The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-08-06
A LITTLE GRAFT IN HO ME MI 5 o N~
 

' Then they gorged themselves with nnolasses candy which might have been saN pretzels for the thirst the deep. unquenchable thirst which it developed. Thirst, ever, drove to drink to drink at the lemonade well. of course. where to complete the circle of their folly. they swal lowed in such, haste that usually they choked and spluttered. and so had room for another glass; and another. What foolish creatures they. were. to be sure! < So the afternoon sped by. Gladys Bailey white and trembling. stuck to her post until relieved by her mother. Then she collapsed and q little later. supported by her father. dragged herself home By that time there were plenty of grownups to help. The Blair father assumed Willie Jones's duties of gatekeeper and cashier, and Willie Jones came to Mar. gery's assistance. By i've o'clock the rush was over. and. one by one. the principals slipped of to dinner to fordfy themselves against the evening, when grownups were expected in great numbers for cake and ice cream.
 There were a few grown-ups still at the ice creanA tables and. just as Willie Jones started home, another party arrived. Margery paid little heed to them until they began rapping sharply. Then she saw they were old ladies. and like them, she wondered what was keep ing the otfcial waitress They rapped and
 
 was no one at that moment wishing to grab. or drink. or buy candy. Margery hurried over to the screen which stood fin front of the serving table. Behind the screen a frightt spectacle was being enacted With body bent half dcu- be and tongue hanging halfway cut, Katherine was giving voice to the unmistakable sgks of extreme nausea. Alice. but little better oil. was pushing with unsteady hand the remains Of a large chocolate cake toward the edge Of the tas ble.
 "Good gracious. Alice! Whats the matter?" Margery cried, rescuing the cake just in time.
 That cake" Alice gagped. beginning to ,4gh agH like her sister. "Cake-agsi. .gh! I'm sick -scake--poison!'
 'tOf course youre sick. ana good for youf You've been stufang yourselves. both of you! I knew you would and told her %! And there are those old ladies pounding and pounding! Oh. nvfat ahal1 dol" .s ss- =,
 Alice was stin making weak. inearectual passes at the cake. and between ughs Mas murnurings "Podson! Poison!"
 "see here. both of you!". Margery said. stern. IVY. ''Get in the house as quick as you can! And don't you let people see you! DO yon hear? If they set you they'll send policeman and ar. rest you. for selling poisoned cakei"
 This threat was intended to hasten the de partllre of the twins as something had to bo done. and done quickly for those Impatient old ladies' The twins started of slowly. unsteadily. in the direction of the back door. and Margery rushed over to the old ladies'.
 Missions, indeed!" one old lady cried, sharp ly. voieing evidently tho sentiments of them ali .14ow much longer. Miss. do you e1peet us to wait for dish of cream?"
 I'm awful soEry.' Adargery began. sweetly. -The girl who was waiting on this table got click. They have just taken her into the house" ! "Oh. well. if that's the case" the sharp old lady said. mo1ltned at once. and noticing for the first time the breath1ess condition and the anx- ious face of the child before her. Yes. my dear. cake and ice cream for i've And don't hurry. There's lots Of time"
 But Margery did hurry. for she needed lots of time to cut i've clices of that hard ice cream. and also keep an eys on the grab bag. the candy box. the lemonade well The thought Of her numerous responsibilities was almost too much for her. She looked about ddstractedly for help. Her father had disappeared and the Bailey moth, CT was busy wath people at the fancy table. So che would have to fight it out alone
 How do yon do. MargeryT' at was the voice of the Lame Lady. who was seated mt a little table by herself.
 "oh. Mrs. Strong!" Margery ran toward her as to haven of refuge. "Oh. Mrs Strong!r she said again. Then she stopped. A strange feel ing 0aas oyer her. Suddenly. and for no reason she unde~SS7ud. che wanted to cry. She had to cry. And the next moment she was sitting on the grass sobbfng. her face against the Lame Ladys well knee.
 My dear. my dear" the Lame Lady rnurznur. cd. surprised but sympathetic. What is it. MargeRy?"
 'Tts everythingi can't do eYerythang!" Then when she had her breath adargery con, tinued. hurriedly. "You know Henrys swelied up as big as horse"-the G1ame Lady opened her eyeS-"and Gladys Bafeys been taken home sick, and Willie Jones is eating his ddn- nsr. and Katherine and Alice just went and made pigs O themselves on chocolate cake-they d. ways dol-and cant-d just can't take care of the grab bag and the candy box and the lemon. ade well and cut ice cream and cake for all those old ladies at the same time. 1-G-rm tired. ami"
 You poor child! Of course you're tired! Of course you can't do all those things alonei But we can do them between as. 1t won't take me long to cut Ice cream for those old ladies!"
 The Lame Lady reached briskly for her cane ana. in what was . surprisingly short time for