Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-12-03

THREADS
BY cLARlssA MAckiE.

Della Leslie was buying embroid-
cry silks In Miss Smiths little shop.
And l shall want another spool
Of that rose.colored knitting silk" she
added as Miss Smith tied up her pur-
chases. you needn't bother to wrap
It up-I shall want to match 1t over
at Pryor's."
Della pulled out an end Of the silk
thread, tested 1t between her sharp
white teeth, looked at 1t with a bird
like motion Of her trim little head
and took her departure.
AS she passed down the three
steps into the village street the spool
Of knitting silk slipped from her fin
gers and rolled along the brick pave
ment. unwinding a long rose-colored
thread as 1t went.
Della fastened after 1t, but the
way led down hill and the spool rolled
away with most exasperating perse-
verance. It was a warn summer aft
ernoon and the long street was al
most deserted.
Suddenly the gate In the brick
wall that surrounded the parsonage
opened and a mar stepped out and
walked briskly down the hill. Della
recognized him as the new minister.
She was glad that he had not seen
her mol discovered her ~predicament,
for her r%ose-colored silk was a tan
gle Of threads for many yards
ahead.
Rev. Mr.. Flake was very absent.
minded; he was walking with his eyes
fixed on the blue waters OF the har-
Dor at the foot of the long street, con-
sequently he did not know the precise
moment when one of Delia's tangled
threads caught around one of the but
tons Of his neat boots.
What shall l do?" worried Della,
as the reverend gentleman proceeded
on his way ~unconsciously dragging a
tangle Of rosy threads and the appar.
emily exhaustless spool in his digni.
fed wake. IF I could only catch the
spool and wind It up I might snap the
thread and prevent an accident. Sup
pose he should get both feet tangled
in the threads"
Before Della could reach that idiot.
ically dancing spool. Mr.. Flake was
standing helplessly enmeshed. He
was peering near-sightedly down at
his feet while Della came timidly up.
II am sorry." she said breath.
lessly.
Mr.. Flake could smile with his
brown eyes, and he did so at this
moment. the smile spread to his lips
and presently he was laughing heart
lily.
I'm afraid you'll have to help me
out, Miss Leslie" he said at last. III
you could take my penknife and cut
some of those threads 1t would en-
able me to proceed on my way unfet
tered. Thank you-Tm afraid some
lady is mourning the loss OF her EN-
broidery silks. Are you going my
way-may l accompany your"
Della was blushing deeply. "Oh
no. l was going over to the West
SIDE" she said hastily, and without
regretful glance at the now empty
spool she fastened away.
Mr.. Flake watched her with inter
ested eyes until she had disappeared
Then he stopped and pulled out sew
eral threads that still decorated hi
boot buttons.
IF l were a romantic man." h,
unused smiling, Il would attach som'
significance to this happening
might suspect that Cupid himself hat
set this trap to catch my unwar!
feet. l I'M not a sentimentalist-
but I'm going to keep the trap any
way" And he promptly swept tn
tangle into n Of the pockets Of hi
coat.
So Mr.. Flake went on his way
quite unaware that from one of hi
pockets peeped a skein Of %rose.colore'
silk.
Old Mrs. Petty, upon whom h
called during the course Of his walk
spied the threads and pointed
playful finger at them.
"Mr. Flake, I reckon you don't d
no fancy work." she remarked innc
Gently.
"Why, no. Mrs. Petty; why do 20
ask that?" he inquired.
Seeing that you carry embroid
cry silks around with you" sh
went on, 81 thought maybe you die
I have heard Of gentlemen dom
fancy work, and them as has see
1t say they take to 1t real hand.
OF course. you not being a Marie
man, It did seem funny to e tina
silk"
Mr.. Flake looked annoyed for a
instant. But he carefully crushe
the silks into his pocket and ez
planned that he had found 1t in tn
street.
81 want to know" .marveled Mr.
Petty. whose curiosity was insat
BILE; " wonder who has lost
spool Of silk? I a find out frol
Melissa Smith, who keeps the stor'
She could tell by the color. ! suppos
whoever lost 1t Is looking for 1t thi
very minute"