The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-01-04

row boards and remained there fo
hours. watching. The girl, who an.
Bwercd 10 the name of Merry Johns
I had Uncovered this hide away and OBJ.
serVat0ry combined, and brought
thithcr her faithful follower and chun
Timny Ryan.
MY, want you smart 10 find thjy
placer said Tlmmy M, protected
from wind and cold by a iudiclous dis
position Of newspapers, the two hud
died together and peeped out through
the cracks between the boards. NO
body would "a Hecn 1t but you. Merry"
"Mebbc So mcbbe not" was the re-
ply. when ! wants to do n thing. I
find n way 10 do It. wanted to see
what's goIn on in here 'thout standin'
ronn In the cold, so had to have this
place. 'Eere, give me Nlbbles min
ute: my fingers IL cold"
A small black kitten was lifted gen
tly from beneath Timmys Jacket and
transferred to the lap of the girl.
MY, want you smart to think O.
bringIn' NIbblcs to keep our hands
warm They'd froze II you hadn't"
Hush up. TImmy Ryan; here comes
Peaked Nose Woman, with Miss Grin
kle Hair and the Fur Girl. Gee. I'll bet
'twoud take more'n a hunderd kittens
like Nibbles 10 make a coat like that"
The three thus designated were Miss
Emory Miss Anderson and Miss Mel
ton, the latter wearing seal coat that
reached nearly to her feet. Their daily
visits to the store always excited the
interest Of the children and renewed
their speculations as to what was the
outcome Of all this mystery, for not a
hint Of the enterprise had been allowed
to escape.
Their curiosity was at last gratifed,
for one morning when they arrived
they saw white sign with staring
black letters stretched across the
front Of the building.
Look, look, Nervy!" cried the ex-
cited Tlmmy, "the doors is open, an
Mr.. Sale Is the man that keeps It."
"Timmy Ryan, sometimes I think
you don't know nothin." exclaimed
Nervy. Sale amt a mans name; its
sellin' somethin. like. auction sale.
This is R-u-m-m- Room. age, Age:
Room Age Sale. that's what it's"
What kind OF sellin' is that. Ner-
'y?"
Walt till I get inside an I'll tell
'ou." said Nervy, who had no mind to
'etray her ignorance even to little
Jimmy
They FASTENED to enter the building,
which to their inexperienced eyes held
wonders. Evidently st.
andrews parish had looked on the
ummage sale as provident clearing
ouse for the fiotsam and jetsam Of
ears which had been accumulating
4 their households. for the big double
tora was overlooking with all sorts
nd conditions of things. The store
'as rapidly filled. and the children
'andered about unnoticed and unmo-
'sted. They watched with fascina-
on the much be- ringed fingers of
liss Melton as she made change, and
azed with longing eyes at the stead
y increasing pile of money in the coin '
ests Of the open cash box. They ad-
ired the masterful yet kindly way in
hich Mr.. Herbert Bradley walked
bout and kept order, and finding Miss \
nderson extremely attractive at clo- 50
r range, they followed her at a dis
eet distance.
At the rear of the store two dry
'ods boxes placed on end and boards
Id aCcros the top made temporary
untcr for a collection of articles of
ch nature that they belonged in no {
rticular class. Nervy, who from her
ndncss for cubby holes, must have
en- natural cave dweller, hit upon
is place as a capital one in which
rest Watching their chance. the
ildren squeezed between two boxes
d hid away in the interior -
My amt it grand to be settin'
lere its warm?" said Timmy. Nib
As likes it, too; she's singing like
ything under my coat"
Bet yer topknot it's fine to be warm,
d Nervy. 81 amt never warm in
inter- cause Granny can't get mon
to buy Goals; but when l get rich,
nmy Ryan, I'm goin' to have a fire -
whole day" -
Presently Nervy, peeping out between Z
boxes, saw Miss Anderson ap-
'aching. She came up close to the
inter- and stood talking with the
ing woman who had an oversight