway, and she led her sisters to
the little breathing space.
So the loungers in the sunny square
were treated to the singular sight of
twelve hot and flustered ladies and one
pretty young girl eating delectable
lunches out of twelve shoe boxes.
At hist it was over and they were
free of the shoe boxes and away from
the hungry eyed loafers and ragged
hoys who had watched them through
the meal.
Silently they walked through the
square to the busiest corner of the
great street.
Here it was that temptation assailed
them and the Ladies’ Aid society for
got the errand of mercy.
A large sightseeing Ims was drawn j
up at the corner, and the megaphone j
man was blaring forth invitations, to
them to come and till the remaining s
unoccupied seats.
The twelve eyed each other furtively,
and Ethel Sinister nudged her moth- 1
er's elbow.
"Oh. nia." she whispered, "let Addie
llcnnett find her own beau. We won’t
get a chance like this for another
year!”
The others heard the words, and as
by one accord they moved toward
the bus. In five minutes the Toadies’
Aid society of the Second Baptist
church were riding majestically
through the city streets. Aifdie Ben
nett and her one time lover quite for
gotten.
It was on the return trip that some
thing quite remarkable occurred.
The megaphone man who had snout
ed himself quite hoarse during the
journey uptown was enjoying a little
cessation from his vocal labors.
lie was an undersized man, rather
stoutly built, with a dark, keen face,
lie had a quick, glib way of speaking,
but it was his slightly nasal accent
• keen ear of Mrs
Henry Tucker.
“Seems like I’ve heard that voice
before, and his face is familiar.” puz
zled Mrs. Tucker. Then, leaning across
to Mrs. Lew Shuster, she asked sharply:
“Eva. have yon ever seen that mega
phone feller before?"
THE COFFEE COrXTY PROGRESS. DO IT, LAS, GEORGIA
Mrs. Shuster turned her full dark
eyes on the gentleman in question and
studied his face solemnly.
“I declare—it might be Hob Decker!"
she whispered shrilly.
"That's what i thought—did you
ever!" Mrs. Tucker's face performed (
its tricks In bewildering succession.
■Tm going to ask him!"
“Dare you to."
Mrs. Tucker, beside whom the man
was standing, nudged his elbow. lie
leaned down and stared under her hat. ,
“Hey?" he asked and then, studying j
I her face closely, repeated in a sur
prised way: "Hey? Iley?"
•*Air you Rob Decker?” demanded
Mrs Tucker tensely.
"I guess I am. I thought I recog
nized familiar faces. Is this hunch
| from Little River?" he grinned.
"Yes. and 1 guess there's some of
them you know or ought to know if
you’re Hob Decker! -Inst think of your
being on this bus when we was going
to hunt all over New York for you."
“Hunt for me? What for?" demand- I
ed Mr. Decker, quite forgetting his;
job til the megaphone.
“Be atise oh. well nothing." was j
Mrs. Tucker's enigmatic reply, .and
Ipi 7 pp ~1 ;
lA h-Lj|P' v :
■ ff 'j'h
\ L i
QVA MIS!
\-.ym Mwh'ii
&WJM i!
I mi 1 FYjA
i—_ ~ 'Wf /]
j
| “seems r.iKr. i'vk heard that voice j..-:- !
FORE,” PUZZLED MISS SUSAN.
j then Mr.-Decker being reminded by an
I indignant passenger that his duties
j wt re being neglected picked up his in- j
| strttmenl of torture and bellowed forth I
| informal ion of all sorts.
In the meantime Mrs. Tucker had ]
conveyed tin* news to her companions J
l !:;it the 10.-t laid been found. Mr. j
j Decker was on this identical motor- |
i bus-wasn't it wonderful? Mirneu
: Ions?
There wasn't one of those devout
I ladies who doubted that the finding of
Hob Decker on the sightseeing auto
| moliiie was a direct answer to that
moment of silent prayer.
They till bade a friendly farewell to
Robert Decker, and Mrs. Hen Tuck
er had a few moments' private con
versation with him. Iler eyes twinkled
and her nose twitched and her mouth
laughed as she joined her companions
•and hoarded a ear for the boat laud
ing
It wtts not until they were aboard
the Queen City that she gathered them
in a corner .and told them of her talk
with Hob Decker.
"I hadn't much time to do it in.
so I says to him. says 1. ‘Rob, do you
remember Addie Bennett?' He blush
ed and says he: T do. ma'am.' 'Well,'
says I. significant like. ‘Addie’s never
married yet and I can guess the reason
why. Y'ou ain’t married and I can
guess the reason why. too. It ain't
too late to be happy. Rob.’ says 1. ‘l’m
coming down to Little River tomor
row.’ says he with a smile, 'and you
get a free ride on the rubberneck
wagon whenever you come to New
York. Mrs. Tucker.’ says be. and he
went off real grateful. Now. girls!"
ended Mrs Tucker triumphantly.
"Well, we did our errand of mercy
and had some fun. too." said Susan
Beers reflectively; "I used to know
Hob Decker myself." she went on a
little jealousy.
"1 believe he did ask after you." re
smarked Mrs. Tucker, “and I says to
him. ‘She’s as fat as ever and she ain't
ever married either.' ”
Susan’s pale blue eyes bulged indig
nantly. For the moment she hated
Annie Tucker; but there came a time
before the winter was over that she
quite forgave the sharp tongued. inter
fering little gossip.
“So it’s to he a real romance after
nil.’’ mused Mrs. Lew Shuster.
"We can congratulate ourselves. But
it was my idea.’’ babbled Mrs. Tucker
triumphantly.
Ethel Shuster came up. her eyes
sparkling with excitement.
"Ma, what do you suppose?" she
cried breathlessly. “Addie Bennett is
aboard with Mr. Farnharn. the school
teacher, and she just told me they were
married in Brooklyn tilts morning—
and she said 1 could tel! you all.”
The Ladies’ Aid society gasped for
breath and in a body turned on Mrs.
FTen Tucker.
“Now!" they cried explosively.
Mrs Tucker winced
hatever are you girls going to
sa.\ to Rob Decker?’’ she ventured in
trepidly.
"It was your idea.’’ said Mrs. Low
Shuster coldly as she led them forth
to congratulate the bride and groom.
But Susan Boors* ptMe blue eyes
were shining happily.
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