The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1911-12-01
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MISS CHUFFY'S
COWARDICE
By KATE CLEVES

M6lluud SAuhy AeAoIOAOo SAAS AeA5S
window and locked the door leading
10 the side porch. Then she took her
lamp and tiItoed softly upstairs very
much as II she were afraid OF awak-
inR somebody-all of which was quite
unnecessary al she was all alone I'm
the big house.
she scurried down the dark hall,
her lamp flaring wildly in a draught
from some unexpected quarter and
she darted into the big north cham
Der which she occupied in summer
and slammed the door and locked it
She placed the lamp on the tall
chest OF drawers and it cast a small
oasis OF light in the big room. Ne
linda looked under the white-draped
bed and arose relieved at the spick
and span vacancy beneath the hand
some mahogany structure; she peep
ed fearfully in the clothes press and
screamed a little because a black
shadowy something leaped out OF
the darkness and brushed her cheek
then 1t drifted back against the
&dlA anu pAONOu W JIG AOIA1uS luOIG
chan her best black china silk gown
which had been drawn forward by
the draught from the opening door.
All her fears being quelled for the
moment Melinda Chuffy proceeded to
go to bed although the clock on the
mantel piece pointed only to half
past eight. That was the way Ne
linda had done ever since her moth
er's death a year ago. She had al
ways been a timid little thing and in
spite of her better sense and the re-
proofs and admonitions Of her par
ents and friends, Melinda went right
on being as timid as a little white
Gsbbit.
Il she walked IN the woods every
cracking twig, every furry Oh dead
leaves, every rush Of bird wings sent
terror to her heart She was afraid
OF COWS and horses and mice and
snakes and she like parrots and cats
and flowers and everybody said Ne
Linda Chuffy was cut out for an old
maid and Melinda really believed
them and became more timid and
shrinking than ever.
One or two intrepid youths had ven
tnred to call upon Melinda prelimin-
airy to more serious attentions for Ne
linda was sweet and pretty. but their
visits had not exceeded a half dozen
before they decided that Melinda
Ghuffy was ether 'struck-up" or too
shy even to be amusing, so they
stayed away and Melinda was much
relieved and went back to her cats
and her canaries and her flowers,
quite contented to be an old maid.
So the years had passed peacefully
on until Melinda was now thirty-five.
Ernest Bruce did not count in the
Hist Of suitors; he had merely been
Melinda's playmate and next-door
neighbor. It was Ernest who shield
ed her from gigantic cows and helter-
SHELTER horses and wrigging snakes
and creeping mice; Ernest never
laughed at her fears and when they
went through the wood, and he was
beside her, he would hold her hand
tle mind until at the end Of the wood
she could look back and bid a quav-
ering defiance to all the bogies she
had left behind
The Bruces had moved out to Ohio
while Melinda was small and 30 she
had never seen her old playmate
since but she always thought of him
with grateful tendencies.
She opened her windows wide, feel
ling secure In the knowledge that her
shutters were firmly nailed to the
g1llB, and she looked with confidence
upon the newly-installed telephone
that was beside her bed. That was
Melinda's concession to living alone.
With that instrument at hand she
could call for assistance mt any hour
q the day or night
90 far, she had had no occasion 70
use the telephone except to speak to
some friend or to transact her mar
keting on a rainy day, and now she
was startled to hear the sharp, incis-
I've summons OF the bell at her elbow.
Melinda paused in the act Of blow
InG out the candle and looked at the
telephone as IL 1t was some mani
mate thing suddenly come to life.
Tor goodness sake" she breathed
hopelessly.
Again and again the bell tangled
before Melinda went softly over to
the instrument and responded
"Hello!" she said in a weak voice.
lis this Miss Chuffy-Miss Melinda
Chuffy?" asked woman's impatient
voice.
"Yes-what do you want?" Melin-
GR was treasured.
"l am Mrs. Peterson Of Woodside;
there has been an automobile acct
dent in front Of my house and one
OK the injured men has mentioned
that he was on the way to your house
The doctor says his injuries may
prove fatal and II would be just as
well for you TO come at once
Immediately liz you want to see him
alive"
Melinda was gasping. But # don't
know any such man." she protested.
1T certainly don't know a man who
owns an automobile. You've made
a mistake"
"If you are Miss Melinda Chuffy
you must know a man by the name
Nf Frrnm@ Rruna-ha said he was nm