The new enterprise., 1905-01-26
Obe Yellow Trousers.
Ey IDA REED SMITH,
NATlN>OtA O eya/AN>N~


manded
The boy seemed glued to the door.
sill Mrs. Cobb tape measure in hand,
hlttercd up TO him compassionately
but he held her OF with one hand,
pointing TO the cloth with the other.
Is she going to make EN- out Of
that?'
OF course!" was the sharp answer.
Williams thin little lips shut as tight
" as Miss Loduskys own.
Il won't wear yellow trousers" said
he.
Little Mrs Cobb, although longing
to say Il told you so" to Miss Lodusky,
strOve to comfort William.
There, there Willie! Never mind,
dear. 'Taint SO very yelow-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 en- plenty long" ordered
Miss Lodusky. Il mustrust he'll start
a.growing if | can ever get him filed
uIG
William stood like a statue, but
when the measuring process was fD-
!shed, he repeated:
Il won't wear yellow trousers!"
Miss Lodusky sniifed, and met Will
Jams utimatum with her own. when
those troagers are done you'll wear
ON or go without said she.
Taking a 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 lald!" thought Mrs. Cobb, ting
ling all over with an excitement not
wholly unpleasant, Amt he a spunky
little shaver? Well, don't blame him
much. Nobody but an old maid would
thiak 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
aer was on the table, she marched to
the door with the tread cf a grenadier,
and called William" in voice every
tone Of which declared, "No Compro-
| mise"
william appeared promptly, after
making his toilet at the cistern pump
in the wood.house. If his etes were a
trifle pink it was doubtless due to soap
suds getting into them.
Miss Ludusliy was generous foe,
She heaped a snowy mound of mashed
potato upon Williams plate, deluged
1t with gravy, and added a big piece
Of ham, brown without and pink with
in,
William thanked her, and fell to
work with a 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 Lodusky,
when she had finished the dishes, put
on her glasses and sat down to sew on
a small gingham shirt, while Mrs, Cobb
stitched away at the trousers,
When they were all done but sewing
on the buttons, pity for William
moved Mrs, Cobb to offer a suggestion
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,
Hell look a fright" remarked the
little tailoress.
He won't scare me nor Old Liza
nor the hens" was the valiant reply,
"The boysll plague the life out Of
him when be. starts to school"
IF he can't stand plaguing he's made
Of poorer timber than 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, q new gingham shirt and the
yellow trousers, neatly folded lay on
the foot of the bed. His Sunday suit
was gone from the closet and his old
clothes had been spirited away in the
night,
"Williaml"
Miss Loduslty'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 to
breakfast Mrs. Cobb looked her SYM
pathy as he entered the kitchen. Miss
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