Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-02-28

open fire. The perpetual craek-erack.
crack of their carbmes (which were Ioae-
cd, of course, with blank cartridge) had
an Immediately exciting effect upon the
defenders in the wood, who began to
fidget and finger their weapons nervousiv.
STEADY Steady" said Capt. Polly,
in a voice that trembled from eageiness.
As she spoke the attacking force, wh9
had been advancing at a smart double.
appeared to meet with a sudden check
Polly, watching them through her field
glasses. distinctly deserted Lieut. Amy
Mcintosh seated on the five barred gate
| and engaged $50 it appeared) in an indig
nant and animated conversation with q
rustic who was driving a herd of cattle
| into the field which the attacking ladies'
had next to cross.
1T can't be-no, it can't be-that they
are afraid of cows!a cried poor Capt.
Polly, in angry dismay.
The words were hardly out of her
mouth before sne became aware of o
sudden perturbed movement among her
own chosen ten, two of whom had al
ready sprung to their feet and were wav-
ing their cowboy hats round their heads
and repeatedly utoering the exclamation
"Chooi' in most violent and excited
manner
STEADY Steady! Lie down there!"
exclaimed their indignant captain.
"Wasps"
1t made even the dauntless captain
pause. She started She turned pale.
But she pulled herself together and man
fully beg pardon, womanfully-tried
to encourage her sister warriors.
Nnever MN mind. A f-f-few
w-w-wasps won't hurt YOU she declared,
in tremulous tones, invountarily waving
her pocket handkerchief round her own
head.
"a few wasps!" cried one of the ANA
IONS, shriIly. There are hundreds of
them, and oh. look, look! Do you see
them pouring out of that hole there? 1t
is--yes, it is-wasps' nest.
"Wasps" had been fearsorne worl,
but wasps' nest was uncomfortable. The
ten damsels broke and fled in precipitate
confusion down the hill. Their captain,
be it said to her credit, was the last
woman to leave her post. Moreover, she
did not run as the others did. She merely
walked fast--fve miles an hour-casting
her nervous chances alternately over her
right and left shoulder
At this point Maj. Merilees came gal
lantly up to Polly.
what has happened?" he inquired.
Why have you abandoned your posi-
tion?"
"Wasps!"
"Wasps?" inquired the major, with
puzzled look.
1t s-was--Wasps, you know, that
caused us-the Others, | mean-to aban-
don our-their post in the wood. They
found they were lying almost on top Of
wasps' nest. And, of course, you couldn't
expect them to stand that, could your"
no, to be sure" replied the major
sympathetically.
But, ! say, please, Mai. Merilees,'
went on Polly in hurried tones, while the
color mounted to her cheeks and fore
head "You-you-won't tell Dad about
this, will you? He's so prejudiced. He'll
never understand. And / know he'll say
that if we couldn't keep steady when at
tackled by wasps we should never keep
steady under a storm of shells and bull
lets. Of course, the two things are not
in the least parallel. | shouldn't mind
shells and bullets one bit. But wasps-.
that might crawl up your sleeve, or down
your neck, ~ sting you on the nose and
make it swell up to the size of p6CatO
Its another thing altogether, isn't it4"
Quite another thing" admitted Mai.
Merilees.
''Ah! you're man of sense. But
father is not like that. He would never
understand. He would be sure to make
no end of stupid jokes about it. So
you'll promise not to tell him, won't
you 2"
"All right. / won't give you away,
Miss Drake answered Maj Merilees.
He didn't. The squire himself did that
at Drakeworth church some two months
later. when Miss Drake-unaware that
she had been the victim of all artful lit
tie conspiracy between her father and Der
gallant admirer-renounced the role Il
Polly Atkins and retired into domestic
existence as Polly Merilees-London
Taller.