Mr. Carey said she could, then he thought for a moment, then he put his doubts into words after a second reading of the telegram.
"I wonder what road she is coming in on?" he said.
"'Twas stupid of her," replied his wife, "but call up the railroads and find out which one has a six-o'clock train from New York. Silly!"
Mr. Carey kissed his wife and remarked that she was the brightest little girl in the world, after which he gaily telephoned, listened intently to someone on the other end of the line, made numerous notes, and turned to his wife in despair.
His wife looked surprised, so he hastily explained.
"There is a six o'clock train from New York on the Pennsylvania, also on the Lake Shore, likewise on the Michigan Central, and the Lehigh Valley, and the Grand Trunk, and the West Shore, and the B. &. O.!"
"Which one is auntie coming on?" inquired Mrs. Carey with interest.
"All of them," replied her husband wrathfully. "She is sitting on the cow-catcher of each and every train, and if I'm not there to meet her she'll disinherit me. Haven't you any sense?"
Whereupon there were tears, apologies, and finally a council of war. It was Mrs. Carey who solved the problem.
"All we have to do," she cried, "is to meet all the trains. Won't it be cute?"
Carey didn't think so, but was afraid to express himself. He simply tried to look impressed and listened.
"There are only seven trains," she continued. "Now you," counting on her fingers, "are one, and I am two and Mr. and Mrs. Haines next door, who belong to my whist club, are four; and Ella Haines is five; and I just saw Mr. What's-his-name go in to call on Ella--and he'll be six; and that horrid man on the next block who is in your lodge will have to be seven."
The "train meeters" were gathered together inside of an hour. Mrs. Carey overruled all objections and laughed away all difficulties. She told them it would be a lark, and they believed it--at the time! As none of them had met Mrs. Smith (Aunt Mary), Carey was called upon for a description.
"Aunt Mary," he said, "is of medium height, dark complexion and usually dresses in black. She is fifty-eight years old, but tells people she is under fifty. You cannot miss her." And with this they were compelled to be satisfied.
