Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1911-09-26
CHAPTER ".

further west. She Immediately turned
the store into q haven for little ones.
CHAPTER ".
The Wonderful Barn Loft.
''Thsy can't nobody tell what . mort
sass and Golf Club will DO
-Aos 0sa1aa Lus.
! Nov, Bennie. run bono 40 quick
as you can. for l hnsw ysur mother
Is In . hurry fsr the thiASs. Here's
the nickel head Of cabbage. Put It
under your am, and take the sack
Of meal in your hand. See II you
cant carry the potatoes On the other
I'm and the piece Of bacon In your
other hand. Instead Of the sorghum
molasses she sent fov, am going to
send three-for-ten cakes of soap. fer
she's forgot to buy bit for more'n
, week. and am sure she would
rather have It. My. what load for
. boy! Open your mouth for this
ginger snap. and 90 careful but fast."
And Miss Selma Luo steered tho heav-
Ily-loaded youngster down tho steps
and started him toward homo.
Al she came up again she paused.
and. resting her hands on her hips.
leaned out to look far up the street.
There was the shadow of anxiety on
her usually unrumed brow. and she
Oighed a. she picked Blossom out of
no cracker-box and put her far back
O the counter. hemming her In for
sslety with two brooms.
Z feel Ike ! amt seen Miss Cynthis
fer . year." she said, and 1t has
been more'n . week since she came
down. The cook cones after things
and she says the child amt sick. SO
amt got no cause to worry: but
I'm fest hungry to see her. Seems
like she II Z kind Of frosted csks-
the more you git Of her the moro you
want"
YES. thick with frostins, and white
and cold: It's good to-look at." Ne
marked Mr.. Alan 40 he seated him
self on an upturned peck measure
and reached to head Clemmie of from
. pile Of scrubbing brushes she seemed
bent on chewing.
well. I've got feeling in my
bones she'll come today, and I'm going
to expect her anyway. Mis- Kinney's
bones always gives her notice Of
trouble. but I've got mine trained 20
they ache fer the coming Of good"
Miss Selma Lue's wisdom was an un-
conscious adaptation Of one Of the
principles Of . very modern thought.
It was at the lull time at eleven
o'clock, when the Bluff dinners were
all in tho pot. and Miss Selma Lue
could get . breathing spell until tho
afternoon rush for supper provender.
The Bluff bought supplies a meal at
q time and brought tho nickels and
dimes in payment thereof. Miss Sc
lima Lue had no need Of bookkeeper
she put her money In cracked vim
esar jug behind the counter. Nor did
she ever have enough to make bank
deposits. as her stock was bought on
much the same principle as that on
which It was sold. little At time
and cash down.
FOR" she counseled her neighbors.
having on hand. most Of times means
wasting. and the piece Of meat
oushtsr 20 In the pot according to
what you know you oughter have and
not what you think you want. Lots
Of folks stomiks amt IS greedy -
they IT,"
Mr.. Alan had come in for his din
ner q little before the time. He spent
most Of his mornings down at the
ferry sketching the roustabo as
they loaded the early boats; but when
the wharf was deserted, he found it
pleasant to come and chat with Miss
Selma Lue a. she prepared the simple
meal he shared with her. He liked
to watch the babies tumble and crawl
about the grocery before their noon
maps. for the floor and low-lying re-
gions Of the store offered unlimited
opportunities for adventure to creep
ers. and 1t always Interested him to
see what they could manage in the
way Of exciting catastrophes.
Miss Selma Lue at such times fair
~ TAol0leU viii 6OOu SAoCl @Au ~
terest and no felt constrained to do
likewise. In fact. Miss Selma Lue
invited condolences as tho sun invites
the buds in the springtime. and her
views Of life were sound II unusual.
The non-appearance Of Miss Cynthia
was uppermost in her thoughts. and
she seemed possessed Of an inexhaust-
ible store Of admiring anecdotes OF
that disturbing young person. There
was in his mind a sneaking suspicion
nay, shame-faced certainty-that
his own presence was the cause Of
her seeming neglect Of Miss Selma
Lue, and his conscience hurt him.
Bother the girl! Why should she pass
him in the lane as if he were non
existent and manage to convey an
Of his utter obnoxiousness
svsry time he SO much a. caught =