Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1899-12-29
tachel / thought you wer, my ,uuzsn
but it's all right for you, Maud L 4


but it's all right for you, Maud L s."
"Why didn't you say you wanted tn?
How was | to know? Here, III call u n
now. Well, then, what do you want2
You'd have been sorry if | had asked
him to come up; he isn't a bit amusing.
Besides he wouldn't have come"
"Why not?"
"Oh, just because"
"Well, / guess I'll have TO 60"
"You just stay right where you are.
No, but don't you really know who
he is?"
"Why, No."
"Well-bh, quit laughing or won't
tell you thing. He's Mr.. Wallis
"Oh!"
"Yes-oh, you're just perfectly alb
surd Now I'm not going to say one
single thing more. There isn't anything
to tell, anyway. What were you going
to say about Eldridge?'
Here's Marguerite. I'll ask her about
/ it,"
A small, palefaced girl of II, with
long, Understandings legs, slid down
the bannisters, skipped through the
/ hall and bounced into one of the porch
rockers, where she chewed gum Wig
orously and kicked her heels together.
Who's Mr.. Wallis, Marguerte?'
asked the Merode girl.
a. L. F." replied Marguerite, ener-
getically.
What does that mean?"
"Margueritel" said the girl In the
tea rose waist, warningly.
That means another little fool :"
explained Marguerite. Hes been about
the worst of the lot, too He bought me
a doll on my birthday. Wouldn't that
kill you! a doll Maybe | didn't get
even"
Tell me about it, Marguerite, dar-
ling" said the Merode girl, coaxingly.
You needn't ask to ride my wheel
any more, if you do, said her sister.
II don't care; Billy Freeman lets me
ride his any time | want to. He goes
by here every morning-no, not Billy,
Mr.. Herb. Wallis-and he generally
looks up at the windows; doesn't he,
Maud? Last Thursday morning went
into Maud's room and put one Of her
dresses on the boster-that Bingham,
you know the one mean. Then when
Mr.. Wallis came along | screamed
'Herbie!' and threw it out of the win
dow. You ought to have seen himl 1t
was gorgeous! Hello! there's Billy
now" Marguerite danced off down the
steps.
Don't feel badly about it," said the
Merode girl. Hell get over it
1.-THE little imp!" said the girl with
the tea-rose waist, viciously. Talk
about little brothers being mean! I'd
trade her for any little brother in the
block. Oh, 1 don't care whether he
gets over it or not; if he had any sense
he'd have laughed, but he's one of that
kind that is always afraid somebody is
going to laugh at them. / wouldn't give
boy like-well, your brother Eldridge
for a hundred of them"
"rll tell Eldridge."
"ff you do I'll never speak to you
again. / mean that. There's Mrs.
Ruggles. Look at her. Quickl Isn't
that hat hideous? She always has the
most distressedlooking hats. Why
don't you like Clara Mawby?"
well, Of all things! Would you like
girl who acted like that with you?"
"Eldridge likes her, though
~ don't believe he does. He just talks
about her because he knows l loathe
her"
What does he say?"
Nothing much. Oh, want you to
see my new silk-rag curtains. l haven't
got them woven yet, but I've nearly
enough tied. They're going to look
swell. Guineyere Collins has got pair
in her room. They're perfectly lovely,
"Ill come over tomorrow evening,
maybe. Clara won't be there, will she ?
Oh, don't really dislike her. There
isn't much 10 her one WAY or the OF her