Licking Valley courier. [volume] (West Liberty, Ky.) 19??-current, 1913-08-28
THE -
Melting
@ Molly
BY
MARIA THOMPSON
DAVIESS
Copyright, 1912, by the Bobbs-
Merrill Company
Copyright, 1912, by the Bobbs-
Merrill Company


with the sweetest face | ever saw lay
in the bed with her eyes bright with
pride and tiny, tiny little bundle close
beside her. The young farmer was red
with embarrassment and anxiety.
"She's all right today, but she wor-
ries because she don't think can tend
to the baby right" he said, and he did
look helpless. Her mother had to 60
home for two days, but is coming to-
morrow. dasn't undress and wash
the youngster myself. 1t won't hurt
him to stay bundled up until granny
comes. will 1t, Doc?"
"Not bit" answered DR.. John in
his big comforting voice.
But looked at the girl, and l under
stood her. She wanted that baby clean
and fresh even If it was just five days
old, and | felt all of sudden terribly
capable. picked up the bundle and
went into the other room with 1t,
where q kettle was boiling on the
stove and a large bucket by the door.
/ found things by just glance from
her, and the hour | spent with that
small baby was one of the most de-
licious of all my life. | never was left
entirely to myself with one before, and
! did all wanted to this one, guided
by instinct and desire. He slept right
through and was the darlingest thing /
ever saw when laid him back on the
bed by her. never looked In DIR.
Johns direction once, though ] felt
him all the time.
But on the way home gave myself
the surprise of my life! Suddenly |
turned my face against his sleeve and
cried as | never had before. felt
safe, for 1t is cliff road and he had to
drive carefully. However, he manag-
ed to press that one arm against my
cheek in way that comforted me into
stopping when ] saw we were near
town. l got out Of the car at the gar
age and walked away through the gar.
den home without looking in his direc-
ton at all. | never seem to be able to
look at him as ] do at other people.
I'VE hadn't spoken two words since we
had left the little house in the woods
with that happy faced girl in 1t. He has
more sense than Just man.
1t was almost dusk, and stopped in
the garden a minute to pull the dirt
closer around some OF the bachelor'f
buttons that had popped" the ground
some weeks ago. Thinking about them
made me regain my spirits, and | went
on in the house to be scolded for what
ever Aunt Adeline had thought up
while / was gone TO do it to me about.
Judy told me with her broadcast grin
that she had gone down to her sister
in-law's for supper, and sat down on
the steps with a sigh of relief.
Some days are like tin cocoanut graf
ers that everybody uses to CRATE you
against. and this was one for me. For
an hour sat and grated my ownself
against Alfred's letter that had come in
the morning. | realized that | would
Just have to come to some sort Of de-
cision about what ! was going to do,
for he wrote that he was to sail in a
day or two, and ships do travel so fast
these days
love him and always have, Of that |
am sure. He offers me the most Won
derfu life in the world, and no woman
anuId holn hafnn nroud to oonant 10
am lonely. more lonely than I was even
willing to confess to DR.. John. cant
go on living this way any longer. Ruth
Chester has made me see that II want
Alfred II will be now or never and
quick. now know that she loves him
and she ought to have her show II
don't want him. The way she idollze'
and ideallzes him is marvel Of won
anly stupidity.
Some women like to collect mems
hearts and hide them away from otheI
women on cold storage, and the help
less things can't help themselves.
| have contempt for that sort o.
butcher. and love Ruth!
It's my duty to look the matter II
the face before look in Alfreds-ant
decide. If not Alfred, what then?
First. no husband. That's out Of The
question! I'm not strong minded
enough to crank my own motorcar ant
study woman suffrage. prefer t
suffer at the hands Of some cruel maj
and trust to beguiling him into doinl
DUST as | say. | like men, can't hell
II, and want one for my own. | don
count poor Mr.. Carter.
Second, II not Alfred, who2 Judg
Wade IL so delightful that tutter u
the thought. but his mother is Aun
Adeines own best friend. and the
have ideas IN common She Is 50 II
ligious that living with her would b
like having the sacrament for dali
bread, Still. living with him Nigh
have adventures. ! never saw sue
eyes! The girl he wanted TO Iharr
died OF tuberculosis, aud he wears
locket with her In II yet Id like I
reward him for such ralthfulness wit
a nice husky wife TO wear instead q
the locket But, then. Alfreds bee
faithful too! | look at Ruth Chestu
and realize how faithful, and my heal
= melts to him in my breast. My hlp
have almost all melted away, too, so
had better keep the heart cold enoug
to handle II want anything left at n
for him to come home TO.
In some ways Tom Pollard is th
most congenial man ! ever knew, 70
have TO say don't to him all tn
time. but what woman doesn't like
little impertinence once in awhile?
flavor all Toms daredevil kisses wit
kinship when feed them to my col
science, and truly try to make him