Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1910-02-24

corrupted ~ size tried To- arrange A
fcw short stemmed posles IN n vnrlc
gated bouquet,
Well what do you think Of thai"'
Folly gnspcd You're the nrst Hube
over saw that hadn't" she was look
ing at him ~ though he we're q curi.
osiiy
80 I'm Rubor Douglas shook his
hehd with u sad little smile aud good
hhiufedly agreed that be had some.
times feared as much
That's what We always calls a xuy
IKE you" she explained ingenuousiy
and added hopefully; well. you mus,
seen our parade. All the piksrs ne.
that IL don't cost nothin'."
I'm afraid ! must also plead guilty
to the charge OF being a piker." Doug.
las admitted, half sheepishiy. "for did
see the parade"
wei, ] was the one on the white
horse right behind the lion cage" she
began ercitedly. You rememberY"
! ITS little confused ia my mind
he caught her look Of amazement-"just
ut present" he stAmmered, feeling her
wrath again about 10 descend upon
him.
well, I'm the twcnty.four sheet
stand" she explained.
sheet" Mandy shricked from her
corner
YES. the billboards, the picturcs 4"
Polly said, growing impn ticnt M their
persistent stupidity.
she suah am a funny talkin' thingi-
mumbled Mandy 20 herself as she elm.
ped the withered leaves from q plant
near the window.
you are dead sure they know 1 Amt
comm on" Polly asked, with a linger.
Ing suspicion In her voice.
Dead sure" And Douglas smiled 10
himself as he lapsed into her vcrnacu.
lar.
lhere was moments pause. Polly
realized for the first time that she must
actually readJust herself 10 a new or.
der or things. Her eyes again royed
about the room. II was cheerful
place In which TO be imprisoned. Even
Polly could not deny that The broad
window at the back, with its white and
pink chlntZ curtains on the inside and
It's frame OF Ivy on the outside, spoke
OF singing birds and sunshine all day
long Everything from the white cell.
Ing TO the sweet smelling mating that
covered the floor was spotlessly clean.
The cane bottomed rocker near the
curved window seat with It's pretty
pillows told OF days when a GONZALES
cent might look I'm comfort ut the gar
den beneath. The counterpart, with its
old fashioned rose pattern; the little
white Tides on the back OF each chair
and Mandy grooming besiie the rim.
DOW all helped TO make a homelike pic
mre.
She wondered what Jim and Toby
would say If they could see her now.
sitting like queen In the midst Of her
sort coverlets, with no need to raise
even finger to walt upon herself.
"Ain't it the llmlt?" she sighed. and
with that Jim and Toby seemed TO
drift farther away. She began TO
see their life apart from hers. She
could picture Jim with his head in
his hands. She could hear his sharp
orders to the men. He was always
short with the others when anything
went wrong with her.
I'll bet 'Muvver Jim's' in the
dumps" she murmured as cloud
stole across the howerlike face; then
the tired muscles relaxed, and she
ceased to rebel.
"Muvver jim" Douglas repeated.
feeling that he must recall her to q
knowledge Of his presence
That's what l call him." Polly ex-
planned, "but the fellows call him Big
jim You might not think Jim could
be good mother Just to look at him.
but he Is, only sometimes you can't
tell him things you could a real
mother" she added, half sadly.
And your real mother went away
when you were very youngT
NO, she didn't go away"
Nor. There was a puzzled note in
the pastors voice.
"She went out" Polly corrected.
Out" he echoed blankly.
Yes; fnished-lights out"
oh, an accident" Douglas under.
stood at last.
Il don't like to talk about it." Polly
raised herself on her elbow and
looked at him solemnly, as though
about to impart bit Of forbidden fam.
lily history. 1t was this look I'm the
round eyes that had made Jim SO often
declare that the kid knew everything
why. mother d "a been asha med if
she'd "a knowed how she wound up
She was the best rider Of her time
everybody says so--but she cashed In
by fallin' or a skate what didn't have
no more ginger an kitten. IL you
can beat thatv She gazed at him
with her lips pressed tightly together,
evidently expecting some startling ex.
preston Of wonder
"And your fatherY' Douglas asked
rather lamely, being at loss for any
adequate comment upon tragedy
which the child before him was too
deSolate even to understand.
"Oh, dads finish was all right. He