Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-05-16
JOHN BRECKEfGlIDREI ELLIS
CHATTER viz

xSsMlNh !
ctsAPTER viii
war Declared.
Tho April morning was Drumming
with golden, sunshine when Fran
cooked from the window Of her second.
story room. Eager for the drst morn
ing's view Of her new home. she stared
At the halE-doxen cottages across the
street, standing back I'm picket-fenced
yards With screens Of trees before
their window-eyes. They showed only
40 bits Of weather.bnrding or gleam-
ing fragments Of glass. peeping
through the boughA She thought ev.
erything homelike, neighborly. These
houses seemed to her closer to the
earth than those Of New York. or. at
any rate, closer In the sense Of broth.
erhood. She drew. . deep breath Of
pungent April essence and murmured:
Whist world to live in!"
Fran had spoken in all sincerity
In declaring that she wanted nothing
but homo: and when she Went down
to breakfast It was with the expecta-
ton that evsry member Of the family
would pursue his accustomed routine,
undecided BY her presence. She was
willing that they should remain what
they were. just AZ she expected to
continue without change; however.
not many days passed before she found
t~ hA0
roundings. II strange mouse be i'm
prisoned IN . cage Of mice. those al
ready fnured.to captivity will seek to
destroy the newcomer. Fran. sudden
ly thrust into the bosom of family
already fixed In their modes Of thought
and action. found adjustment exceed.
ingly dimcult.
She did not caro- to mingle with the
people Of tho villaee-which was for
tunate, since her laughing In the tent
had scandalised tho neighborhood: sho
would have been content never to
cross the boundaries Of the homestead.
had 1t not been for Abbott Ashton.
1t was because Of hin that she acQui.
esced In the general plan to send her
to school. Il was on the fifth day of
her stay. following her startling adrnis-
a day in her life. that unanimous opin-
ion was fused into expressed com
mand-
you must 20 to school!"
Fran thought OF tho young superin.
tendent, and said she was willing.
When Mr.. Gregory and the secretary
had retired 70 the library for the days
work, Mrs. Gregory told Fran. II real
" think, dear. that your dresses are
much too short You are small. but
your face and manners and even your
voice. sometimes. seem old-quite
old"
Fran showed the gentle lady a soft
docility. WELL" she said, my legs
are there. all the time. you know, and
I'll show Just as much Of them. or
Just ~ little. % you please"
Simon Jefferson spoke up-1 like
to SEQ children wear short dresses
ana he looked 1t this particular child
with. approval. That day, she was
really pretty. The triangle had been
broadened to an oval brow. the chin
was held slightly lowered, and there
was something In her general aspect
possibly due to the arrangement Of
folds or colors-heaven knows what,
for Simon Jefferson was but q poor
male observer-that made a merit Of
her very thinness. The weak heart Of
the burly bachelor tingled with pleas
ure In nice proportions. while his mind
attained the esthetic outlook Of elias
sic ags. To be sure, the skirts did
show Q good deal Of Fran; very good
they could not show too much.
Il Ike" Simon persisted. Ito see
young girls Of fourteen or fifteen,
dressed, % to say. in low necks and