Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1911-09-19

THANK you, Miss Selma Lue; am
sadly In need of instruction in many
things" And with her chin in the air
and the suspicion Of tilt to her very
classic little nose. Miss Cynthia swept
out of the door without SO much 40 .
glance either to the right or the left.
Now amt she the sweetest thinS!"
exclaimed Miss Selma Lue as she
leaned out of the door and watched
the retreating figure with admiring
eyes, all unconscious Of the snub and
the feelings of the snubbed. "She's
fest that good and kind and loving
that you couldn't hardly believe It.
could you?"
mo. it's hard to believe that any
body could belize that! Does she
happen often in these parts?" an
swered Mr.. Alan In weak voice.
why, she's our Miss Cynthie from
up on the hill-you know the big
house with the white pillars and the
long walks with box scrubs on each
side. Her ma. Mis- Jackson Page.
owns all this Bluff and most Of the
land 'twixt here and tho edge Of town,
and she is one of the first families
though we all do come here from
Adam and Eve. They amt rich, be.
cause the city took notion to grow
out west Of the University. and hero
We are left Jest high and dry except
for the car line which runs cars only
when It can't get outen It. Mr.. Jim Pc
ters is conductor on one Of en- and
Mr.. Flarity is motorman on the
other, and they don't make but
six trips . day. We are all a-hang-
ing on here on count Of tho
boat landing and some of tho mon =
running on the river. Looks like pros
perity's kinder shying at 10. fer Mis-
Jackson Page can't sell foot Of her
land fer decent price. and she's Jest
downright land-poor. ~ the saying IT,"
rs Mr.. Flarity the Flarity who 10
the owner Of Carrots and his broth
err" asked Mr.. Alan. He had deposited
Blossom on the counter and she had
Immediately curled up in little bunch
and plunged into the depths OF sleep.
He seated himself ON the steps % he
questioned Miss Selma Lue about the
parental history Of the twins-any-
thing to got his mind of the scornful
lady Of the Hill mansion and give his
ears chance TO cool down.
'Yss. and be ID. the most misfortu1r
ate man ever did know about some
things. His wife have had twins
twice, and . tapsworm. and now she's
gone to the hospital to stay three
months to get cured Of It The poe1
thing wouldn't 60 until promised 70
invite the babies fer visit while sas
we're away. All the others are dead 10
what makes her nervous about these"
Miss Selma Lue was 30 busy busting
the rev Of bluing bottles that she
failed to see the effect Of her naive
revelations Of the domestic situation
In the Flarity household. "Flar1ty's
. mothering sort Of . man and he
comes by and gifts the twins after
eight O'clock and takes them homo Ter
the night and leaves them on the back
steps with the cat when he has to 90
on the very early morning runs. 60
out and git them right away - soon
a. l can slip on some clothes"
Does Miss Clemmie spend the
night?"
"Oh, no-Mis' Simmons don't bring
her over till after ten. She takes the
ten-forty car into where she washes
dishes fer the Women's Exchange
lunch. She has to stay until almost
shutdown, and comes homo dead.bsat
l don't want to say anything hard Of
Mr.. Simmons, but 1t do seem he uses
his family keerlsss like On Q good sal
ary."
what" inquired Mr.. Alan from
the doorstep, does the brute do?"
''Well. wouldn't skeercely call hin
. brute. think" said Miss Selma Lus.
- she shook out her duster and began
ON tho shelf Of canned tongue. He
runs . laundry wagon and he says II
is advertisement fer the house fer
him to be q stylish dresser. but I can't
see why the house has to have his
pants pressed every morning aad have
him wear purple socks and tan sh0ss,
when his wife 70 all drug out with
trying to piece along and keep going.
Sometimes I think It must bs vanity
in Mr.. Simmons. and vanity In man
IL like turkey gobbler a-strutting II
November"
What about vanity IN the ladies,
Miss Selma Lue? You surely don't
approve Of that"
Nov. Mr.. Alan. you're mad a.
what said about the men and are
trying to git even with me-" And Miss
Selma Lus smiled over her shoulder
ut him. Miss Selma Lue's smile was
ike broad beam Of sunshine on .
summer morning. Don't you know
the Lord wouldn't have gave women
folks shiny curls. cheeks pink IKE .
peach. figsers plump beautiful and
eyes blue As the Wild violsts On the
creek, like Miss Cynthie there, lessen
he intended to excuse them some fer
being proud?"
Il don't believe no would quite
stand for that amount Of pride and
grudgs Mr.. Simmons the purple socks"
murmured Mr.. Alan over his cigar In
careful soto voce, and Immediately
steersd Miss Selma Lue OF the dis
turbing topic Of her friends psrfee-
tons.
Anything interesting in the family
histories of the other two soap boxes.
Miss Selma Lus7 It seems the thing
ON the Bluff to know oil about your
nsighbors, and my intimacy with your
Riddles grows apace." There was
~inuSn~ ~,holosom eneaa IN Mr. Alansa