Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-10-02

man said, flinging the dead hens at her
feet. A fleck of blood few upon Miss
Gatty's faded frock. Noting it, the
man said awkwardly: "Please excuse
me. I've been acting the brute. But
those berries were my PRIDE
''You had right to-do as you did,"
Miss Gatty painted. "Only-please go
away! Go quickv'
She spoke STOPPING over the hens.
The man looked at her, close enough
to see two tears plash down on the
corpses. He ran incontinently from
the sight, but not altogether cravenly.
Inside five minutes he was back with a
basket of fine. dewy, scarlet berries.
Miss Gatty had vanished. So had the
slain. He walked around to the back
door searching for her without finding.
Being determined person, he stepped
boldly inside. Miss Gatty sat in the
prim dining room, her head buried in
her arms beside the old mahogany Ia
BILE. She was sobbing--hard, dry sobs.
The intruder half turned as though to
1t, stepped forward and set down his
basket in front of her with resound-
ing thump. AS she sprang up startled
he said in an embarrassed voice: MAY
be you don't know who 1 am. My
names Lalor"-
"But did know 1t. You should not
be here" Miss Gatty painted. your
wife,
THANK you, but 1 haven't got wife
mot yet" Mr.. Lalor said, with grin.
"You must be thinking Of my sister-in-
law. Fanny keeps house for me, but
she hates the place and wants to leave.
I think I'll let her-and see if can't
have peace-and neighbors. Don't you
think we ought to be neighbors? I
do. So I've brought these" pointing to
the berries. won't you give me some
radishes to take home for my lunch
eon?"
'To be sure, I'll be so gladv' Miss
Gatty cried, springing up, quite forget
full Of tear stains, and darling toward
her dear garden. She meant to go
alone, but Andrew Labor was right be-
hind her. Long before the radishes
were chosen they had buried all griev-
ances, past, present and to come. Be-
fore he left she had told him all about
Susanna-Susanna who was the young
est, but had so much a wiser head on
her shoulders. All unconsciously she
had told him many other ,things-things
that set him meditating and smiling all
the way home. Once or twice, too, he
blushed and gnawed angrily at his
mustache, muttering: Lord, to think
that / offered her money! Took her for
a quarrelsome old maid! It's going to
take time to live that down, but I'll do
it as sure as I'm six feet twov'
Susanna stayed on for whole week.
Quarterly meeting had turned out to be
the beginning of a revival, but Miss
Gatty did not mind in the least.
you must not worry thinking / am
busy, keeping the hens as they should
be kept. And really / am finding out
that we have very good neighbors."
Susanna pazzled over that last sen
tence, at least until she came home to
find Mr.. Labor established in the priv,
ilege of keeping ward over the forag
ings of the White Leghorns. Her eyes
twinkled comprehension as he shool
hands on presentation. He caught the
twinkle and answered 1t boldly with
please may have your sister Helen,
I knew it would do no good to ask be-
fore you came home"
"Why, yes; think you may" Su
sauna said, the twinkle deepening
But do you think it is quite fair-this
way Of playing beggar my neighbor"
You're really responsible. Your
hens have taught me to take what
want regardless Of bounds" he flung
back at her. Susanna laughed out
right and answered honestly. IF they
really did 1T I'm mighty glad"