The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-08-31
Summer Calls

ITO me 1t Is the greatest of rnys-
teries, said the girl who likes TO
talk. why one has to make calls at
a summer resort In the first place. no
body in any possible situation In any
civilized spot on earth likes to make
calls They are one OF the white mans
burdens and women endure them Just
as gleefully as the early Christian
martyrs took to The stake and the
lions-because they have TO
Every woman when she gets ready
TO go away for the summer heaves q
sigh and says: Thank goodness.
Now can lead simple. care free life
and not have TO think of social affairs
again until winter! Such re-
left
This is all right and ailuring in
theory. but somehow 1t never works
out. Never, Every day after | ar.
rive get news OF other arrivals The
Simpsons, says the milkman as he
measures out quart. came yester-
day. The Simpsons are attractive peo-
pie from Indiana. Dear me, | say.
! must go down and see the Simpsons
sooni
Larchmere is open. announces
the iceman The Larches got here
today and Mrs. Larchs sisters come
with her.
Really | comment 4 always
liked Mrs Larch. | must go an see
her
Presently l find that the Desslers,
the Morses, the Ryans and the PUNK
etts have all come That means a
whole row of cottages scattered over
a mile of shore that must be Wis
tied.
Luckily, l am too busy cleaning
house to go for q few days. but pres
emily there isn't any excuse. The day
of making summer calls is always
roasting hot, and the Precipitation
trickles down my face as attire my
self in dressup dress with one long
ing eye on the hammock and pile of
new magazines I Just hate this!'
groan from time to time
Then | start out holding my skirts
i away from the brambles and grasses
and wish owned a launch. so that
| might arrive properly instead OF APP
| pearing red faced and struggling of
hair and dusty as BELTS the children
| of poverty who have TO walk along a
| country road l negotiated the en-
| tire mile, taking the Larches first. be-
cause they arc the farthest away. Usu-
ally when | Chamber over the stile I
snag the lace on my best petticoat
and catch my hair on the thorRs of
the roses over It.
This puts me in an amiable frame
| of mind as seek the front entrance
There is nobody in sight when
knock. knock again and step inside
| the porch screens and there Is a
smothered shrek from the farther
hammock. and strange figure springs
into sight II turns out to be Mrs
Larch in kimono with her hair In
curriers' around her face and blink.
ing eyes
OH she gets on, with hand on
her heart. How you frightened me!
| washed my hair asd was taking a
nap-l didn't expect any one-that is,
I'm glad to see you, Do sit down.
q sit down and try to converse in
a sprightly manner while Mrs Larch
hates me violently for catching her
looking SO disreputable She even
/ hasn't her eyebrows on, and it does
make difference. l escape breath.
ing hard amid EXPLANATIONS of Dc
come again So good of you to drop
int
/ The Desslers have gone to town
and no one is at home but a maiden
aunt who insists on telling me about
the case of measles she had 80 years
ago.
/ 4 find Mrs Plunkett and her moth
er putting up strawberries, very ho'
and stained and plainly afraid thai
something in the kitchen is going te
boil over. I haven't had time to dress
or anything since same, says Mrs
3 Plunkett aggrievedly cycling my fresh
frock. I've been so dreadfullJ
\ busy! ! didn't realize people hac
Il begun to call! OH the jams burn
4 ing!
Il Mrs Ryan came down after q
| minute walt and insisted violentl,
| that didn't waken her-she was jus
| thinking Of getting up. She smoth
ers six yawns before she finally get
| her eyes open
II AT the Plunketts Mr.. Plunkett, in
muddy paid of overalls, is digging II
! the back yard Elsie Plunkett /
n washing her hair and Mrs Plunkett i
Il faded year heforelsst work dress i
| wedding her nasturtium bed very ira,
| zled and warm looking
H My goodness she cries at sigh
Il Of me II I'd expected callers-I loo
H terrible.
/ When I get back home wrec
II from the long, hot walk and the crust
ing sense of having burst upon a hal
II dozen families who didn't want con
II pany in the least, say Thank goot
II ness, that's done!' and hastily get int
III opd ho hammock