Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-20
CHAPTER XIV.
The White Plaque.

| The fat was all in the fire. Hartley'S
great scheme that he thought was going
! to help Eureka, and that I cal-lsted
would be one more big boost for him in
the Page girls eyes. had gone to pot to
see the kettle bile. Instead OF getting rid
| Of Papa Sparrow. it had fetched that old
hypocrite right over to eat and sleep and
groan under our very noses. And. In
| stead Of helping Martins love business.
| 1t had knocked the keel right out Of 1t
and left him stranded with bigger repu-
tation than ever for cold-blooded merce-
nary money grabbing. Sweet mess. want
II?
/ snum, I did hate to tell Eureka, And
yet, Of course. she was bound to find it
out for herself. When she went home
that night. thinks I. 'Ill catch It tomor-
row morning." And. sure enough. next
morning she was laying for me.
She come out into the garden. where I
was trying to fool myself into hoping
that six inches OF green string. with a
leaf or two hung along 1t. might bear
cucumber some day. and down she sets
in the heap Of dry seaweed by the pig
pen.
Now. then" says she, sharp, Il want
to know all about IT.
"Oh!" says I. looking innocent at the
| cucumber string: II amt give up hope.
by no manner of means. II the loan
| don't blow off. and I'm able to lug water
enough, we'll have much one jar
of two-inch pickles off this plantation by
! the time the Heavenlies are ready 10
quit
"Humph!' she shifts. You ought to
pickle that understanding OF yours. It's
. too fresh and green to keep long. out in
this sun. Now you look me In the eye
and tell me all about it,"
About wliat?" 1 asks. not looking at
her. however.
About the dongs at our house yester-
day. Why is pa coming over here 10 live?
And what makes Mr.. Hartley SO blue and
cross? And how come that Agnes Page
to be mixed up i'm our affairs? Out with
it, It's my family business. and l want
to know
So had to tell her. She was pretty
, mad. and mighty sarcastic.
II thought So. she snaps. Didn't
you know no better than that? Didn't
you know ,hat girl who's as far gone
with charity Miss Page is would be-
sure to go and see pa and want to do for
him. I've found out that she's been Civ
ing him money for medicine and things
for over a week. Why. sentimental
city woman is pas best holt: he can tie
em in bowknots round his finger. 1
s'pose you thought you could fetch Hart
ley and his girl together all by yourself
Well. you've done a good job. Now I've
got to begin it all over again
1T amt no use now. i says. Sheo
down on him for good.
Rubbish! Don't talk so foolish. tn
be my turn next. and my plans won't 30
backside frontwards. like crab. And
I've got to fix pa, too. I've been work
ing out a notion about him for two or
three days. I guess it's time to be start
ing it a-going."
She wouldn't tell me what the notion
was. Twas her turn to have secrets.
She seemed pleased to have Editha and
the children go over to the Fresh Air
School because there they could be
studying their lessons with somebody 10
look after 'em. She liked the idea OF
Lycurgus' hiring out to Nate Scudder.
too. though she did say that she guessed
he wouldn't wear out his pants pockets
carting his wages around
Next day she stayed at home and shut
up the house. and that night she ana
Washy come to the island to stay all the
of the house. three flights up. and Scud-
der sold the Twins bedding and truck
enough to more than make up for losing
the rent Of the Sparrow house. Van put
the wax wreath and Marcellus picture
and the rest of Mates presents up -
the invalid's room. He said he thought
they was kind of appropriate. Washy
didn't mind. He said they was lovely
and made him think OF his future state"
'Cording TO my notion the cook-stove
would have been better for that
Martin and his chum was pretty cool
to each other for a while, but they soon
got over 1t. Hartley WAS different.
though. from what he'd been afore. He
was more reckless and his 'don't-care
manner was back again; only. now that
his health was so good. It showed in other
ways.
The two Of 'em took to raising the
thing all the time. The island want big
enough to hold EN- and they was crowded
over into the village. so TO speak. They
got mixed up with some OF the men
boarders at the hotel, and twas
ITO he continued tomorrow