Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-10-11

/
| well, what would she do If they
did,"
i. 81 really don't know. Let's take this
coat Off"
"Well, would she let them all in-dc
you think? I guess she'd be cross
wouldn't she?"
Every likely. Look there, Robbie
look at the buttercup field"
"T guess she'd be cross! If they all
tried to squeeze right in"
I'M nm" .. ~
well JUS look, father! JUS
locker that big lake! That's awful
big lake, isn't it,"
well, father Wouldn't 1t be awful
funny If everybody on this train
should just get out and hop right into
that lake,"
Every funny indeed"
ct guess they'd look wet enough
hin! when they came back into the
train again! guess they'd just be drip
ping. wouldn't they?"
Various members Of the audience,
with the unfortunate gift OF catching
vivid mental pictures easily, were at
tempting to look unconcerned.
"OuIuu JuCy 1oCA1OA =
"Robbie don't talk so loud! Yes, /
suppose they would"
II wouldn't be surprised If they drip
ped enough to make a real little
stream going right down the aisle!
Would your"
mo, I wouldn't be surprised. See
here, Robbie, didn't mother put In one
of your books? Let's have It."
.TEat lady over Tiers SO big guess
she'd drip enough to. most drown her
self"
stop talking, Robbie. Now If you'll
listen, I'll read you story"
But what is even that rare enter
tainment compared with all the inward
suggestions in fathers tone as he re-
marks causually,-
"Only one more station, children.
It is so dramatic to bring up In
railroad train!
Just as they were getting nicely set
tied in the house behind the sofa,
the little boy from next door, put IN
his appearance.
"Why. how nice!" grandma had en-"
couraged appreciatively. Arthur has
come over to play with you children" "
Arthur stood silently gazing about
him, looking as If he never had played
with anything In his life, and never
would. If he were spared. To be sure,
his red sweater, on top of all his other
wearing apparel, combined, with the
fact that the room was warm, might
have seemed a partial excuse, but ne
thickly explained that he had cold
and must not remove the red sweater
for fear of catching more; and Arthur
certainly did not look bright or enter
taing as he stood muffled up to his
ears. breathing heavily, and looking
silently down on the unmoved rec1p-
tents of his call.
The worst of it was, It actually
seemed as if Arthur was barely out OF
the house before Buddie began to
breathe in peculiar manner too.
Grandma looked at his dull eyes the
next morning at breakfast.
"I've always said that colds are Just
as contagious as can be-" she declared
anxously. and thereunon she fastened
to make sure that Buddie was bundled
up sufficiently; but, when night came
and the case still proved obstinate,
Cu0 QOClCI WAS 44C oAAAASA
as he listened.
Caught it from one of the neigh
boris children yesterday?' he repeated
mo. guess not. It looks TO me more
like good genuine attack OF measles.
"Measles!" echoed grandma family.
"and the child away from home! Oh,
dear Measles! Oh, dear! oh. dear"
Nothing at all to worry about. Just
keep him warm and don't let in too
much light-er-did you say there was
a little girt here, too? M-m-m. Keep
her awav from him" m pr.
Buddie looked rather consequential
when he was carried all the way up to
the third flooS and slowed away In
a little room by himself; and Babesy
looked positively impressed when she
heard about it. particularly when 1t
was gently forced on her. that she
mustn't so anywhere near Ruddfes
room-did she understand about that?
1t was explafned again, appropriately
to her Understanding. -r. ;
"But she likes to come to grandma's
house doesn't she?-bless her!-even
if she can't have Buddie to play with
she?" - .a ~ III.
"Buddie do" she heamed delighted
w, appreciating somewhat confusedlv
the fact Of a superior advantage over
Buddie not known before.
Then there came that unique and
experience Of being put
to bed all alone in that big room!
Grandma had just left her and was
wandering anxiouslv down the hall.
"Oh. no! No, child" The little
white figure fitting round the corner
up there at the other end was res
cued Just in time. you mustn't go to
Buddie's room! You mustn't"
But after a day or two the child did
not look we'll. There was no doubt
about that, and grandma declared she
was getting concerned.
"Ynu like to stay here, don't you,