The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1911-04-07
IT'S A
SECRET

fOrenQgef Clngllng WlLn mystery.
Isabel" she whispered in a tone
that was easily heard across the
street, come on In. I've got some
thing to show you"
tits upstairs in my room," she
whispered hissingly.
The two clambered up the stairs.
There don't a soul know a thing
about it but me-" whispered Marion.
"Oh, amt it lovely!" gasped Isabel.
They bumped on tip the stairs. Then
Marion led the way into her own lit
tie chamber and closed the door mys.
terfously.
Gross your heart, hope you may
die, IF 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. "of
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. well. Of course.
l mean everybody 'cept your mother.
and not her unless she asks you. It
amt anything she'd care about your
knowing. It's just that I want to
s'prise people,"
She dived under the bed and drew
out a box. Then she seated herself in
her little armchair and Isabel squat
ted in front Of her in rapt admiration.
"You wouldn't eve guess, Is'bel,"
went on Marion, condescendingly, aft.
er a 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 l should tell you I
was writin' a book?"
Isabel nodded, shutting her mouth
for a moment as though to swallow
this exciting information. "Oh," she
said, "a book!" Then she opened her
mouth again.
Eyes," said Marion, busily unfold
ing papers and spreading them out
on her lap. "a pink book, or maybe
a blue one! l haven't decided which
yet. With the picture of a lovely lady
on it! And I'm going to read 1t to
you!"
Isabel's sigh was replete with adu-
lation.
ut isn't finished yet" Marion went
on, "but I'll read what I've written"
She cleared her throat majestically
and began:
"'Once upon a time there vas a 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 squea1ed.
Marion frowned. mo, 1t amt a
bit like Red Riding Hood" she said,
severely. Red Riding Hood was a
girl and she had a red hood, and this
is a boy and he has "a blue cap, and
if Vol interrupt, Isabel, l 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, dismally, II didn't
mean to make you mad, Marion"
I'm not mad" returned Marion,
magnaninously. "But when l get to
thinking it makes me nervous If peo'
ple talk to me. Well, I'll read you
the rest: One day this little boys
uother gave him a little box and 1t
had in it some cookies and soa'e
candy ard some bananas You see,
1s'bel. 1t isn't really a bit like Red
Riding Hood, because she had a
basket with pats of butter in 1t.
'rhen his mother said to the little
how. Now you take this box to your
Uncle Jack, who lives all by himself
in the woods, and you give 1t to him,
and give him my. love-" So the little
ROW when he came to the cottage IN
the woods went up and knocked at
the door,"
81 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 rebukeo
by a whitening glance.
".He went up and knocked at the
COR" resumed Marion, disdaininS
% call attention by words to this
i:rse on Isabel's part, because ne
.w.s a polite little boy and always
krc .ked at the door. whether people
wc,e his own uncle or not. And so
he went inside and there three
chairs sitting in the parlor.''
1sale'. carried away with excite.
uent, io.got all caution and clappssz
5er hant's delightetly. cts the Three
.sears!" she cried joyously.
In an instant her happiness was
dspelled. Marion very deliberately
laid the pa ers down on her lap.
sn,oothed them out and then returned
them to the box. T..
you're not very polite" she said
In a we'll modu,ated voice. when you
rell people thei. stories are like other
stories, when they're not a bit. esre-
cia,ly when pecn'e have asked you
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