The citizen., 1911-04-07
CHAPTER ~.
The Wonderful Barn Loft.

'"They can't nobody tell what a mort
gage and Golf Club will do"
Miss Selma Lue.
Now, Bennie, run home as quick
as you can, for l know your mother
Is In hurry fer the things Here's
the nickel head Of cabbage. Put 1t
under your arm, and take the sack
Of meal in your hand See if you
can't carry the potatoes on the other
arm and the piece Of bacon in your
other hand. Instead of the sorghum
molasses she sent for. am going to
send three-for-ten cakes of soap, fer
she's forgot to buy a bit for more'n
q week. and l am sure she would
rather have It, My. what load for
q boy! Open your mouth for this
ginger snap, and go careful but fast"
And Miss Selma Lue steered the heav-
ily-loaded youngster down the steps
and started him toward home
AS she came up again she paused.
and, resting her hands on her hips.
leaned out to look far up the street
There was the shadow of anxiety on
her usually unrufled brow, and she
sighed as she picked Blossom out of
the cracker-box and put her far back
on the counter, hemming her in for
safety with two brooms.
81 feel like amt seen Miss Cynthie
Ter q year." she said, "and it has
been more'n a week since she came
down The cook comes after things
and she says the child amt sick, so
amt got no cause to worry but
I'm jest hungry to see her. Seems
like she IS kind of a frosted cake
the more you git of her the more you
want"
yes, thick with frosting, and white
and cold; it's good to-look at" re-
marked Mr.. Alan as he seated him
self on an upturned peck measure
and reached to head Clemmie off from
pile of scrubbing brushes she seemed
bent on chewing.
We'll, I've got feeling in my
bones she'll come today, and I'm going
to expect her anyway. Mis- Kinney's
bones always gives her notice of
trouble, but I've got mine trained so
they ache fer the coming Of good"
Miss Selma Lue's wisdom was an un-
conscious adaptation of one of the
principles of very modern thought.
It was at the lull time at eleven
o'clock, when the Bluff dinners were
all in the pot. and Miss Selma Lue
could get a breathing spell until the
afternoon rush for supper provender
The Bluff bought supplies meal at
time and brought the nickels and
dimes in payment thereof. Miss Sc
Tina Lue had no need of bookkeeper
she put her money in a cracked vim
egar Jug behind the counter Nor did
she ever have enough to make bank
deposits, as her stock was bought on
much the same principle as that on
which it was sold, little at time
and cash down.
For" she counseled her neighbors.
Having on hand, most Of times means
wasting, and the piece Of meat
ougater go in the pot according to
what you know you oughter have and
not WHAT you IHluh yOu WANT i>o'S
of folks stomiks amt as greedy as
they is"
Mr.. Alan had come in for his din
ner a little before the time. He spent
most of his mornings down at the
ferry sketching the roustabouts as
they loaded the early boats; but when
the wharf was deserted. he found it
pleasant to come and chat with Miss
Selma Lue as she prepared the simple
meal he shared with her. He liked
to watch the babies tumble and crawl
about the grocery before their noon
maps. for the floor and low-lying re-
gions Of the store offered unlimited
opportunities for adventure to creep
ers. and 1t always interested him to
see what they could manage In the
way of exciting catastrophes.
Miss Selma Lue at such times fair
ly radiated with good cheer and in
terest and he felt constrained to do
likewise. In fact, Miss Selma Lue
invited condolences as the sun invites
the buds in the springtime. and her
views of life were sound II unusual.
The non-appearance OF Miss Cynthia
was uppermost in her thoughts. ana
she seemed possessed of an ineXhaust-
ible store of admiring anecdotes OF
that disturbing young person There
was in his mind a sneaking suspicion
nay. a shame-faced certainty-that
his own presence was the cause OF
her seeming neglect of Miss Selma
:. Lue, and his conscience hurt him.
FBother the girl! Why should she pass
him In the lane as If he were non
existent and manage to convey an
impression of his utter obnoxiousness
every time he so much as caught a
glimpse of her in the distance? lie
was of her world and accustomed TO
the amenities thereof, and he was not
in the way Of being trodden under
even very pretty pair of first fam
lily" feet. His pride rebelled. He was
something of a FIRST family" himself
and was in the habit of receiving un-
limited expressions of regard from
the fair sex. especially those VINO
were admitted through the sacred
portals OF his studio.
And forsooth what had he done 10