Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1911-04-08
IT'S A
SECRET

that was easily heard across the
street, come on In. I've got some
thing to show you"
IT'S upstairs in my ROOM" she
whispered hissingly.
The two clambered up the stairs.
There don't a soul know a thing
about 1t but me-" whispered Marion
"Oh, amt 1t lovely" gasped Isabel
They bumped on up the stairs. Then
Marion led IT, way into her own lit
tie chamber aad closed the door mys.
teriously.
Gross your heart, hope you may
die, II you ever tell" She fixed Isabel
with a solemn gaze.
"Oh. Marion, there won't never any,
thing make me tell" she declared
clasping her little hands In a trans,
port of joy. Then her face fell. "Ot
course, unless mother asks me about
it, she added. 1t was a very wistful
but dutiful pair of eyes that looked
into Marion's.
Marion hesitated We'll, of course,
] mean everybody 'cept your mother
and not her unless she asks you. 1t
amt anything she'd care about your
knowing It's just that want to
s'prise people"
she dfved under the bed and drew
out box. Then she seated herself In
her little armchair and Isabel squat.
ted in front of her in rapt admiration.
You wouldn't ever guess, Is'bel,"
went on Marion, condescendingly aft.
er moment, during which Isabel
watched her with bated breath,
"cause you're SO kind of stupid, so
I'll have to tell you.
Wouldn't you be Just s'prised to
pieces, Is'bel, If | should tell you |
was writin book?"
Isabel nodded, shutting her mouth
for moment as though to swallow
this exciting information oh. she
said, "a book" Then she opened her
mouth again.
YES" said Marion, busily unfold.
Ing papers and spreading them out
on her lap. "a pink book, or maybe
blue one! ! haven't decided which
yet. With the picture of lovely lady
on It! And I'm going to read 1t to
you!"
lsabel's sigh was replete with adu-
lation.
1T isn't finished yet Marion went
on, "but I'll read what I've written"
She cleared her throat majestically
and began:
Once upon time there was lit
tie boy and his mother made him a
blue cap to wear"
Isabel gave a chirp, delighted to
find something familiar In this high
pressure, artistic atmosphere. Just
like Red Riding Hood she squealed.
Marion frowned mo, it amt a
bit like Red Riding Hood" she said,
severely. Red Riding Hood was
girl and she had red hood, and this
is boy and he has a blue cap, and
IL you interrupt, Isabel, won't read
you another word"
Isabel dropped her pretty head, dis
heartened by her failure properly to
appreciate the intellectual feast.
Oh" she said, dsmally, 81 didn't
mean to make you mad, Marion
I'm not mad" returned Marion,
magnanimously. But when ! get to
thinking 1t makes me nervous If peo-
pie talk to me. Well, III read you
the rest: One day this little boys
mother gave him little box and 1t
had in it some cookies and some
candy and some bananas You see,
Is'bel, it isn't really a bit like Red
Riding Hood, because she had
basket with pats of butter In it.
Then his mother said to the little
boy, Now you take this box to your
Uncle Jack, who lives all by himself
In the woods, and you give it to him,
and give him my love" So the little
boy when he came to the cottage in
the woods went up and knocked at
the door,"
q should think he wouldn't "a had |
to knock at the door when 1t was his |
own uncle" In her interest Isabel |
forgot instructions and, unsolicited.
assumed the thankless role Of critic,
for which she was promptly rebuked
by whitening glance
"'He went up and knocked at the
door," resumed Marion, disdaining
% call attention by words to this
apse on Isabel's part, because he
was polite little boy and always
Knocked at the door, whether people
we're his own uncle or not. And so
,e went inside and there were three
hairs sitting in the parlor'
Isabel, carried away with excite
nept, forgot all caution and clapped
Ter hands delightedly ITS the Three
3ears!" she cried joyously.
In an instant her happiness was
Iispelled. Marion very deliberately
aid the papers down on her lap,
m oothed them out and then returned
hem to. the box
You're not very polite" she said
n well modulated voice, when you
ell people their stories are like other
tories, when they're not a bit, espe-
tally when people have asked you
ot to talk while they're reading to
Oh: so ! guess | won't read to you