News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1914-02-25
course, not the hot-water bottle.

Wcll, young WOMAN, IOT " pcT5Ou VIII
has never been farther away than Fin
leyville you do pretty WE'LL"
"Do what?" I asked, with the cover
up to my chin.
"Do what, Miss Innocence!" she sal,
mockingly. you're the only red-haire'
woman | ever saw who didn't look a
sophisticated as the devil. I'll tell you
one thing, though" She reached dowl
into the pocket of her dressing-gowl
and brought up a cigarette and {
match. "You never had me fooled TO
a minute!" She looked at me over thu
| match.
lay and stared back.
"And another thing" she said. g.
never had any real intention of marry
ing Dicky Carter and raising baby
sanatorium. 1 wouldn't have the face
to ask Erabella to live here"
"Im glad you feel that way, Miss
Summers" said. 'Ive 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!" che said, between fits,
Minnie! AS long as | live III 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 lawnmower! I'd
rather have had my minute in that
doorway than fifty thousand dollars!"
eff you had had to carry out all
those things" began, but she
checked me.
"Listen!" she said, Somebody with
brains has got to take you young PEG.
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 sanatorium thaAmight have
been the child of my solicitude kid
mapped and reared as a summer hotel
by Papa Thoburn. a good fat man is
very, very good, Minnie, but when he
is bad he is horrid."
"It's too late" l 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 a bill of sale on it in as many
days." Then she told me what she
knew of Thoburn's scheme, and It
turned me cold.
Doctor Barnes came to me at the
news stand the next morning before
gymnasium.
WELL" he said, you look as busy
as dog with fieas. Have you heard
the glad tidings?"
"What?" l asked without much spir.
it. Owe heard considerable tidings
lately, and not much of 1t has cheered
ne up any"
He leaned over and ran his fingers
up through his hair.
"'You know, Miss Minnie" he said,
somebody ought kindly to kill our
friend Thoburn, or he'll come to bad
end"
Shall l do it, or will you?" l said
filing up the chewing gum jar. (Mr.
Pierce had taken away the candy
case.)
Doctor Barnes glanced around to |
see if there was anyone near, and |
leaned farther over.
sarbo c5 ;epB+ ~, bo
said. Not for nothing did l spend
part of the night in the Dicky-bird's
nest! What do you think is in the
81 know about it," I said shortly.
'Liquor-in a case labeled Books
oreakable.'
Almost a goal. But not only liquors,
ny little friend. Champagne-cases of
t-caviar, canned grouse with truf-
les, lobster, cheese, fine cigars, every
hing you could think of, erotic, ex-
,tic and narcotic. An orgy in cans
md bottles, a bacchanalian revel;
cupboard full of indigestion, joy, for
yetfulness and katzenjammer Oh, my
suffering palate, to have to leave it all
without one sniff, one sip, one nibble!"
He's wasting his money" / said.
all crazy about the simple
ife."
He looked around and, seeing no one
n the lobby, reached over and took
,ne of my hands.
Strange" he said, looking at it.
No webs, and yet it's been an amphi-
)ious little creature most of it's life.
Wy dear girl our friend Thoburn is a
'ascal. but he is also a student of
and philosopher. Geo." he
said, think of a woman fighting her
way alone through the world with bit
If fist like that!"
l jerked my hand away.
TITS like this, my DEAR" he said.
Human natures curious thing. It's
human nature, for instance, for me to
De crazy about you, when you're as
lands-offish as a curly porcupine. And
t is human nature, 10y The same token,
o like to be bullied, especially about
health, and to respect and admire the
elbow whe does the bullying. That's
Why we were crazy about Roosevelt,
md that's why Pierce is trailing his
zingly robes over them while they lie
On their faces and eat dirt-and
;tewed fruit -