The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1911-04-21
IT'S A
SECRET

ioicHuSei liiBuue Win luyStelY
Isabel she whispered in tone
that was easily heard across the
street, come on In. I've got some
thing to show you"
ITS upstairs In my ROOM" she
whispered hissingly
The two clambered up the stairs
There don't soul know thing
about 1t but me-" whispered Marion.
"Oh amt it lovely" gasped Isabel.
They bumped on up the stairs. Then
Marion led IT, way into her own lit.
tie chamber and closed the door mys-
teriously.
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 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 We'll, 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 | want to
s'prise people"
! She dived 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, Isbel,"
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 l
was writin' book?"
Isabel nodded, shutting her mouth
+ for a moment as though to swallow
this exciting information ooh" she
said, "a book" Then she opened her
mouth again.
YES" said Marion, buslly 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 lovely lady
on It, And I'm going to read 1t to
you!"
Isabers sigh was replete with adu-
lauon.
TT 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 q 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. 1t amt a
BIT like Red Riding Hood" she said.
severely Red Riding Hood was a
girl and she had red hood, and this
is boy and he has blue cap, and
II you 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, 81 didn't
mean to make you mad. Marion"
I'm not mad" returned Marion.
magnanimously. But when | get to
thinking it makes me nervous If peo-
pie talk to me- Well, I'll read you
the rest: One day this little boys
mother gave him little box and it
had in it some cookies and some
candy and some bananas You see,
Isbel. 1t isn't really bit like Red
Riding Hood, because she had a
basket with pats of butter In 1t.
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,"
81 should think he wouldn't "a had
TO knock at the door when it 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
to call attention by words to this
lapse on Isabels part, because he
was polite little boy and always
knocked at the door, whether people
were his own uncle or not. And so
he went inside and there were three
chairs sitting In the parlor
Isabel. carried away with excite
mert, forgot all caution and clapped
her hands delightedly. IT'S the Three
Bears!" she cried joyously.
In an instant her happiness was
dispelled. Marion very deliberately
laid the papers down on her lap
smoothed them out and then returned
them TO the box.
You're not very polite she said
In a well modulated voice. when you
tell people their stories are like other
stories, when they're not bit espe'
cially when people have asked you
not to talk while they're reading to
you; so | guess | won't read to you
any more