The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-09-01
THAT PUBLIC HOLIDAY.

4
photographer in Blanks.
Right In my little fiat" replied the
next most rapid stenographer.
mot going away anywhere?''
Not If / can help it. I went away
over the Fourth this year, and ] de-
cided then that IL / ever got back
I'd. Well. to make a long story
short, with all the rest of the
weak minded-dug out OF this good
old town on a Saturday afternoon for
M. had written a kind woman
friend to reserve room for me- but
when arrived-hot and dirty and
tired-I was told by the kind woman
friend that the best she could do for
me was a cot in the room with lady
and her little girl; that 1t was so
crowded over the Fourth always, and
she knew ] didn't want to be disap-
pointed, ETC., ETC. In fact, that the
lady in question was very, very kind,
indeed, to take me i'm.
We'll, there was a dance on that
night, and after q reasonable amount
Of sitting around and watching the
married women coax away the few
young men there were. and turn
or two with my kind woman friends
husband, I retired to the privacy Of
my boudoir.' The woman who oc-
| cupied most Of it had not come up,
but her little girl had--oh, yes, the
little darling was abed and fast
asleep-for the moment; so / quietly
| disrobed-notice that? When I'm
home / undress and / eat but when
I'm away. disrobe and ! dine.
well. anyhow, Madge about /
o'clock the child-she was only about
3--woke up and began yelling for its
mother, and 1t had good lungs. But
of course she couldn't hear it above
the music and the noise downstairs, so
it was up to me-if wanted any sleep
Ito get UP and quiet 1t.
Where was her mother? Don't ask
me. / heard later that-but never
mind that's not in the story. The
noise had stopped downstairs, but
mother either didn't hear or wouldn't
hear. Well. finally / got up and gave
| the child a smack in the place where
1t would do the most good Il thought
IL had to play mother I'd go through
all the tricks) and to my surprise it
shut up. / went back to bed and
had just dozed off, it seemed, when
| In rolled mother. She fell around the
room for an hour or so getting un-
dressed and-well, the next thing I
knew 1t was time for breakfast
Il arose. feeling much refreshed Of
course. and found mother dead to the
world and baby begging to be dressed
This was Sunday, and you know what
Sunday is in the country, Madge The
day might have been saved by a good
4 Iwgw &ho% -
question, as the roads were a foot
thick with dust.
1 Monday opened with some promise
with row on the lake, but in the
afternoon, when went up to the room
| for nap-(of coursesI know you think
1t stupid Of me to so away for few
days and take maps, but I wanted to
be fresh for the evening card party;
| there were some good looking prizes.
and ! thought might get my money
back was preparing for a
/ dip In the lake and the baby had just
/ gotten on so 1t, and started to howl
to go. too. suggested that she take
1 her, as began TO get ready for my
nap. and mother pretended she was
| going 20 until she was all ready and
then she slipped away from the baby
and loft II bowling on my hands.
well, Madge, I'd rather do briefs
for a week than live through that two
hours again. One minute I felt like
| dropping the kid into the lake, and
| the ncxt like holding mother under
the water until the bubbles appeared.
There / had to sit and amuse that
child while its mother cavorted
around with the only good looking
| young man In the place. oh, they say
her husDand~-but never mind: that's
his business. went down to the
card game that night with a brain as
clear as mud, and needless to say,
| ] came OFF with no prize.
"And next day was the Glorious
Fourth that ia travelled miles to get
away from. and that was ushered In
by some fool at q. m. with a bomb
that seemed to raise the roof. From
then on 1t was bingl bling! until noon,
when the aforesaid fo0l--wlao was re-
sponsible for most Of the noise blew
or three fingers of his right hand. Nice
scene? Oh yes, fine to watch a man
tearing up and down in agony. blood
streaming from his hand. So rest
| full to the nerves. But who do you
/ tAAIAh Was lie nISN person TO rush TO
his aid and TO bandage his hand as he
tore from one side " the porch to the
otherf Motherl Yes, she had come
into her own. There are that kind
you know, Madge.
Il was so sick that went upstairs
and began to pack for an early train.
Ny only consoling thought was that
perhaps my bill wouldn't be as big
for d cot In corner as Tor q single
room; but vain hope! When went
to settle that afternoon they took $3.50
away from meS2 day for the PRIV
/ ilege of nursing another woman's
child and SO cents Tor the drive to
i and from the station. Well, 1 could
have lived through that perhaps IL the
old skinfint proprietor hadn't worked
of bad b0-cent pece on me in change
for the 81 had given him. didn't
discover 1t until got horne: but rye
| had that 80 cents framed and put III
conspicuous place on my mantle
II piece where can look at it hard
II whenever am tempted to take ! it,
n tie trip out OF town for rest and REG
II reatIon over public holiday