34.

to come home. Aunt Marian had originally stated that she would send him back after a 6 months visit. But after that she put it off again and again. After the visit had been prolonged over a year Mrs. Brown said she was going east and bring Butch back with her even if it did put them in financial jeopardy. Mr. Brown argued, pleaded and fin- ally persuaded his wife to wait until he could put his business upon a sound basis. He pointed out that Aunt Marian had reassured them that the furtherance of Butch's education had been provided for and that Butch's recent letters had indicated that he was not in the least unhappy.

These letters from their son were becoming increasing- ly bizarre of late. They prattled on happily and stated that Aunt Marian had finally relented and allowed her sup- posed neive to dress more fashionably. There followed detailed descriptions of the new clothing purchases that Mr. Brown could make little of, but which Mrs. Brown found quite interesting, In one letter he wrote, "Last night on my date with Mr. Lodge I wore a dress of blue mohair prettily piped with white braid, a straw bonnet wreathed with pansies and a short jacket of figured chintz. As I have said before, dear Aunt Marian has begun to mix a little more socially on my account. She says that the people she invites to our teas and dinners bore her fright- fully but she knows of no other way to get me a satisfac- tory husband. Mr Lodge has already proposed. Aunt Marian thinks I would do well to marry a man that is so well es- tablished, but I can't decide. You see he is well past forty and not particularly dashing to a girl my age.

The dainty perfumed letter slipped out of Mrs. Brown's hands. She and her husband stared at each other. Mr. Brown rubbed his chin, "Do you suppose the lad is poking fun at us or what"?

"I really dont know, dear, it all sounds so strange, almost as though we really had a daughter. Mrs. Brown picked up the letter and scanned it again nervously. "Butch was never one to think up a gag like this you know, I wouldn't be surprised but what Aunt Marian knows every- thing and has put Butch up to all this", she said.