The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1911-09-08
Patchwork House.
CONCLUDED FROM LAST PAGE

redT Maria's voice was icy cool.
Light green-that's the color"
ours Is going to be red" asserted
Maria. with her most provoking smile.
and because he had never Quarreled
with Maria and now did not know
what to say Joshua shook his head
angrily and went away.
His visit to the south wing was
quite as unsatisfactory. Said Jim:
Now, Susie. here. she's always
wanted to live in a yellow house..
When she was girl. before she was
married. she says she always planned
that when she had house Of her own
she'd have 1t yellow"
Susie nodded her head. THAT'S what
always said" she agreed heavily.
why is 1t none Of you ever set up
| to say what you wanted before this 2"
snarled Joshua angrily. II never heard
no disagreement about living In this
here green house when l give you q
roof over your heads. / recollect
Susie. here, saying she just liked
green. 1t was SO cool looking"
Il meant liked yellow" said Susie
stubbornly.
Paint it yellow then" said Joshua,
turning on his heel. II shan't stop you.
The house will look like crazy patch
work-that's what 1t willv
MY parts going to be cream color"
said Lucy with decision when her irate
father sought her gentle presence III
Maria and Susan have had their choice
don't see why ! can't have my part
painted to suit me. Walter says he
knows where he can get a lot Of cream
colored paint real cheap"
What will this place look like?"
Numbered her father
"It'll look real unique" said Lucy
calmly as her father stamped back
again through the crooked little pas
sageway that led to his own part Of
the house.
They're crazy. every one Of them,"
he said to his wife as they sat down
to supper that night. Let 'em paint
their houses any old color they like.
They'll be the laughingstock Of the
village. As near as can and out
there's four painters coming tomor-
row. and each gang is going to paint
one of the wings. Well. ours will bs
light green"
At that moment Maria was telling
Henry that she was glad theirs was to
be red. and Jim and Susan were tell.
ing their painter they wanted a bright
golden yellow. and Walter Pratt had
told Lucy that he had secured the bar
gain in cream color.
Late the next afternoon Lucy's
young daughter. Amy. stood by the
front gate as her grandfather came
through. She was pretty girl. with
flying yellow curls and blue eyes.
Now her cheeks were dimpling with
laughter
Doesn't it look funny, grandfather
she cried.
Does it?" he asked gloomily, sur
veying the light green house. with its
projecting wings Of red and yellow
and cream.
ut looks just like salad" giggled
Amy. tucking her hand in his arm.
there's green for lettuce. and red for
beets. and yellow for hard boiled eggs.
and cream for the dressing. l don't
believe they know how funny 1t looks"
Suppose you tell them. then." sug-
gested Joshua grimly as he led the
way into the house.
A half hour later Amy returned, still
smiling. i've told them 1t looks like
a salad" she said. land believe they
know 1t. but they don't seem to know
what to do. Mother cried and said
she would never have thought Of hav-
ing hers different II Aunt Maria
hadn't decided on red. Aunt Sue said
abe thought red and yellow was Mig
gerry, and Aunt Maria Amy paused
and stified disrespectful laugh.
"What'd Maria say?" asked Joshua
hopefully.
"She didn't say anything. but she
threw book at the cat and then got
mad because the pages were torn.
She didn't hit the cat"
"Just like Maria to get peevish be-
cause she couldn't hit the cat" muir.
INJURED Mrs. Hallam tearfully.
II got an idea." said Joshua happily.
"You call all the folks in here. Amy:
tell 'em got something to say"
When they were gathered. Hen and
Maria. Jim and Susan and Lucy and
Walter. Joshua Hallam surveyed them
benevolently over his spectacles.
Children, Amy, here, says the house
looks like salad. This won't do
We're the laughingstock of Little
River tonight. Now. we're a patch.
work family somehow. Each one Of US
goes to make up the hull quilt-see? IL
we don't agree the quilts going to be
crazy one. with all sorts of clashing
colors-same az this house. Now, II
we're going to have a patchwork
house, let's have the colors look well
together. Just the same as we all have
to make our dispositions at together
seer"
They nodded shamefacedly, seeking
each others encouraging smile with
furtive glances.
Suppose we get Dibble and Jones
and the rest of 'em to figure on paint.
Ing the house and let him bring In
a ,A1~