The Project Gutenberg eBook, The S. W. F. Club, by Caroline E. Jacobs

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Title: The S. W. F. Club

Author: Caroline E. Jacobs

Release Date: April 6, 2005 [eBook #15562]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE S. W. F. CLUB***

E-text prepared by Al Haines

THE S. W. F. CLUB

by

CAROLINE E. JACOBS

Author of _Joan of Jupiter Inn_, _Joan's Jolly Vacation_,
_Patricia_, etc.

The Goldsmith Publishing Co.
Cleveland, Ohio
George W. Jacobs & Company

1912

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

I PAULINE'S FLAG
II THE MAPLES
III UNCLE PAUL'S ANSWER
IV BEGINNINGS
V BEDELIA
VI PERSONALLY CONDUCTED
VII HILARY'S TURN
VIII SNAP-SHOTS
IX AT THE MANOR
X THE END OF SUMMER

CHAPTER I

PAULINE'S FLAG

Pauline dropped the napkin she was hemming and, leaning back in her
chair, stared soberly down into the rain-swept garden.

Overhead, Patience was having a "clarin' up scrape" in her particular
corner of the big garret, to the tune of "There's a Good Time Coming."

Pauline drew a quick breath; probably, there was a good time
coming--any number of them--only they were not coming her way; they
would go right by on the main road, they always did.

"'There's a good time coming,'" Patience insisted shrilly, "'Help it
on! Help it on!'"

Pauline drew another quick breath. She would help them on! If they
would none of them stop on their own account, they must be flagged.
And--yes, she would do it--right now.

Getting up, she brought her writing-portfolio from the closet, clearing
a place for it on the little table before the window. Then her eyes
went back to the dreary, rain-soaked garden. How did one begin a
letter to an uncle one had never seen; and of whom one meant to ask a
great favor?

But at last, after more than one false start, the letter got itself
written, after a fashion.

Pauline read it over to herself, a little dissatisfied pucker between
her brows:--

_Mr. Paul Almy Shaw,
New York City, New York_.

MY DEAR UNCLE PAUL: First, I should like you to understand that
neither father nor mother know that I