Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1913-12-18


wife, and stood in front of her, as if to
protect her.
Mr. Sam got his voice first.
"B-bad night for a walk" he said.
"Frightful!" she said. i've been
buried to my knees. May | sit down."
TO those of us who knew, her easy
manner had something horrible in It.
Sorry there are no chairs. Julia"
Mr.. Pierce said. sit on the cot, won't
your"
who is it," Mrs Dick asked from.
as you may say, her eclipse. She and
Miss Summers were the only calm
ones in the room.
IL don't know" Mr.. Dick STAN
mered, but the next moment Miss
Julia, from the cot. looked across az
him and grinned
We'll, Dicky!" she said. Who'd
have thought it,"
You said you didn't know herr" his
wife said from behind him.
Who'd have thought wha-what?"
he asked with bravado.
"All this!" Miss Julia waved her
hand around the room, with its bare
walls, and blankets over the windows
to keep the light in and the cold out.
and the circle of us sitting around on
sand boxes from the links and lawn
rollers. ITO find you here, ali snug in
your own home, with your household
gods and wife" Nobody could think
Of anything to say. THAT Is" she went
on, Il believe there is wife. Good
heavens, Dicky, 1t isn't Minnie?"
He stepped aside at that, disclosing
Mrs Dick on her box. with her child
ish eyes wide open.
"There-there is a wife, julia" he
said. This is her-she%
Well, she'd come out to make mis-
chief-it was written all over her
when she came in the door. but when
Mr. Dick presented his wife, fright
ened as he was and still proud of her,
and Mrs. Dick smiled in her pretty
way, Miss Summers just walked
across and looked down at her with a
queer look on her face. shut my
eyes and waited for the crash. but
nothing came, and when l opened
them again there were the two women
holding hands and Miss Summers smil-
ing sort of crooked grin at Mr.. Dick.
81 ought to be very angry with your
husband" she said "I--well, / never
expected him to marry, without my
being among those present. But since
he has done it! Dick, you wretched
boy, you took advantage Of my being
laid up with the mumps!"
"Mumps!" Mrs. Dick said. why,
he has just had them himself" She
looked around the circle suspiciously.
and every one of us looked as guilty
as II he had been caught with the
mumps concealed around him some
where.
II didn't have real mumps," Mr..
Dick explained. 1T was only-er-a
swelling"
You said 1t was mumps, and even
now you hate pickles!"
Mr.. Pierce had edged over to Miss
Summers and patted her shoulder.
BE good sport, julia" he whis-
pered
She threw of his hand.
I'm being an idiot" she said an
grily. Dicks an ass, and he's treated
me like villain. but look at that
baby! 1t will be twenty years before
she has to worry about her weight"
Il think we'd better be going" Miss
Patty got up and gathered up her
cloak. But IL she meant to break up
the party Miss Summers was not
ready.
IF you don't mind" she said, "Tll
stay. I'm frozen, and I've got to go
home and sleep with my window up.
You're lucky" she went on to the
Dickys. Il dare say the air in here
would scare us under a microscope,
but at least 1t is warm"
The Van Alstynes made a move to
go. but Mr.. Dicky frantically gestured
to them not to leave him alone, and
Mrs. Sam sat down again sulkily. Mr.
Pierce picked up his cap.
I'll take you back" he said to Miss
Patty, and his face was fairly glowing.
But Miss Patty slipped her arm
through mine.
Come, Minnie, Mr.. Pierce is going
to take us" she said
"Pd-Td rather go alone" said.
Nonsense"
I'm not ready. I've got to gather
up these Dishes" objected, Out of
the corner of my eye / could see the
glow dying out of Mr.. Pierce's face.
But Miss Patty took my arm and led
me to the door.
Let them gather up their own dish
es." she said. Dolly, you ought to be
ashamed to let Minnie slave for you
the way she does. Good night, every.
body"