The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1911-03-31

ten-forty car into where she washes
dishes fer the WOmen's Exchange
lunch She has 10 stay until almost
shutdown. and comes home dead-beat.
] don't want to say anything hard Of
Mr. Simmons, but 1t do seem he uses
his family keerIess like ON good sal
ary.'
What" inquired Mr.. Alan from
the doorstep, does the brute DOR
'.Well. wouldn't skeercely call him
a brute, think, " said Miss Selma Lue,
as she shook out her buster and began
on the shelf Of canned tongue. He
runs a laundry wagon and he says it
is advertisement fer the house fer
him to be a stylish dresser, but can't
see why the house has to have his
pants pressed every morning and have
him wear purple socks and tan shoes,
when his wife is all drug out with
trying to piece along and keep going.
Sometimes think it must be vanity
| In Mr.. Simmons, and vanity In man
lis like a turkey gobbler a-strutting in
November"
What about vanity In the ladies',
Miss Selma Lue7 You surely don't
=, approve Of that"
Nov. Mr. Alan, you're mad at
what said about the men and are
trying to git even with me- And Miss
Selma Lue smiled over her shoulder
at him. Miss Selma Lue's smile was
like broad beam of sunshine on
summer morning. Don't you know
the Lord wouldn't have gave women
folks shiny curls, cheeks pink like
peach, figgers plump beautiful and
eyes blue as the wild violets on the
creek. like Miss Cynthie there, lessen
he intended to excuse them some fer
being proud?"
Il don't believe he would quite
stand for that amount of pride and
grudge Mr.. Simmons the purple socks"
murmured Mr.. Alan over his cigar in
careful soto voce, and Immediately
steered Miss Selma Lue off the dis
turbing topic Of her friends perfec
lions.
Anything interesting in the family
histories of the other two soap boxes,
Miss Selma Lue? It seems the thing
on the Bluff to know all about your
neighbors, and my intimacy with your
kiddies grows apace. There was a
winning wholesomeness in Mr.. Alan's
| voice that struck kindred note in the
| soul Of Miss Selma Lue, and She rev.
eled in the unbosoming of herself to
him. His dark eyes shone with inter
est and his straight mouth had an I'M
expected quirk in the left corner, cas-
lily interpreted as indicative of sense
I.of humor.
ssWell, Pattie Tyne, the little one
that can't hardly set up good yet, is
! jest SO to speak q transient, as her ma
have gone on visit to her sister over
to Union City. After she had got the.
other five ready to go. there Jest
wasn't nothing to fix Pattie up in fifteen
for visit. SO she left her with me. /
wash the blue gingham out of nights
and piece out with d dress Of Bios,
SONS when it's needed bad. Looks
like Mis- Tyne breads the sewing ma
chine and a bolt Of caliker like they
was typhoid smallpox"
.And last, but not least, tell me the
tale of Blossom, the lady of my heart,
the only person who really appreciates
me for my true worth, which is pep
permint candy in limited quantities
and a shoulder cushioned in Drawn
and exalted in height. Blossom is a
lady Of discernment and has the cour-
age of her predictions.
SMr. Alan, said Miss Selma Lue as
she sat down on the step by him and,
picking up the little white calico bon
net he had let drop of the nodding
head Of the lady in question, began to
plat the ruffie with caressing fingers,
they amt many people would tell
the story of her to. One way or an
other, have shet up every soul on
the Bluff as has asked me. OF course
Miss Cynthie knews, fer people can't
help talking pitifulness to her, but the
rest jest found her here, and that is
all they need to know.
1T was IA year ago last Christmas
| 1t happened to me and Charity to find
her. About dark when was busy to.
death doing up supper truckas you
see, that's my busiest time of day
girl come in here never saw be-
fore and she looked wild and white.
She carried a bundle in her arms. but
never suspicioned anything, SO I
Jest sold her a box Of crackers and
she went on out Then plumb forgot
her, as i oughten to have done, for
she wasn't happy-seeming. and sich
as she oughter be on my mind"
(ro BE CONTINUED