The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-06-21

r-sers~
looked at them for a moment and then
Harry spoke.
Hello, he said Where's that little kids
Mother2
She didn't answer him and Harry spoke
again
Well, we got to see her anyway. he said.
The little girl looked up at him for a
minute real slow and steady, and then she
got up with the baby o. her showlder and
went in the house without speaking singel
word. 1t wasn't 50 very long before she
came back again She had the baby on
I her showlder Just the same, and behind her
was the queerest looking lady ever saw
She was real white, as il she didn't feel So
very we'll, and her back was all crookid and
hunchcd over as if she didn't ever come out
doors unless she had to- She didn't look
asifshe wanted tocome out now, anyway, but
she stood there on the steps and then she
gansed out where the little girl was sitting
down again with the baby on the grass,
Isn't it getting damp for him2 she called
out
The 1 tie girl took the baby on her lap,
and then the crookid lady looked at US
again and of course Harry could see il was
time to let her know what we came for, 50
he did,
Are you the Mother Of that baby2 he
ask her.
am, she answered him, and Harry didn' t
speak again right off Instead he glansed
out at the tree and then he glansed up at the
steps as if he didn't feel quite 50 sure the
way to go on. But the crookid lady was
looking at him very straight, and guess
praps Harry was wishing he hadn't come
after all. He knew be had to say some
thing, though, SO he said it. That is he
tried to.
Well, did you know that little girl didn't
treat him very good? he Kind Of stammered.
Did you know that if you 20 off and leave
her she will tie him up to a rope and leave
him all alone? And Ii she feels like it, whip
him and things like that2
The little crookid lady on the steps moved
forward as il she was listning to him but
didn't know exaclly what he was talking
about, and she looked down at him very
sharp.
What was that you said? she asked
him.
Harry said ii all over again and she didn't
move her eyes at tall
Are these lies you are telling me2 she said
and her voice seemed to grow quite sharp
too, like her eyes.
Nom, its the truth, Harry answered, but
he began to look as il he wished he had
stayed at home for sure.
The little crookid lady didn't move her
eyes off him yet, either.
How do YOU know it, il you please7 she
said.
Because my Mother can see eyrything
that happens in the yard here from her
window, he answered And | heard her
telling about it.
She seemed to move forward just little
more then, and She glansed Oft at the baby
sitting in the little girls lap and her breath
seemed to come faster than before.
Tell me what she said, she kind Of whis-
pered
Harry glaused of AT the baby TOO.
She said she would tie him up and leave
him Il she was left alone with him,
The erookid lady seemed to twitch
through her shoulders when he said that,
and then she seemed to draw herself up
something as i she was trying 70 be tail
That 5 what pay her tor, is it2 she said,
with her face getting pailer than before
Or she might slap him. or praps whip him.
Whip him! she whispered, bur il was such
a loud, sharp sound VIC could hear ii very
plane, She Whip him
She turned her eyes straight at The little
Girl under the tree nov, and II looked as ii
She was drawing herself up and praps GET
ting ready to hurt somebody. The little
girl Just looked at her from where she was
sitting out there. and | don't know Whether
She could hear what She was SAYING. but IN
sure never saw anybody look % SCARED
But Harry hadn got through
Mother said nobody would believe Il il
She told haw she would treat HIM She
said sometimes she couldn't hardly stand
it herself.
SIS dsd2
The little crookid lasys voice turned %
high and sharp then that il SCARED TIE.