Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-03-12

with my knife. Why don't you wear
oyershoes?"
q never have a cold!" she retorted.
why, Minnie, is that you?"
Quick" I painted. 'Thoburn and
Mr.. Won invalid coming-basket-lan-
tern-warn the sheIter-house!"
Great ScottI" Mr. Pierce said.
Here, you girls crawl over the fence;
you'll be hidden there. III run back
and warn them"
The lantern was swinging again. Mr..
Thoburns grumbling came to US
through the snow.
q can't climb the fence!" Miss Pat
ty said pitifully. But Mr.. Pierce had
gone.
I reached my basket through the
bars and climbed the fence in a hurry.
Miss Patty had got almost to the top
and was standing there on one snow
covered rail, staring across at me
through the darkness.
q can't, Minnie" she whispered
hopelessIy. I never could climb a
fence, and in this skirt
Quick" I said in a low tone The
lantern was very close. Put your leg
over"
She did, and sat there looking down
at me like a scared baby.
Now the other"
Il can't" she whispered. IF
put them both over I'll fall"
''Hurry!!"
With a little grunt she put the 9th
er foot over, sat minute with agony
in her face and her arms out, then she
slid off with a squeaI and brought VI
in a sitting position inside the fence
corner. 1 dropped beside her.
What was that noise?" said Tho
burn, almost upon US. Something
moving inside that fence corner"
It's them deers," Mixes voice this
time. We could make out the three
| figures. "Darned nuisance, them deers
is. They'd have been shot long age
if 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 O.
| bottles as they put down the basket
and the next instant Thoburn's ia
hand was resting on the rail of the
| fence over our heads. I could fee
Miss Patty trembling beside me.
But he didn't look over. He stood
| there resting, breathing hard, anC
| swearing at the weather, while Mike
waited, in surly silence, and the Vol
invalid cursed in German.
After my heart had been beating il
| my ears for about three years the ia
hand moved, and I heard the rattle o
glass again and Thoburns groans a
he bent over his half of the load.
Come on" he said, and the Others
grunted and started on.
| When they had disappeared in thu
| snow we got out of our cramped posi-
! ton and prepared to scurry home.
climbed the fence and looked afte
them. "Humph!" I said, q guess tina
basket isn't for the hungry poor. II
give q good bit to know" Then
turned and looked for Miss Patty. Sh
was fat on the snow, crawling be
tween the two lower rails of the fence
Have you no shame?" l demanded
She looked up at me with her heat
and half her long sealskin Goa
through the fence.
None" she said pitifully Minnie
I'm stuck perfectly Tight"
You ought to be left as you are"
said, jerking at her, for people t
come"-jerk tomorrow to look at
/ jerk. She came through at that, ant
we lay together in the snow and lik
to burst rib laughing.
You'll never be a princess, Mis-
Patty" I declared. You're too Iowl.
minded"
She sat up suddenly and straight
ened her sealskin cap on her head.
I wish" she said unpleasantly. "
wish you wouldn't always drag in dis
agreeable things, Minnie!"
And she was sulky all the way t
the house.
| Miss Summers came to my room
that night as I was putting my hot-wa
ter bottle to bed, In baby-blue sill
wrapper with band of fur aroun
the low neck-Miss Summers, @
course, not the hot-water bottle.
Welt" she said, sitting down O.
the foot of the bed and staring at me
We'll, young woman, for a person VIII
has never been farther away than Fir
leyville you do pretty WE'LL"
DO what?" l 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 yo
one thing, though" She reached dow
into the pocket Of her dressing-go
and brought up a cigarette and
match. You never had me fooled 70
minute!" She looked at me over tn
match.
l lay and stared back
And another thing" she said.
never had any real intention of MARI!
ing Dicky Carter and raising bah
sanatorium. wouldn't have the fac
to ask Arabella to live here"
I'm glad you feel that way, Mis-
Summers" said. I've gone throug
a lot; I'm an old woman in the las
two weeks. Ny hairs falling from it
having to stand up on end half tn
time"
! She leaned over and put her ciga,
~~~~~-~~>~~o-~-~-~~~-~~-
! throne a decrepit old woman, in who's