Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1914-12-25
time FOR CALMNESS
Things That Mother and Father
Had to Worry About.
BY LAWRENCE ALFRED CLAY.

came Mrs. John Treadwell said to
her daughter Ida: your father can
get away from his business next
week."
I'm glad Of it."
"And last night he suggested that
he and | take an auto trip Of several
days"
Good"
"You wouldn't want to visit some
girl friend Of yours for four or five
days would you?"
so that the house might be closed
while you are gomez"
yes"
you are a poor hand to plan,
mother. Where would the cook go?
What would become of my rabbits
We have chickens to be cared for. If
the house Is left alone some one will
rob it."
YES sighed the mother.
Whereas" continued Miss Ida, "if
Mollie Perkins comes down to keep
me company nothing whatever will
happen, and things will go along Just
lovely"
81 wonder II they would?" reflected
the mother.
"Why, how could they help It? In
my minds eye see the daily pro-
gram: Arise at 1880. Breakfast at
eight o'clock. Feed the chickens.
Feed the rabbits. Walk In the dewy
grass. Climb an apple tree. Throw
stones at the crows. Lunch and then
long walk. And then, and so forth
and so forth, until time to lock up the
house at night, and get the cook in
and have her tell murder and ghost
stories for an hour. and then all go
to bed and shiver."
''Yes, that will be the way OF It.,
and your father and can't CO."
"You and father can dust right
along, and you need not worry one
little bit about the house. II you
come back and find us dead you may
be sure that we died game"
Miss Mollie Perkins was telephoned
to and she uttered shrek OF delight
and within two hours was on her way
down. In due time the autoists got
away, but not until they had wasted
half an hour In cautioning the daugh-
ter. the visitor and the cook
II anything happened each one was
to be calm-very calm. Even II It
became necessary to shoot tin ped.
dler with the ancient and unloaded
revolver, reposing on the top shelf In
closet, II must be done calmly and
the hurrah left out.
Nothing happened the first day
Nothing but that the kitchen chin
ney burned out, one of the rabbits
choked to death on a hunk OF sweet
apple. and young farmer, who called
to sell crock Of butter, winked al
the visitor and was heard to mutter:
Gosh all hemlock. but she must
have tumbled out Of bed up In heaven
this mornin' and fell clear down
here!"
The cook told three murder stories
that evening. but somehow after mid
night all three women got to sleeT
and nothing happened to disturb theil
slumbers.
Nothing happened on the secont
day. Nothing but that the old rooster
got the feeling that his work on earti
was done and laid him down ant
sighed and breathed his last. Shortly
after lunch the cook struck for higher
wages. but after an hours argumen
she lowered her flag and started in {,
make some apple tarts. A stray pil
got into the garden, but II WASH
over an hour before he was made 4
see the error OF his ways.
At night the cook, whose conscienc,
troubled her for striking. related NJ
less than FIVE true ghost stories, eacl
one OF which was received with tn,
proper number OF shivers. but n,
white.robed figure wandered W an,
down the halls, and no murderer trlet
TO gain access to the house by III,
pantry window.
II was the next day that Il hap
pened. There were plenty OF applei
on the ground and in the kitchen, bu
there were some on the tree tha
looked a great deal better. Besides
there was the fun OF climbing tn,
tree. II would not be true to say tha
Miss Mollie Perkins Skinned up tha
tree like squirrel. She didn't do 4
even like boy. No girl can. Thi
one drew herself slowly up after re
peated efforts, and at last reached ,
limb about twelve feet from III,
ground. She was being congratulated
on her athletics. when she lost he
hold and uttered yell and struck tn,
ground.
As the victim struck on her head
and as she was unconscious whei
yelled at, II was the logical conclusion
that she was either dead OF a broke,
neck or badly injured. In either cas-
the doctor must be summoned.
Ring! Ring! Ring No answe
from central. The wire had got tire
OF being live wire and had gon
dead.
The cook must 20 three miles afte
the doctor. But how could she wit
that rheumatic knee7
Miss Ida ran down 10 the gat
There wasn't vehicle OF any 30,
In sight She must 20 for the doctt
herself, and after she had instr,cte