Licking Valley courier. [volume] (West Liberty, Ky.) 19??-current, 1913-08-07
THE -
Melting
Of Molly
By
MARIA THOMPSON
DAVIESS
Copyright, 1912, by the Bobbs-

Copyright, 1912, by the Bobbs-
Merrill Company

johns Dig bed and sat down with nm
In my arms over by the window
through which the early moon came
streaming. Billy is so little, little not
to have mother to rock him all the
times he needs 1t. that l take every
opportunity to give it to him find
when he's unconscious and can't help
himself. She died before she ever
even saw him, and I've always tried to
do what | could to make it up to him.
Poor Mr.. Carter said when Billy cut
his teeth that neighbours baby can be
worse than twins Of your own. He
didn't like children, and the baby's
crying disturbed him, so many night
I walked Billy out in the garden until
daylight, while Mr.. Carter and DR..
John both slept Always his little,
warm, witty body has comforted me
for the emptiness Of not having baby
of my own. And he's very congcnial.
too. for he's slim and flowery, pink and
dimply, and as mannish as his father
in funny little flashes.
"Git stick to punch it, Molly" he
was murmuring in his sleep. Then |
heard the doctor call me and l had to
kiss him. put him back in his bed and
go across the hall.
DR.. John was standing by the table
with this horrid small book in his hand
and his mouth was set in straight
line and his eyes were deep back un-
der their brows. hate him that way,
too, and would like to get up so close
to him that he couldn't hit me or have
a door locked between us. It's strange
how the thought of taking n beating
from man can make wOman's heart
jump Mine jumped SO it was hard to
look as meek as | felt best under the
circumstances, but looked 1t out from
under my lashes cautiously.
"There you are, Mrs. Molly" he said
briskly as he handed me this book.
"Get weighed and measured and sized
up generally In the morning and follow
all the directions; also make every rec
ord | have noted so that | can have
the proper data to help you as you 60
along-or rather down. And If you will
be faithful about 1t to me, or, rather
AL. | think we can be sure of buttonlng
that blue muslin dress without even
the aid Of the buttonhook." His voice
had the IF you can note in it that
a fiwsys sets me. Off.
Had we better get the kiddie some
thinner night riggingT he FASTENED to
ask as | was just about to explode.
He knows the signs.
THANK you, Dr. Moore! hate the
very ground you walk on. and I'll at
tend to those night clothes myself to-
morrow" | answered. and sailed out
of that Office and down the path to-
ward my own house beyond his hedge.
But carried this book tight in my
hand. and | made up my mind that
would do 1t all If 1t killed me. | would
show him could be faithful-to whom
! would decide later on. But | hadn't
read far into this book when COM
mitted myself to myself like that!
don't know just how long | sat on
the front steps all by myself bathed in
a perfect food Of moonlight and loneli-
ness. 1t was not n bit of comfort to
hear Aunt Adeline snoring away in her
room down the dark hall. 1t takes the
greatest congenlallty to make per
sons snoring a pleasure to anybody, and
Aunt Adellne and are not that way.
When poor Mr.. Carter died the next
day she said: "Now, Mary, you are en-
tirely too young to live all your long
years of widowhood alone, and as ! am
IN the same condition. will rent my
cottage and move right up the street
into your house to protect and console
you" And she did-the moving and
the protecting.
Mr.. Henderson has been dead forty
two years. He only lived three months
after he married Aunt Adeline and her
Grape veil Is over yard long yet. Men
are the dust under her feet. but she
likes for DIR. John to come over and
sit on the porch with us because she
can consult with him about what Mr..
Henderson really died Of and talk with
him about the sad state of poor Mr..
Carriers liver for year before he died.
just so on rocking Billy and singing
hymns to him in such way that |
can't hear the conversation. Mr.. Car
ter's liver got on my nerves alive. and
dead 1t does worse. But 1t hurts when
the doctor has to take the little, sleepy
boy out of my arms TO carry him home
though l like it when he says under
his breath. "Thank you, Molly"
And MS sat and thought how neal
he and | had been to each other in al
our troubles | excused myself for run
ming to him with that letter and ! nc
knowedged to myself that ] had nc
right to get mad when he leased me
for he had been kind and interested
about helping me get thin by the time
Alfred came back to see me. | couldn't
tell which was blushing all to my
self about, the luscious peach" he hut
called me or the lovely lily" ALFRED
had reminded me in his letter that
had been when he left me-
Why don't people realize that sew
enteen-year-old girls heart Is n sensi
tive wild flower that may be shatterct
by a breath? Mine shattered whei
Alfred went away to find something
he could do to make n living, ant
Aunt Adellne gave the hard, gree
stem to Mr.. Carter when she marie,
me to him. Poor Mr. Carter!
No, wasn't twenty, and this tow
was full Of women who were aunt
and cousins and law kin to me, an
nobody did anything for me. The
all said with sigh of relief, ut vii
be such a nice, safe thing for YOU