The Cairo bulletin., 1910-06-14
Popping Corn
and a Question

-u.s<H...ua
"Ah!" said Mr., Luckey, advancing
into the room "A wood fire!"
YES" smiled Mlss Dotty. looking
up. Isn't 1t nice."
"Fine!" exclaimed Mr.. Luckey. sit
ting on the edge OF q chair. "Tine!"
1T always looks so"-began
Miss Dotty.
$50 cheerful" cried Mr.. Luckey.
mo, I didn't mean that: but So
$3.50 warm!" cried Mr.. 4I.uckey.
mo. not warm exactly, but So
so--"
so homelike?" he asked
Yes she softly answered, ma
king eyes at him, and she sank on q
hassock by the side OF the fire, as
though in any contemplation of this
scene as homelike spectacle, she
was going to be In the picture.
Have you an open fireplace in
yonr room?" she asked, striving to
present to his mind the antithesis of
his present state Of momentary hap
piness.
NO" he mourned; mo such luc'-.''e
Poor boy!" she whispered to The
Gre. Poor boy!"
mo such luck!" he repeated mourn
fully.
Draw up your chair little near
err" she kindly said to him. There.
now, isn't that comfortable?"
'F'ine!" said Mr. Luckey. Fine!
Did you ever see anything Hike the
| way It rained today"
She frowned slightly and IVES ap-
parently about to change the subject.
but thought better of 1t at the last mo-
| ment.
Il hope 1t won't rain tonight" she
| said. A
so do l." said he.
Il always feel so sorry when you
have to leave In the rain"
so do l." said he.
She made eyes at him eg1in, sighed
at the silence more In sorrow than In
anger and all at once looked brisk
and excited.
"Gracious!" she cried. 81 nearly for
got!"
| Forgot what?" he asked
I've got corn pepper and lot OF
corn. Shall we make some popcorn
"Yes!" he cried That would be
lots of fun
She ran out into the kitchen and
took the corn pepper from hook
Where's the corn, SARAH" she
asked the cook.
II tell you the corn won't pop!" ex
| claimed the cook II told you once and
! tell you again. that there corn amt
the kind TO pop"
She took the corn nevertheless and
went back into the parlor.
Now" she said. you put the corn
in the pepper like this, and then you
hold It over the Are. If you'll move
over little In that chair
He moved over silently and she sat
down beside him. 1t was one OF those
large, comfortable turkish rockers with
high arms and back, Just right for
two, and as she leaned over to pop
the corn the cosy light Of the FIRE
played on her face and showed Just
where her dimples were.
She shook the pepper with Wig.
orous arm: he moved over to give her
more elbow room.
1T doesn't pop" she pouted.
They watched the corn carefully.
both leaning forward, with theis
heads very close together.
you hold it, she said; but as he
took the handle she cried, Watt"
and seized the pepper again, uncon.
sciously placing her hand over his. II
thought saw one pop then!" she
cried.
NO" he said. taking It, ~ don't
ace any"
She took the pepper from him and
holding 1t over the fire she fell to
shaking 1t again, crying:
Pop! Pop! Hang you, pop! Don't
you see I'm waiting for you to pop?
Pop! pop! pop, tell you! never
saw anything so slow In all my life!
What's the matter with you anyway
Don't you know how to pop? Good
grief! Pop! pop! Isn't there any pop
in you! Pop! pop! pop. tell you'
POP!"
And as she shook the handle, oh,
ever 80 vigorously. hand was bash
fully placed over hers, an arm was
timidly placed about her waist--and
Mr.. Luckey popped.