Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1901-10-10

heartily at a lively skirmish between
Preston Ellis and Jean Fairfax.
Would you two mind suspending
hostilities for a few moments?'
queried Tom. 81 should like to plan
a little gadding. How about a tally
no party for Thursday? We don't
own one of those swell things our
selves, but / know of a frst-class one
we could hire, and pretend we owned
it when once we were out of town.
"Oh, good!"
Nelrs eyes shone with excitement,
but Tom suddenly looked doubtful.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, sis. I really for
got you" he said, contritely. care
you sure you could stand it? It's a
long ride, you know, and you might
find it tiring.'
"Why, of course I could stand it!
What n~onsense!" Nell turned to her
brother in incredulous astonishment.
"Well, if you really think it
wouldn't exhaust you, he said. du-
biously. Then, turning to the others,
he added, in grave explanation:
"You see. NelTs health has been
very delicate since her return from
school. I suppose she studied too
hard, but h seems all worn out
just hangs around without any ambi-
ton at all, and we want her to be in
better shape before she goes back"
He said it with such frank inno-
cence of manner and turned toward
her with such a touchingly solicitous
air, that it was out of the question
to take exception to this remarkable
statement. Nell's cheeks burned as
she remembered that she had never
looked plumper and healthier in her
life. She felt a hysterical desire to
laugh as Billy Ellis turned to her
with a wondering, "Is that so? Why
now, that's too bad" But, after all,
it was no laughing matter. Billy was
rejecting that it was extremely dis
appointing that Toms pretty sister
should be one of the eterna1ly tired
kind.
"Well, then, the tally-ho goes for
Thursday" continued Tom, equally.
"And Billy and I were saying yester-
day that it would be jolly to have
an all-day, out-of-doors, d~o-as-you-
please trip down the river, a sort of
DI(IIIS Will hIOOlC4 II
We could invite a few people we
know, besides ourselves, and take a
load of things for the inner man.
How about that, mother? Is Katie
too busy? Would it be much trouble
to get us up some stuff for to-mor-
row?"
IF it is going to make Mrs. How
ard any trouble" announced Billy
Ellis, decidedly, sit won't come off,
and hal settles it,"
"Why, 1 can do it," quickly inter-
posed Nellie. Mother needn't do
anything"
Eyes, and I'll help. Mrs. Howard
mustn't do a single thing but sit in
a big chair and give orders. Nell and
l can do it ALL"
Jean nodded her head c~onclusively
as she made this statement, but
Toms anxious gaze was again bent
on his sister.
Don't be reckless, sis. There will
be a lot of extra cooking to do, you
know, and it might give you one of
your headaches. l know you used to
make cakes and things, but you're
not used to it now, and we don't want
you to overdo yourself"
so Tom, how utterly ridiculous!
Why, I am just as well as-as you
are!"
Nell tried to speak lightly, but she
could have cried then and there. 1t
was too humiliating for a plump, rosy
girl of 10 to be held up before stran-
gers as a detected invalid.
Toms medicine was by no means
exhausted; in fact, he considered that
his heroic treatment was but just
begun, but Mrs. Howard had keerer
eyes than he for signals of distress,
and she felt that Nell had been pun
ished enough. Her eyes conveyed a
quiet warning to Tom, who respond
ed gallantly and led the conversation
to less personal topics.
When Mrs. Howard went into the
kitchen a few moments later, she
found her daughter and Jean already
there, attired in voluminous aprons.
Katie, more han ever busy with this
houseful of young people on her
hands, had thankfully improved the
opportunity to slip upstairs. Nell
was busy collecting materials for her
cakes. but there were signs of a
storm in her f1ushed face and I'M
steady lips. As Mrs. Howard opened
the door, she recklessly dropped an
egg and hurled herself tempestuously
into those ever-ready arms, which
closed warmly about her.
"Oh mamma, mamma, / think Tom
is just toe horrid! I know I've been a
mean, selfish thing, and I just hate
myself, but I will help you all I can.
and I won't wear that horrid sack,
or come down late, or be lazy and
careless. or-or-oh, dear!"
Mrs. Howard bent tenderly over the
brown head laid in woe and repentance
on her shoulder. Tom came swinging
in at the back door, thinking re-
m~orsefully that perhaps he had been
a little hard, and wanting to make
peace with Nell. He stopped short
as he saw them. Jean, ever t~actful,
motioned him to come in, and slipped
quietly out of the door-Youth's
Companion.
@Spoonerismus."