Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1911-05-05
cHAprER
$50 SUNV ~ 10
Ethel Maud ssws Her Thumb.

Ethet MAUD SeWs her Thumb.
III grown-ups would Jest chaw ons
another's good luck, they could get q
heap OF satisfaction from It."
Miss Selma Lus.
Miss Seliny Lue! Oh-oh--o
no, Miss 6eliny Lue! Boo--hoo-hoc
"You. Bonnie. honey. quit crying this
minute and tell me what the matter
ID. Come here and let me sect" And
Miss Selma Lue made a grab for the
srief-contorted youngster who wa
dancing with excitement in the gro
Gerry door. Nov, where IL the place
Put your hand where you hurt II you
can't say IT."
"Oh--ho ho. faint me a-tall! IT.
Ehel Maud, and she's sewed herself
in the sewing.machine and pas Gus.
sing something orful and mas sick to
her stomick. Please, ma'am. come
quick and Git her Quit"
Lands alive!" said Miss Selma Lue
as she reached with one hand for a
sunbonnet hanging on the wall and
pulled the top on the pickle barrel
with the other. Miss Cynthia. honey,
can't you stay here for few minutes
until can send Mr.. Dobbs back to
tend the store? And whatever you do.
don't let nothing happen to the babies
In the soap-boxes. The red-headed
Flarity twin has been trying to turn
his'n over al morning; watch him.
Please hand me that turkey-tail duster
hanging over there on the wall. while
straighten out my water waves. They
amt nothing like burnt feathers or
hair to bring up them that's in faint.
and never 60 without 'em to burn. =
And after : quick glance into her lit.
tie bedroom mirror, Miss Selma Lue
hurried down the street, leaving an
uncertainty AZ to whether the turkey
tail or her own soft waves were to be
sacrificed IN tho cause of resuscita-
ton.
Gracious me, Miss Selling Lue.
who's hurt now!" called Mrs. Kinney
from her side door. standing with q
hot natiron dangling from her hand.
Mrs. Jim Peters also hailed from her
Kitchen window, but Miss Selma Lue
kept sternly on her course. piloted BY
the sobbing but important Bonnie.
In the first Of the three rooms that
formed the Dobbs residence Miss Sc
lima Lue found the pathetic little fig-
ure Of Ethel Maud hanging against the
oorn - - <ha ~a~,lnu =, a oh{no xut,l1o
Mr.. Dobbs. red and embarrassed. stood
trembling by the window. and the ma
atsrnal relative OF the young sufferer
leaned against . chair, white and heav-
ing.
At sight of the deliverer. Ethel Maud
gave q relieved whimper and her tou-
seled head fell over on Miss Selma
Lue's bosom. the depths OF which were
stirred by more than the mere suffer
Ing Of pinioned finger, and which
took sympathetic note Of sweating.
masculine misery and white-faced. In
efficient mother-autterings
Hurry on over to mind the store
for me, Mr.. Dobbs," she said with 4
kind glance at him. II can git her
loose In minute. And, Mis- Dobbs,
quick as you can, sat the kettle on the
stove In the kitchen for some hot wa
ter to take out the swell. Well be
ready as soon as you git back with it,
So. vastly relieved. with one accord
the parents disappeared through oppo-
site doors. thus leaving Miss Selma
Lue with the limp and whimpering bag
to hold.
There. there, chickie-biddie." she
crooned to the little white ear buried
against her neck as she raised the
arm and hand and with quick, dex-
ferrous turn OF the needle released the
small pink thumb. 1T amt injured
much. However did you come to sew
your thumb = ss #
We was trying to see what made
the top Of It 90 and she got in the
way" volunteered Bonnie. who was
the only member OF the family that
had stood ~ the anicted one. AL.
though hisi distSess had been genuine,
there Il an attraction to ten years In
flowing blood. even though that same
blood be consangineous. Shoe! that
didn't bleed half 40 much 20 my toe
did last week" he further remarked.
1T did! It did" walled the small
sufferer. for the first time giving away
to the to-be-expected lamentations Of
one injured. Every body stumps they's
toes, but they didn't ever anybody get
Eewed up In sewing machine before"
Bonnie was on the point Of arguing
the question when he was overtaken
BY awtft retribution for his seeming
heartlessness in the shape Of wet
dish-towel that spanked across his
shoulders With sting.
Bennie Doobs. ] am ashamed Of you
fer your unfeelingness to your little
sister. !" cried his mother, who stood in
the doorway with cracked, yellow
bowl Of hot water In one hand and the
towel in the other. You are just like
all men folkr, a-trying to make light
OF the sufferings of women which they
cant none Of you know nothing about.
Men always look at women troubles
outen the little end of the horn. There
was Dobbs standing there accusing
me cause my stomick turns at the
sight Of blood, and him the one to UNI
sew his own children II 30 comes they
need it." Mrs. Dobbs was still white
shout the mouth. and the tears were
still undried on her red. round. shiny
cheeks. She stopped the water over
Miss Selma Lue's shoulder and soused
one OF Ethel Maud's little pigtail plaits
90 she handed over the bowl with q
|sniffie. W 81. s,s
There. there; Mis- Dobbs, you know