The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1907-06-19
THE SCAREDNESS
OF DORCAS TRIP
BY ANNIE HAMILTON
D0NNElL.
J 115E5G6Go Q

~S-NN AetHh Ni-CuSh, WV W llC
Bridge! But it's over II gone, thank
goodness, an nobody dead, without
it's me-" Aunt Roxy Knapp's lean
old face wrinkled into a smile. MY
dear" she added, Il can count the
little creatures that l didn't nuss on
the fingers O. one hand"
Aunt Roxy had come up river for
her annual visit to little Rosemary
Lamont. Rosemary claimed Aunt
Roxy because, she reasoned, she
might have married Uncle Rufus La
mont "as easy as not" in which case
she would have been an aunt,
wouldn't she?
Il suppose you amt heard how it
happened? No, of course not-well,
soons l get my breath I'll tell you
the hull story. It's kind of funny
story the way it's turned out, but,
dear land, it might've been solemn
enough! The Bridge folks amt liza
BILE to forgive Mis- Tripp for one
spell"
miss Tripp?" Rosemary Queried,
"Oh, Mrs. Trip, with so many little
Tripps!"
"Five-boys and girls equally di-
vided. She's the one l mean, my
dear"
Aunt Roxy" Rosemary whirled
about from the kitchen stove, chow
do you equally divide five children?"
Two boys, two girls, an the
twins-one boy an one a girl, and
neither of 'em but a half. Two an
two's four an half n half is an
other. There's your five children,
equally divided, my dear!" Aunt
Ro3y's laugh wrinkled again pleas
Antly. She put out slender old hand
for Rosemary's cup of steaming tea.
Under its benign influence the epi-
demic story unfolded.
"Dorcas Tripp was born scared,
an 1t grew on her, till when she
come to be married and have children
l declare to goodness If she wasn't
most too scairt to bring 'em up! Ep-
5demics was her worst dread of all.
She was always certain the children
were going to catch something. 1t
frightened her nigh to death to hear
they was case o. measels in town,
or mumps, an when somebody
dropped in an up n told her Corne-
liza Higgins boarder's little girl had
the scarlet fever, you ought to've
seen Dorcas Tripp's face! Before
that caller dropped out all the little
Trips had the scarlet fever and the
twins was dead an buried.
WELL" Aunt Roxy took reminis-
cent sip or two, Il heard how scairt
she was an went right over. Aunt
Roxy, says she, as pale as ghost, I
wish you'd button the children up,
I've got to finish packing
Packing l says, took all in a
heap. Then saw she was cramming
things into valises like one pos
sessed She never looked up but
KEEP right on talking. I'm going to
Cousin Flavilla's,' she says. The
children's got their best dresses on
for traveling-if you'll button 'em
mp. An l wish you'd hurry, Aunt
Roxy, says she, hurrying like every
thing herself, I'm not going to stay
in this plague-ridden town a minute
longer than can help. Do you sup
pose want to bury my innocent lit
tie children! The twins are delicate
none o. the children could ever
stan the scarlet fever. What I say
1s'-kind of screaming it out-'that
people no business taking summer
boarders an perilling the lives of
their innocent neighbors! Cornelia
Higgin ought to be ashamed of her.
self, First she knows she'll have
blood on her soul!'"
Aunt Roxy rocked creakily. Yes,
she didn't know but she'd have an
',ther cup O. tea. Rosemary got it
with alacrity, its fragrant steam fill
Hug the little kitchen pleasantly.
well, my dear Ga mite more su-
gar, if you please), Dorcas went. In
sess'n four hours after she heard the
news she was on her way to her Cou-
Gin Flavilla's. You know where Fla
yglla Cross lives, don't you? A
dreadful manufacturing place, swarm
ing with furriners. 1t used to be real
Aristocratic up where Flayilla's house