Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1902-12-25
Ralph Marlowe
THE RISE OF BABYLON
by. Copyright 1901, by
JAMES BALL NAYEOR T#E The SaaIfeld Publishing Co.

Tic JOunSST, pump, STdceIul ana 1dlr,
with violet eyes and hair Of spun gold.
There he is" murmured the fair one
nudging her companion. And oh,
Julia! He's handsome
Hush, Dorothy-hush-" cautioned
the dark one, in an undertone. He'll
hear you. Come on
Doesn't he look cute in that rig?"
| whispered the blonde, smile dimpling
her peachy cheeks. Let's go in and
make his acquaintance"
For goodness sake, husband come
on" gasped her companion in an af-
frighted whisper. 81 shall inform
mother of your unladylike behavior,
Dorothy. Come. '-Plucking her by the
sleeve.
"Wait," giggled the younger 81 want
to get square look at him. Wait until
he looks up
Your conduct is disgraceful, Doro-
; thy" the elder said angrily, releasing
her companion and walking away.
Marlowe had heard and seen all; and
was greatly amused. His eyes met the
miSchievous violet ones fixed upon him
and he smiled. The petite blonde
Dlushed; and ducking her head, scam
pered after her companion.
Sisters, 1 presume" Ralph mutter-
ed, again turning his attention to his
/
and takes life seriously-fancies she
has q mission, and all that She is
attractive, but not beautiful. The young
er, a mere child-not more than II, is
fairy. Beautiful-but spoilt and Willful;
and somewhat of mischievous holden.
Babylon is fallen'-SIniling- is
not waste place of the earth, after
all. l wonder who they are"
Saw me, did you?" Tucker drawled
in the druggists ear.
Ralph nodded.
Didn't know 'em, thought"
NO
"Them's the OF docs two gals
'Tndeed?"
Yes.'-Shaking out the cloth he had
just Wrung dry.-"They're all the chill
dren he's got. The Oldest ones Miss
Julia. She's a good 'eal like 'er daddy
an looks some ike him, too-a we'll
mealiin' gal but hard to git along with.
Alluz puts me on nettles to talk to her;
she's everlastin'ly findin' fault with the
world an wantin' to reform it. Amt
| willin' to let God Almighty have his
own way bout things. She's mighty
religious, good gal, though; but kind O.
| cantankerous an queer. 'TOther ones
Miss Dolly. She looks like 'er ma-an'
is like er ma, in most things. Purity
an good natured-an' sweeter'n the
corncob stopper in a 'lasses Jug But
she's got a streak of the OF BarwOod
stock in her, too. When the OF doc gifts
on his dignity, he thinks Grover CleVe-
lands overcoat wouldn't make him a
vest. An Miss Dolly like 'er daddy,
in that respeck-wants to use the
equator fer a sash ribbon an the par'lels
o latitude fer shoe strings. She'll be
good friend to you, though, if you
git on the right side of 'er. But if yon
don't-well, look out! She'll make you
wish y'r mother d died fore you was
born. She's regular tomboy, too;
an -"
"Jep," Mrs. Tucker interrupted sharp
ly, don't stand there gabbin' all day.
Come an help me move this tub; an
then go over to the house fer more hot
water. Les make hay while the sun
shines; fer I've got to do Mrs. Alberry's
washin' tOmorrer."
MAKE hay while the sun shines!" Jep
grumbled soto vOce. That's jest like
that woman. She'd talk bout maxim
hay while the sun shines, if it was
Christmas an the snow was knee deep.
! They call woman mans better half.
Huh! She's the whole thing in most
cases. That woman nearly posters me
| to death; an she'd see me work till /
| dropped dead in my tracks. An l was
| jest goin' to tell you good yarn, too.
But = With evident reluctance
s'pose it'll keep"
Still grumbling he went about the
! task his spouse had set him.
At supper time Marlowe remarked:
1--WE have done hard days work.
think we would better quit now, and
finish tomorrow"
1--WE won't do nothin' O. the kind"
Mrs. Tucker answered snappishly.
What me an Lily does We'll do to-
night. We've got a washin' an ironin'
| to do tomorrer. If you want our help,
you'll finish this job tonight. 'Twon't
! take but an hour two to finish up
, the scrubbin' an scourin'; an then you
can have all day tomorrer to straighten
up things to suit you"
Ralph was weary, grimy and disgust
ed with the job; but he felt he could not
afford to dispense with Mrs. fuckers eff
ficient help. In his perpleXity he gave
Jep an appealing look. That worthy.
leaning heavily upon his mopstick, drew
down the corners of his mouth and feel
ingly rubbed his back-but said moth
ing The lazy, light-hearted fellow
was such picture of abject helpless
ness and utter detection, Ralph had to
smile covertly behind his hand.
Mrs. Tucker had her willard got
her way.
When they reassembled after supper,
Jep managed to side up to MarIowe
and whisper-an expression Of injured
Innocence upon his wrinkled visage:
my stomach's emptier n the bot
tomless pit. We didn't ave nothin fer
breakfast, warmed it over fer dinner,
an used what was left fer supper
Darn it, That woman o. mines all
right-a might good helmate; but she
amt content to do decent days work