The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-09-17
I'd like TO borrow fresh eg

Miss Martha was washing the cream
pitcher, pitcher of the quaint blue
ware which had belonged to her grand
mother, ard she did not look around
until the delicate operation was fin
ished Then she turned squarely
and faced her caller She was a trim,
active little woman, who had lost her
youthful slenderness, and thougR she
had begun to speak of herself IS an
old woman, her friends were inclined
to regard the title as a joke.
The girl I'm the doorway was OF an
exaggerated slenderness that made
Miss Martha seem almost portly, and
her eyes met Miss Martha's with the
unwavering intensity of one who
claims a right rather than asks a ia
vor After moment she repeated her
request. If you please, Ia like to
borrow fresh egg"
Him." reflected Miss Martha; yes
terday IL was half loaf of bread.
wasn't it,"
That's what / asked for" said the
caller; you gave me whole loaf"
"And the day before" continued
Miss Martha, taking no notice of this
reply, cit was cup of milk
The girl In the doorway nodded,
still keeping her unwinking gaze on
Miss Martha's face. Miss Martha,
yainly scrutinlzing her callers face
for any trace OF embarrassment, was
annoyed to find herself flushing to the
roots Of her hair.
Il can't say that / approve of Dor
rowing" Miss Martha went on. IF
l run out OF soda or molasses, | just
tell myself that II serves me right for
not being more fOresighted, and | get
along without what / want till I've
had chance TO go to town. And as
long as I've got principles against bor-
rowing" she concluded, swallowing a
lump In her throat, Its no more'n
reasonable that | shouldn't believe in
lending"
Then aren't you going to let me
have a fresh egg?" asked the girl In
the doorway. She spoke dispasslon-
ately, as if she were merely interested
to know how far Miss Martha's prin-
ciples would carry her.
Miss Martha rallied her forces.
"No, guess not. You see, his
things got to stop some time. And II
might as well be now as ever"
"Good-by," said the girl turning
away. Then, as she feared she had
been abrupt, she halted on the door
step to say. ITS a nice morning"
But Miss Martha dropped into chair
and wiped her damp forehead.
"My. that girls case" she ejacu-
lated. with distinct sense of relief
as she heard the gate click behind her
visitor shes braZen, that's what
| she is The way she looks ut you
makes you feel as small as If she had
| caught you Ia some mean trick ]
suppose I'll have to buy that Bailey
place yet and tear that house down
to get rid OF the neighbors 1t brings. y
| THE Bailey place." was, in fact. the
bitter drop In Miss Martha's cup The
| tumble-dOwn house was half way down
the slope OF the hill which was crowned
by Miss Marthas neat cottage. Much
of the time Ii was empty, and then
Miss Martha suspected it of affording
haven To tramps. The rest OF the
year 1t was occupied by shiftloSs ten
| ants, whom she rated below the tramp
inasmnch as they were much more in
evidence. The last occupants had been
In possession less than a week, and
the various steps In their acquaintance
had been outlined by Miss Martha In
her conversation with the girl IN the
! doorway.
The hours went by, and even al
nightfall Miss Martha had not re
gained her accustomed equanimity
Either the day had been peculiarly
full Of small yexations, or her morn
ing's encounter with her neighbor had
been more disturbing than she would
acknowledge. Even the counting OF the
eggs was disappointment. Miss
Martha's pride In her hens was only
equaled by the admiration of the
women in the neighborhood, who were
Ia the habit of declaring that they
would give the world TO know what
Miss Martha did to her hens to make
them lay So At this season OF the
year she could depend upon them {,
do their duty about as she depended
on the sunrise, but to-day the number
fell short by one. And, strangest OF
all. it was Speckle who was the delin
quent. Speckle's big brown contribu
ton to the common store was unmis
taxable, but for once il was conspicu
Gus by its absence
| The next day the same thing hap
Dened. The first omission had made
Miss Martha frown. The second SCI
her to thinking. Speckle did not wan
to set, that was certain, and she wa.
not hen to take unreasonable freaks
like foolish young pullet. There was
possibility that she had stolen be-
nest, but Speckle had never done sucl
thing In all her decorous life. :"
thought she took ii wonderfully coo
when I didn't let her have that egg
1 soiu Nhoi tho w hNiScii' hti mp pShVNh
Ing Il guess she'll bear watching.
And the pronoun did not refer to Spec
kle
| Along In the forenoon Of the thk,
day Miss Martha put on her hat an,
started down the hill in the direction
Of the Bailey house with vague pur
pose of meeting her girl neighbor an
dropping hint which would stop he
In her dishonest career. But instea
1t was Miss Martha who received til
! check AS she advanced toward he