Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-03-31
CHAPTER I.
Ethel Maud Sews Her Thumb.

III grown-ups would jest chaw one
another's good luck, they could get a
heap Of satisfaction from IT.
Miss Selma Lue.
Miss Seliny LueI Oh-Oh-o-
40. Miss Seliny Lue! Boo-hoo-hoo
you, Bonnie, honey, quit crying this
minute and tell me what the matter
is. Come here and let me gee!" And
Miss Selma Lue made grab for the
grief-contorted youngster who was
dancing with excitement In the gro
Gerry door. NOW, where ts the place?
Put your hand where you hurt If you
can't say it,"
"Oh-ho-ho faint me a-tall! It's
Ehel Maud, and she's sewed herself
an the sewing 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
sunbonnet hanging On the wall and
pulled the top on the pickle barrel
with the other. Miss Cynthia, honey,
until I can send Mr. Dobbs back to
tend the store? And whatever you do,
don't let nothing happen to the babies
in the oap-boxes. The red-headed
Flarity twin has been trying to turn
hisn over all morning; watch him.
Please hand me that turkeytail buster
hanging over there on the wall, while
/ straighten out my water waves. They
ain't nothing like burnt feathers or
hair to bring up them that's in faint,
and I never go without 'em to burn"
And after quick glance into her lit
tie bedroom mirror, Miss Selma Lue
hurried down the street, leaving an
uncertainty as to whether the turkey
tail or her own soft waves were to be
sacrificed in the cause Of resuscita-
ton.
Gracious me, Miss Seliny Lue,
who's hurt now?" called Mrs. Kinney
from her side door, standing with
hot flat-iron 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 Bennie.
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
corner Of the sewing machine while
Mr.. Dobbs, red and embarrassed, stood
trembling by the window, and the ma
ternal relative of the young sufferer
leaned against a chair, white and heav-
Ing.
At sight Of the deliverer, Ethel Maud
gave a relieved whimper and her tou-
seled head fell over on Miss Selma
Lues bosom, the depths Of which were
stirred by more than the mere suffer
Ing Of q pinioned finger, and which
took sympathetic note Of sweating,
masculine misery and white-faced, in
efficient mother-futterings
Hurry on over to mind the store
for me, Mr.. Dobbs," she said with a
kind glance at him. 81 can git her
loose in a minute. And, Mis- Dobbs,
quick as you can, set 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 -
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 a quick, dex-
ferrous turn of the needle released the
small pink thumb. TT amt injured
much. However did you come to sew
your thumb?"
I'VE was trying to see what made
the top of it go and she got in the
way volunteered Bonnie, who was
the only member of the family that
had stood by the afflicted one. AL
though his distress had been genuine,
there is an attraction to ten years in
flowing blood, even though that same
blood be consangineous. "Shoo! that
didn't bleed half as much as my toe
did last week." he further remarked.
"It did! It did" walled the small
sufferer, for the first time giving away
to the to-be-expected lamentations of
one injured Everybody stumps they's
toes, but they didn't ever anybody get
sewed up in a sewing machine before
Bonnie was on the point Of arguing
the question when he was overtaken
by swift retribution for his seeming
heartlessness in the shape of a wet
dish-towel that spanked across his
shoulders With a sting
Bonnie Doobs. an ashamed Of you