The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1913-07-17

door burst open
Say, YOU. how do you 'sposc I'm
goin' to stay in this?' he demanded
! holding up the shirt divided evenly III
half. You mend it, and he tossed
it into the kitchen. where it landed in
the middle of the floor.
Mary Ellen went on with her break
fast.
Five minutes later he stuck his head
out of the door. well. is it ready :
I'm a-waitin'"'
Mary Ellen's heart was going thou
sand minute. but she slipped daintily
at her coffee and observed: Il guess
you didn't read my notice very careful
on your door. If your shirts mended
you'll have to do as the note saws"
You quit your kiddin and mend the
shirt l amt foolin'. Git busy"
II amt foolin' neither I mean bust
ness" announced Mary Ellen. pale but
firm.
| Flynn strobe across the room clothed
in natures garb from the waist up and
grabbed her by the arm and shook her
Look here. you: cut out the tantrums
and mind. r
A knock at the door and the entrance
Of Mrs. Duffy clipped the argument.
and Flynn scuttled to cover, catching
up the shirt on the way.
well. honey, an did you get your
dress?" she inquired. picking Toby up
out of a pan of ashes and placing him
on her knee
mo. He said Id got to wait another
week." with little catch in her voice
He said he hadn't any money!
why, the old liar" burst out Mrs.
Duffy in hoarse whisper He'd a
wad the size of my fist when be paid
his bill to Parker's. seen it,
HE wouldn't let me get my dress
anyhow" said Mary Ellen. but" and
her eyes twinkle Il think I've fixed
him. He's mending his shirt now"
She showed the notice to Mrs. Duffy.
who read it through and looked admir-.
ingly at Mary Ellen. Course" the
t; girl added, Ion Sundays he'll eat when
| the kids do. That part starts tomor-
row."
"Ain't you the cute one. thought" ex-
claimed the older woman. Are you
goin' to stick to what it says?'
"Sure l am. Things can't be any
worse than they are now. Mrs. Ma
lone said she'd look after the children
if l went to work. s'pose the next
thing he'll be goin' to the neighbors to
get his meals He don't know nothin'
about cookin', and he hates it,
HE needn't come to me-" declared
Mrs. Dufry. 'All the neighbors is
sorry for you. you poor chicken, an
don't believe one of 'em 'ud help
him any. | know Of four l can fix in
three minutes so they won't Well
all get together aan' make him treat
you square"
The next morning Mary Ellen stop
ped Kitty on her way to work and
asked her to tell them at the store
that she'd be in to see about the job
that day.
She agreed to report for duty at the
notion counter at Neal & Meals the
following Monday at 8 o'clock, and SO
she informed her father when he came
home to his supper that was not This
time she didn't ask him if she could;
she told him fatty that she was go
ing to.
He wasn't interested enough to OBJ
ject. He was hungry and looked it.
He peered anxiously around the kitch-
en- for signs of supper. DO l get
somethin' to eat or not?" he asked.
eff get 81 you do" returned Mary
Ellen. patting an imitation yawn back
into place.
Il tell ye what. kid; We amt gainin'
nOthin by yer high handed game" he
growled.
II wasn't gainin' nothin' by dom
the slave act neither" promptly re-
torted Mary Ellen.
He slammed out of the kitchen, and
she hurried to the window and peeked.
He turned jauntily into the Malones'
gate, but in less than two minutes he
came out again. His face was red. and
his fingers worked. Dennis Malone
shouted something at him. but Mary
Ellen couldn't hear. Flynn walked
along few steps and hesitated. glanc-
ing furtively at the houses along the
street. The Carriers door was slammed
in his face.
Flynn slowly went back home. He
didn't glance at Mary Ellen. who
was absorbed in book, turning the
pages after nicely calculated pauses.
He slammed the frying pan on the
stove. Then he went in the pantry
and rummaged around among the dish
es and paper bags.
Where the devil do yer keep yer
eggs?" he roared.
A gentle, crunching, squashy sound
and a double barreled oath indicated
that he had found them. In the mean
time the room was filing with sitting.
choking smoke from the burning pan.
He rushed from the pantry, snatched it
from the stove and. gasping short
swear words, made for the door. where
he flung it with all bis strength into
the air. He came back nursing three
fingers.
Mary Ellen had fed.
Flynn looked at the trail Of grease
from the stove to the door and at the
bag on the pantry floor. from which a
thick yellow rivulet oozed sluggishly.