The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-01-01
4 7 Doth
For A L Doth
BY EVELYN VAN BUREN,
eorvs,cnr lsls. r 81. ,.Ansos ru,llsHIse Go.

COPYRIGHT. 1910 ~ THE PEARSON PUBLISHING co.
1t was spring. The house the Pol
lard twins lived in was having an
addition built and the garnet finished
off with a rose window that looked
like one great red eye.
Its too sweet isn't it?" Valera
Pollard said, pausing where she
swung perched upon tie gate.
ITS good deal like the rich Spenc
ers', only of course theirs is blue and
red instead Of Just red" said Leah
Gardener, perching upon the other
side of the gate.
They swung to and fro for some
time, gazing at the house.
II had little pony, he was dapple
gray" Valera sang, II lent him to
lady to ride mile away. She
whipped him, she slasbed him. she
rode him through the mire--
Some says your gran'mother Pol
/ lard is havin' the addition built to
keep your mamma to home, SO she
won't run away any more!" Leah
Gardener broke in.
The gate came to with bang and
Valera leaped sideways over little
puddle of melting snow into the yard.
But my papa says, drawled Leah,
oblivious of danger, that your Aunt
| Doris is doing it with her school
teaching money because she's going to
marry Cal. Barry from South Charlotte
and live here
you get off my gate!" shrilled Va
| lora Pollard.
"Shan't!" the gossip defied.
whats the matter. Valora?" Va
lora's twin sister Narcissa came
bursting from the house.
Leah Gardener says my mammals
a renegade Valera answered.
Did mott" retorted the wrongfully
accused.
You nights we'll Of Valera said.
Everybody does say so and you
meant it, and you lie-they all lie!"
you lie yourself" said Leah Gar
dener losing her hold on the gate
/ picket. but quickly recapturing it.
Get off our gate" insisted Valera
/ siding toward her sister.
i Leah Gardener drew one foot from
between the painful pressure of the
! pickets, thoughtfully.
MY father owns this gate and l
don't have to get off it. He's got a
mortgage on it. He's got mortgage
on most every house in this town.
She VIGOROUSLY extended her tongue
to its utmost capacity.
i Narcissa Pollard glared back. her
soft blue eyes crossed hideously in
ward while without warning, her sis
ter leaped upon the gate and sent that
which offended her, with a singing
J slap in the face, backward to the
ground.
. The Pollard twins pretty Aunt
Doris was in the kitchen ironing her
pink chambray dress when she heard
Leah Gardeners screams. She put
her iron upon the stove and hurried
to the door, dabbing her flushed face
with her apron.
What is the matter?" she asked
severely.
A school teacher has to use that
voice of severity. but all those who
knew the Pollard twins Aunt Doris
loved her and saw through her voice.
| Leah Gardener sat up and yelled
through the gate pickets.
why, Leah! What is the matter?"
"Valora slapped me; wait till | tell
father" Miss Gardener answered.
"She provoked Valera, Aunt Doddy,'
NarcisEa said. She says her father
has a mortgage on our gate"
NO" dimple conferred right in
the pink of Aunt Doddy's soft young
cheek. This gate Leah's father
hasn't any mortgage on
Leah got up slowly.
Come in the yard, Leah" Aunt
/ Doris said.
| She came out of the house and took
, Valoras hand.
Tell Leah you're sorry, dear" she
said. st isn't nice to slap anybody
Leah looked sullenly over the gate
but remained without.
II amt sorry Valera said.
= Aunt Doris looked at her wonder
! ingly and drew Valera to her and did
, not laugh, Pooh, tempest In tea
pot. the way she nearly always did al
Valora's tantrums.
There's a misunderstanding" she
? said, "and we must clear it up
Z Leah edged away up the street.
/, II haven't said any of the thing:
, Valera will tell you l have said" she
: called out with grammatical precision
and went virtuously on, swinging he
4 head to make her long brown hail
3 sway and ripple in the sunlight tn,
: way naturally curly hair that yol
don't braid does.
1t must have caught Aunt Doris
eye for she said, cts Saturday, ant
5 would you both like your hair un
e plated and tied with ribbon for tn,
e afternoon, and can you keep clear
e pinafores fresh, for Mr. Calvin Barr,
/ Is coming this EVENING""
> The twins bounded up and dowl
and began asking about Mr.. Calvin
Barry until Aunt Doris's pink cheek
g were as flushed as the June roses tina
:, would bloom on the red-rose-bust
now hidden under the melting snow
+ She gave them each cool5y while sh
:. finished her pink chambray 10 wea
!, that evening. 1t was Easter vacatio
u now, but every Friday night Aun
Il Doris was brought home from wher
b she taught her country school an
/ stayed until Sunday night, when sh
went back, SO that on Saturdays sh
ironed her pretty dresses and waist
against company Saturday evening,
Lately it was always Mr.. Calvi