The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1905-02-10

handed
The boy seemed glued to the door
sill Mrs. Cobb, tape measure in hand,
fluttered up to him compassionately
but he held her off with one hand,
pointing to the cloth with the other,
Is she going to make EN- out Of
that?"
'Of counsel" was the sharp answer.
Williams thin little lips shut as tight
ly as Miss Lodusky's own.
81 won't wear yellow trousers" said
he.
Little Mrs. Cobb, although longing
to say Il told you SO" to Miss Lodusky,
stroye to comfort William.
There, there Willie! Never mind,
dear. 'Taint so very yellow-just a
kind of old gold 1t used to be real
fashionable. Mebby it'll look different
made up. Stand still, there's a good
boy, and let me see how big you are. :"
Make 'em plenty long" ordered
Miss Lodusky. Il mustrust he'll start
a-growing if l can ever get him filled
urA'
William stood like a statue, but
when the measuring process was fin
ished, he repeated:
Il won't wear yellow trousers!"
Miss Lodusky shifted, and met Will
Jams ultimatum with her own. when
those trousers are done you'll wear
'em or go without" said she.
Taking pan from the sink cup
board, she stalked out of the room to
get some potatoes for dinner. AS there
were no further commands laid upon
him, William turned and marched out
of-doors, and Miss Lodusky held her
head not one whit higher than he held
his.
MY land!" thought Mrs. Cobb, ting
ling all over with an excitement not
little shaver? Well, don't blame him
much Nobody but an old maid would
think of making a boy wear yellow
trousers, anyway"
Miss Lodusky pared her potatoes and
put them on to boil with the air of one
who would conquer or die. When din
ner was on the table, she marched to
the door with the tread of grenadier,
and called William" 'in a voice every
tone Of which declared mo compro-
mise"
William appeared promptly, after
making his toilet at the clstern pump
in the wood-house. If his eyes were a
trifie pink it was doubtless due to soap
suds getting into them.
Miss Ludusky was a generous foe.
She heaped snowy mound of mashed
potato upon Williams plate, deluged
it with gravy, and added a big piece
of ham, brown without and pink with
in
William thanked her, and fell to
work with good appetite.
After dinner William went whist
ling out to the corn-feld, a pleasant
place in that warm golden afternoon
of late October, and Miss Lodpsky
when she had finished the dishes, put
on her glasses and sat down to sew on
small bingham shirt, while Mrs. Cobb
stitched away at the trousers.
When they were all done but sewing
on the buttons, pity for William
81 suppose you can color EN-" she
said, with sidelong glance at Miss Lo
dusky.
Il shan't!" answered that lady, bit
ing off words and thread together.
He'll look fright, remarked the
little tailoress.
He won't scare me nor Old Liza
nor the hens" was the valiant reply
"The boys'll plague the life out Of
him when he starts to school,"
eff he can't stand plaguing he's made
of poorer timber than l give him credit
for"
Mrs. Cobb sighed, gave up the battle
and sewed on the buttons with double
waxed thread.
The next morning, when William
awoke, new bingham shirt and ths
yellow trousers, neatly folded, lay or
| the foot of the bed. His Sunday suit
was gone from the closet and his ole
clothes had been spirited away in the
night.
William"
Miss Lodusky's voice and the allur-
ing fragrance of buckwheat cakes
came up the back stairs together. Per.
haps the one made the other bearable
At any rate, William accepted his de
| feat with good grace, all things con
sidered, only kicking the ''old-gold'
| garments twice round the room before
| donning them and going down te
| breakfast Mrs Cobb looked her sym
| pathy as he entered the kitchen. Mis-!
Lodusky, magnanimous conqueror tina
she was, flooded his cakes with maple
strip.