River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-10-23

Il found it. Molly, l found it!' he
exclaimed as he let the heavy pipe
drop almost on the bare pink toes.
You can git hammer and pound the
end sharp and bend it so no whale we
ketch can get away for nothing You
and Doe kin put it in your trunk cause
it's too long for mine, and / can carry
Docs shirts and things in mine. Git
the hammer quick and I'll help you fix
it, The pain in my breast was almost
more than | could bear.
Lover" | said as | knelt down by
him in the dim old hall and put my
arms around him as if to shield him
from some blow ! couldn't help being
aimed at him, ''you wouldn't mind
much. would you, if just this time your
Molly couldn't so with you? Your
father is going to take good care of
you and-and maybe bring you back to
me some day"
why, Molly" he said. faring his
astonished blue eyes at me. "'tain't
me to be took care of, | amt a-going
to leave you here, for maybe bear to
come out of a circus and eat you up.
with me and Doc gone. Sides, Doe
amt no good and maybe wouldn't help
me hold the rope tight to keep the
whale from Citing away. He don't
know how to do like / tell him like you
do"
TRY him, lover, and maybe he will
will learn to- | couldn't help the
tears that came to stop my words.
Now, you see, Molly, how you'd cry
with that kiss spot gone" he said,
with an amused, manly, little tender
ness in his voice that l had never
heard before, and he cuddled his lips
against mine in almost the only volun-
tary kiss he had given me since | had
got him into his ridiculous little trous-
ers under his blouseS. 'You can have
most hundred kisses every night if
you don't say no more about not ago
ing and fix that whale hook for me
quick" he coaXed against my cheek.
oh. little lover, little lover; you didn't
know what you were saying with your
baby wisdom and your rust grimy lit
tie paddle burned the sleep place on
my breast like a terrible white heat
from which I was powerless to de-
fend myself. You are NINE you are,
you are. You are soul of my soul and
heart of my heart and spirit of my
spirit and-and you ought to have been
flesh of my flesh.
| don't know how l managed to an
swer Mrs. Johnson's call from my
front gate but l sometimes think that
women have a torture proof clause in
their constitutions.
She and Aunt Bette had just come
up the street from Aunt Bettie's house,
and the Pollard cook was following
them with a large basket in which
were packed the things Aunt Bette
was contributing to the entertainment
of the distinguished citizen. Mr.. John
son is AIfreds nearest kinsman in
Hillsboro. and. OF course, he is to be
their guest while he is in town.
Hell be feeding his eyes on Molly,
so he'll not even know he's eating my
Washington almond pudding with
Thomas old port in it." leased Aunt
Bette, with a laugh, as l went across
the street with them.
"Theres going to be q regular cpl
demic of love in Hillsboro, 1 do be-
lieve," she continued in her usual
strain Of sentimental speculation. 81
saw Mr.. Graves talking to Della
Halves in front of the store an hour
ago as l came out from looking at the
blue chintz to match Pet for the west
wing, and they were both so absorbed
they didn't even see me. That was
what might have been called a confa-
grafton dinner you gave the other
night, Molly, in more ways than one.
/ wish a spark had set off Benton
Wade and Henrietta too. Maybe it
did, but is just taking fire slowly"
/ think it would be a good thing just
to let Aunt Bette blindfOld every I'M
married person in this town and mar
~ them to the first person they touch
hands with. 1t would be fun for her
and then we could have peace and APP
parently as much happiness as we are
going to have anyway. Mrs. Johnson
seemed to be in somewhat the same
state Of mind as | found myself.
"Humph' she said as we went up
the front steps, 'I'll be glad when you
are married and settled, Molly Carter,
so the rest of this town can quiet down
into peace once more, and | sincerely
hope every woman under fifty in Hills
boro who is already married will stay
in that state until she reaches that
age. But l do believe If the law march
ed widows from grave number one to
altar number two they would get into
trouble and fuss along the road. But
come on in, both of you, and help me
get this marriage feast ready, if must!
The day is going by on creased wheels,
and | can't let Mr.. JohnsOn's crOtchets
be neglected, AL Bennett or no AL
Bennettw
And from then on for hours and
hours / was strapped to a torture
wheel that turned and turned, minute
after minute, as it ground spice and
sugar and bridal meats and me relent-
lessly into a great suffering pulp.
Could | ever in all my life have hun
gered for food and been able to get it
past the lump in my throat that grew
larger with the seconds? And if AL
fred's pudding tasted of the salt of
dead sea fruit this evening it was from
my surreptitious tears that dripped
into it.
1t was late, very late, before Mrs.
Johnson realized it and shooed me
l. - IL 70 10 %ho fro in