CHAPTER XIII

AT AUNT JANE'S


Aunt Jane Lawrence was popular with the young folks of the district, not
alone because she was a good cook, but because she was a sort of foster
mother to the entire community. The young ladies of the community
brought to Aunt Jane their old hats and dresses, along with their love
affairs, petty quarrels, and youthful longings. A clever woman at
needlework, she was often able to remodel the hats and "turn" the
dresses so that they would serve a second season or maybe a third.

The love affairs, petty quarrels, and youthful longings were not always
so easy to remodel, even when they needed it: but Aunt Jane managed
well. She had much patience and sympathy. She knew the community, and so
was often able to help her young friends without conflicting with
paternal or maternal views. Hat-trimming and dressmaking were really
only incidental to her real purpose in life, which was to help young
folks realize their ideals, when such ideals did not lead too far from
everyday responsibilities.

Yet, with all her capabilities, her gentle wisdom, and her unobtrusive
sympathy, she was unable to influence her Brother Jim--known by every
one as "Cheyenne"--toward a settled habit of life. So it became her
fondest desire to see that Cheyenne's boy, Little Jim, should be brought
up in a home that he would always cherish and respect. Aunt Jane's
husband Frank Lawrence, had no patience with Cheyenne's aimless
meanderings. Frank Lawrence was a hard-working, silent nonentity. Aunt