Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1914-01-22

Miss fatty had got almost to the top
and was standing there on one snow
covered rail. staring across at me
through +he darkness.
Il can't, Minnie" she whispered
hopelessly. Il never could climb a
fence, and in this skirt"
"Quick!" | said in low tone The
lantern was very close. Put your leg
over"
She did, and sat there looking down
at me like scared baby.
Now the other"
IL can't" she whispered. "If
put them both over III fall"
"Hurry!!"
With little grunt she put The 9th
er foot over, sat minute with agony
in her face and her arms out, then she
slid of with squeal and brought up
In sitting position inside the fence
corner. i dropped beside her.
What was that noise?" said Tho
burn, almost upon us. Something's
moving inside that fence corner"
Its them deers," Mikes voice this
time. We could make out the three
figures. "Darned nuisance, them deers
is. They'd have been shot long ago
II the springhouse girl hadn't object
ed. She thinks she's the whole cheese
around here"
'Set it down again." Mr. Won In
valid painted. We heard the rattle of
bottles as they put down the basket,
and the next instant Thoburn's fat
hand was resting on the rail of the
fence over our heads. could feel
Miss Patty trembling beside me.
But he didn't look over. He stood
there resting, breathing hard. and
swearing at the weather, while Mike
waited, in surly silence, and the Won
invalid cursed in German.
After my heart had been beating in
my ears for about three years the fat
hand moved, and heard the rattle oil
glass again and Thoburn's groans as
he bent over his half of the load.
Come on" he said, and the Others
grunted and started on.
When they had disappeared in the
snow we got out OF our cramped posi-
ton and prepared to scurry home.
climbed the fence and looked after
them. "Humph!" said, Il guess that
basket isn't for the hungry poor. I'D
give good bit to know" Then
turned and looked for Miss Patty. She
was fiat on the snow, crawling be
tween the two lower rails of the fence
Have you no shame?" demanded
She looked up at me with her head
and half her long sealskin coat
through the fence.
None she said pitifulIy. Minnie
I'm stuck perfectly tight"
You ought to be left as you are,"
said, jerking at her, for people to
come"-jerk-"tomorrow to look at
jerk. She came through at that. and
we lay together in the snow and like
to burst a rib laughing
you'll never be princess, Miss
Patty" | declared. You're too lowly
minded"
She sat up suddenly and straight
ened her sealskin cap on her head.
II WISH" she said unpleasantly. 81
wish you wouldn't always drag in dis
agreeable things, Minnie!"
And she was sulky all the way to
the house.
Miss Summers came to my room
that night as was putting my hot-wa
ter bottle to bed, in baby blue silk
wrapper with band of fur around
the low neck-Miss Summers, OF
course, not the hot-water bottle.
"Well!" she said, sitting down on
the foot of the bed and staring at me
"Well, young woman, for person who
has never been farther away than Fin.
leyville you do pretty WE'LL"
DO what?" asked, with the covers
up to my chin.
do what, Miss Innocence!" she said
mockingly. You're the only red-haired
woman ever saw who didn't look as
! sophisticated as the devil. I'll tell you
one thing, though" She reached down
into the pocket of her dressing gown
and brought up a cigarette and a
match. You never had me fooled for
a minute" She looked at me over the
match.
| lay and stared back.
And another thing" she said. 81
never had any real intention of marry.
ing Dicky Carter and raising baby
sanatorium. | wouldn't have the face
to ask Arabella to live here"
I'm glad you feel that way, Miss
Summers" said. 1--WE gone through
lot; I'm an old woman in the last
two weeks. My hairs falling from its
having to stand up on end half the
| time"
| She leaned over and put her cigar
cite on the back of my celluloid mir,
ror, and then suddenly she threw back
her head and laughed
"Minnie!" she said, between fits,
"Minniel As long as live I'll never
forget that wretched boys face! And
the sand boxes And the ~blankets
over the windows! And the tarpaulin
over the rafters! And Mr.. Van Al
styne sitting on the lawnfnower! I'd
rather have had my minute in that
doorway than fifty thousand dollars!"
IF you had had to carry out all
those things" began, but she
checked me.
'Listenl" she said Somebody with
brains has got to take you young peo-
pie in hand. You're not able to look
after yourselves. I'm fond of Alan
Pierce, for one thing. and don't care
to see a sanatorium that might have
been the child of my solicitude kid.
mapped and reared as a summer hotel
NV pana Thohurn A qood fat man ia
very, very good, Minnie. but when he
is bad he is horrid."
Its too late" ] objected feebly.
"He can't get it now"
Cant he!" She got up and yawned,
stretching. well, I'll lay you ten to
one that If we don't get busy he'll have
the house empty in thirty-six hours,
and bill of sale on 1t in as many
days." Then she told me what she