Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-01-08

making himself solid" did the new
Junior Partner.
The long Junior Partner made him
self solid as a rock.
And he did not do it by being so
awfully good, either. Not at ALL He
had his own ideas about that, espe-
cially when he found that life was
not just kiss, cuddle, and play
Finally he felt that he could stand
it no longer. 1t was nothing but
bindings and wipe your feet" and
lessons" and "eat nicely" and don't
interrupt" and wash your face and
sit up straight" and "errands" and
hurry now" and where have you
been ?"-till he became desperate. He
stamped in to the General Manager
Mama he stormed, 81 am going
away. just won't stay here."
Very well. You'd better take some
things with you. You will need them :"
So the Junior Partner began savage
ly to collect what he wished to take;
the harmonica, the rubber ball. the red
slippers, the game, the paint-boX, and
lot more. There was good deal to
choose from, for of course he could
not take everything. His movements
became slower and slower as he laid
aside one thing after another; but he
kept stiffy on. Finally, he had a
queer-shaped bundle rolled in the
pink pajamas, with one sleeve hang
ing. Then he moved very slowly in
deed. His lip almost trembled.
He must rest before starting out.
Such q troubled and worn little face
and such limp and silent little fig
ure! Such a difficult scowl to keep!
The General Manager found 1t hard
to keep her arms off. But the Junior
Partner was watching her out Of the
corner of his eye.
won't you miss-won't you miss
your little boy?"
'Oh, l suppose So" said the General
Manager, carelessly, but feeling more
sorry than she seemed.
The Junior Partner fingered to give
her chance to say that she was sorry
and to beg him not to go. He waited
long time. Leaving home was not
what he had thought. Finally he pull
ed himself together and moved to-
ward the door, with tousled, yellow,
faithful Rags close to his heels.
well good-by," he said, sadly.
"G-o-o-d-by."
"Good-by," cheerfully from the Gen
eral Manager. But when they kissed
it was as hard for one as for the other
to keep it up. "Will you not wait and
say Good-by to Daddy?"
ooh, no! l couldn't do that. I
couldn't go if I did.
The door closed-very slowly.
The General Manager watched the
forlorn little figure moving slowly but
bravely down the street, Rags licking
the dropping hand, until the rather
mournful pair were lost in the gather
ing dusk
The Senior Partner came in. Where
is my partner" he asked, as usual.
HE has gone away. He will not
live here any more"
How long has he been gomez"
Just four minutes"
When they sat down to dinner and
there were only the two, and no Junior
Partner to eat fast and talk with his
mouth full and do all those horrid
things, they were not a bit delighted.
Funny, wasn't it?
They did not eat much and they did
not talk much and they did not say
anything very much but listen and
look slyly at the clock. And even the
clock seemed not to get on very we'll
The General Manager would not let
the Senior Partner know that she was
thinking of something that began with,
would not let the General Manager
~, 4 +, i,,1- 81
thing that began with, What if? But
each knew what the other was think
ing of.
After long, long time, as much as
twen-tysev-en minutes, they heard a
scratching and whining at the door.
When the General Manager opened it
Rags darted in. barking and leaping
and wagging himself all over. The Gen
eral Manager stepped quickly out. In
the shadow, f1attened against the house
was the little figure with the queer
shaped bundle. The General Manager
sprang to the Junior Partner and the
Junior Partner sprang to the General
Manager. The bundle was dropped and
such hngging and kissing, with a tear
for each as they came into the house.
Then the Senior Partner had to be
Rugged and kissed and to do some hug
ging and kissing on his own account
of course this took lot of time.
And in the midst of the laughing and
the talking and the JOY. in backs Rags,
dragging the pink pajamas and splitting
out the rubber ball, the paint-box, the
harmonica, and the other things all
over the floor of the front hall. DR..
John c. Sleeps in January ST. Nicho
las.