The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1911-06-16
CHAPTER discontinued.

CHAPTER lX.-Continued.
A beetle-browed, fierce, whitewhis-
kered old gentleman sat in the ton
neau and berated in most astonish-
ing way very meek young chauffeur
Now, you'll have to walk back to
the garage and get one and leave me
here to burn up in this unmitigated
sun, you numskull-dyou hear?-
numskull"
The meek young man answered
meekly. but not at all as if terrified,
for there was something comic in the
old gentleman's rage and there was
a twinkle under the bushy eyebrows.
Now, don't be bothered, mister"
said Miss Selma Lue from the gro
Gerry steps, where she stood sur
rounded by all the small fry on the
Bluff, none of whom had ever before
had the opportunity of such a close
acquaintance with the mysterious anil
NAL known as the 'ottermobile." THE
young man can go in on the next car
and be back in no time with the
monkey-wrench or whatever you need
to fix it with. And you come right
in and set here in the shade Of the
blackberry where you can git the river
breeze. Bennie, set out the big chair.
and Ethel Maud, you and Luella run
to the we'll and draw bucket OF fresh
water and hand some in that new
gourd hanging by my door. Just come
over here and be comfortable, mister;
will admire to have you"
Miss Selma Lue's busting, hospit-
able enthusiasm had the old gentle
man out of the machine and seated by
the grocery door before he knew 1t
himself.
upon my word, madam, this is
pleasant after the hot sum-" he said in
a booming voice, very pleasant
d'you hear?-very pleasant" and his
brows drew up In an arch of amuse-
ment as Ethel Maud and Luella pre-
scented themselves before him with a
dripping gourd held in two pairs Of
small hands. for not for worlds would
either of them have relinquished
part in the presentation Of the cool
ing draft
my my, what nice pair of little
girls we have here! A very interest
ing family, all Of them-d'you hear?-
a very interesting family-and large
-eh?"
Lands alive, mister, this is all the
children on the Bluff; they don't none
of 'em belong to me-" said Miss Selma
Lue, as she took the gourd from him
and began to water the children one
at time, according to size.
Nov, that's too bad. madam
,d'you hear?-too bad. Such fine
lot! But. bless my soul, think you
are lucky not to own a single one!
1--we got the most outrageous pig
headed child myself and well, \
Just can't express myself about him;
outrageous pig-head-d'you hear?-
outrageous pig-head!"
my, now, amt that PITY" said
Miss Selma Lue sympathetically.
did the poor boy take to drink"
Drink? No, madam, he did not!
He's everything a gentleman ought to
be, and more, the pig-head-d'you
hear?-the pig-head!"
Couldn't you do nothing with
him." asked Miss Selma Lue with
interest. You have to make allow
ances fer young men-folks; looks like
jest they youngness goes to they
heads. Where did he break out?"
Miss Selma Lue seated herself on the
step beside his chair, keeping watch
full eye on the children. who stood as
close as possible to the red marvel
and discussed its wonders In the
highest-pitched voices at their COM
mand. AS usual her sympathetic
and interested way had its effect of
irresistibly inviting confidence.
in a most unexpected-pig-he aded-
ness-left me and the business to go
to the dogs and went trailing off after
moonshine-d'you hear-moonshine!"
We'll, now, expect he thought
you could take mighty good keer OF
yourself and the business, too; you
seem SO strong fer any age at all"
said Miss Selma Lue soothingly. The
old gentleman drew himself up in his
chalr and looked quite rejuvenated by
the mention of his obvious youthful
ness.
oh. could pull the business
through well enough, but 1t was his
leaving 1t for moonshine nonsense
d'you hear?-moonshine nonsense!"
We'll, things do happen strange in
this world. and it looks like they
can't nobody weigh out anybody else's
cake fer 'em. Boys and fathers lots
of times don't want to bite often the
same slice of life." Miss Selma Lue's
eyes had far-away look In them and
she spoke very softly.
"But what's man to do? Build q
great business and have a son come
along and scorn it-d'you hear?-
scorn it?"
1T might be that what a man |
thought was great thing to do in
life would look like small potatoes to
his son. / certainly am sorrowful fer
you about being SO disappointed in !