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Aunt Jane's Nieces at Work

If

you allowed them to do so they would paint signs

on the dresses of your children and wives, so

callous are they to all decency and so regardless

of private rights. Look on this picture, my

friends, and tell me, would you prefer to see this--or this?"

At the word each child pulled away the sign-painted

slip and stood arrayed in a pretty gown

of spotless white.

The surprise was so complete that the audience

cheered, shouted and laughed for several minutes

before silence was restored. Then the children

sang another verse, as follows:

"Now it is clear

That we appear

Just as we should be;

We are seen

Sweet and clean

From corruption free:

We're the signs

Of the times--

Fair as heaven's orbs.

If we look good,

Then all men should

Vote for Kenneth Forbes!"

The cheering was renewed at this, and Mr. Hopkins became angry. He tried

to make himself heard, but the popular fancy had been caught by the

object lesson so cleverly placed before them, and they shouted: "Forbes!

Forbes! Forbes!" until the Honorable Erastus became so furious that he

left the meeting in disgust.

This was the most impolite thing he could have done, but he vowed that

the meeting had been "packed" with Forbes partisans and that he was

wasting his time in addressing them.

After he was gone Kenneth resumed his speech and created more

enthusiasm. The victory was certainly with the Republican candidate, and

the Elmhurst people returned home thoroughly satisfied with the result

of the "joint debate."

CHAPTER XVI

A CLEW AT LAST

The servants at Elmhurst all ate in a pleasant dining room with windows

facing a garden of geraniums. Tom Gates had been at the house two days

before he encountered Eliza Parsons at the table, for the servants were

not all able to take their meals at the same time.

It was at luncheon, the day of the joint debate at Fairview, that the

young man first met Eliza, who sat opposite him. The only other person

present was old Donald, the coachman, who was rather deaf and never paid

any attention to the chatter around him.

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