The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-11-08

looked at them for moment and then
Harry spoke.
Hello, he said Where's that little kids
Mother2
She didn't answer him and Harry spoke
again.
Well, we got to see her anyway, he said
The little girl looked up at him for a
minute real slow and steady, and then she
got up with the baby on her showlder and
went in the house without speaking a singel
word. 1t wasn't so very long before she
came back again. She had the baby on
her showlder just the same and behind her
was the queerest looking lady / ever saw.
She was real white, as If she didn't feel so
very well, and her back was all crookid and
hunched over as if she didn't ever come out
doors unless she had to. She didn't look
asst she wanted to come out now, anyway, but
she stood there on the steps and then she
glansed out where the little girl was sitting
down again with the baby on the grass.
Isn't it getting damp for him? she called
out.
The little girl took the baby on her lap
and then the crookid lady looked at US
again and of course Harry could see it was
time to let her know what we came for, so
he did
Are you the Mother of that baby? he
asked her.
am, she answered him, and Harry didn't
speak again right off Instead he glansed
out at the tree and then ne glansed up at the
steps as if he didn't feel quite so sure the
way to go on. But the crookid lady was
looking at him very straight and | guess
praps Harry was wishing he hadn't come
after all He knew he had to say some
thing, though, SO he said it. That is he
tried to.
Well, did you know that little girl didn't
treat him very good2 he kind Of stammered
Did you know that if you go of and le.ve
her she will tie him up to a rope and leave
him all alone? And if she feels like it, whip
him and things like that?
The little crookid lady on the steps moved
forward as if she was listning to him but
didn't know exackly what he was talking
about, and she looked down at him very
sharp.
What was that you said? she asked
him.
Harry said it all over again and she didn't
move her eyes at tall.
Are these lies you are telling me? she said,
and her voice seemed to grow quite sharp
too, like her eyes.
Nom, its the truth, Harry answered, but
he began to look as il he wished he had
stayed at home for sure.
The little crookid lady didn't move her
eyes off him yet, either.
How do you know it, if you please? she
said,
Because my Mother can see evrything
that happens in the yard here from her
window, he answered And | heard her
telling about it.
She seemed to move forward just little
more then, and she glansed off at the baby
sitting in the little girls lap and her breath
seemed to come faster than before.
Tell me what she said, she kind Of whis-
0ered
Harry glansed off at the baby too.
She said she would tie him up and leave
lim-if she was left alone with him.
The crookid lady seemed to twitch
through her shoulders when he said that,
md then she seemed to draw herself up
as if she was trying to be tall.
That's what pay her for, is it7 she said,
With her face getting pailer than before.
Or she might slap him, or praps whip him.
Whip him she whispered, but it was such
loud, sharp sound we could hear it very
'lane. She! Whip him.
She turned her eyes straight at the little
irl under the tree now, and il looked as if !
be was drawing herself up and praps get
ing ready to hurt somebody. The little |
irl Just looked at her from where she was
itting out there, and don't know whether
he could hear what she was saying, but I'm :
IRE never saw anybody look 50 SCARED.
But Harry hadn't got through.
Mother said nobody would believe it if
he told how she would treat him She
aid sometimes she couldn't hardly stand :
herself. !
She did? !;
The little orookid ladys voice turned so
Ugh and sharp then that it SCARED me, :
he did, she repeeted and she kind Of :
aised her hand up till it pointed all shaking ,
ght straight at the little girl on the grass.
Just wait she said, just wait h
She waited herself then, with her hand \
and pointing just the same, and h
len something very unexpected happened. 4
Mrs. Gannet and Mother came into the Ii
ard.
First they looked at the little girl under s.