Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1914-04-09
FORCE or EXAMPLE
Somehow, Mrs. BIunt's Object
Lesson Didn't Work as II
Should Have Done.
BIZ kay cAMMAck.


7, the incipient lawn Of the newly con
structed cottage, Mrs. Blunt raped
! again, more loudly. Well, Mrs. Ma
honey" she said crisply to the an
gular slattern who at last opened the
door, cas- you have paid no attention
to the two letters from the Newtown
| Village improvement society, / have
been delegated"
'But, Mrs. Blunt, ma'am2v
unfortunately, Mrs. Mahoney, I
know only too well what excuses you
will make" Mrs. Blunt's capable,
weu-gloved hand commanded silence.
1--WE have had them from host of
others Please allow me to finish.
Since you have not sufficient pride
in your village to remove this dis
graceful rubbish heap, / have been
delegated by the society to remove it
myselfp Her jaw snapped deci-
sively. "Please don't interrupt. The
officers Of the Improvement society
are determined to prove to all resi-
dents the sincerity of their struggle
to regenerate this shameless town.
We"
"But, Mrs. Blunt, ma'am," plead
ed Mrs. Mahoney, twisting her apron
distressfully.
Permit mew broke in Mrs.
Blunt -icily. "Since letters have
failed, we are determined to teach
through example. The upkeep of
the village should be your pride as
well as mine, Mrs. Mahoney"-her
reproving eye fixed the rusty, three
legged stove and reprobate shoe
drunkenly browning the conglom-
crate heap-"and hope, after prov
ing to you that am not ashamed to
be seen personally removing this
this eyesore and offense-you will
follow my example"
"But, Mrs. Blunt, ma'am-my
husband"
at is too late for promises. If
your husband had really meant to
do anything, he would have an
swered our letters. i shall be back
at eleven with a cart, and / hope---I
earnestly hope, Mrs. Mahoney-that
my example may inspire in you a
little of that village pride and COM
munity of interest for which we are
working" With her head superla- |
lively high-for, though responsible
for this radical suggestion, she felt |
it necessary-to counterbalance the ex-
IRENE humility of its performance
Mrs. Blunt gathered her tailored
skirt about her, and moved in stately
fashion to the street. Every line of
her retreating figure. carried rebuke
to the open-mouthed, tousle-headed
lrishwoman, and babe her reflect
upon the sublimity of the example
about to be set.
Promptly at eleven she returned,
more practically clad; behind her a
pipe-sucking Hibernian upon a
creaking cart. Back of the cotton
lace curtains of the sacred parlor
Mrs. Mahoney, her red arms glisten-
ing with soapy water, peered curl
ously. Her patiently placating
mood of the morning was gone, for,
turning away, she Rugged her rough |
ened elbows and laughed. She would
have watched longer, but a speedily
resolved upon expedition, after Mrs.
BlunPs early call, had put her be-
hind with her washing.
Her detection was more than
made up by the attendance of a small
boy, whose shrill whistle changed
into a rude eli, Tubby, here's a
sight fer ye-come on overp TO
which second juvenile savage re-
sponded speedily.
Mrs. Blunt found her awkward
handling Of the unaccustomed spade
the target of jeering criticism for
which she had not bargained. Her
famous eye, promptly focused upon
the offenders, failed to quench. In
stead, they grinned derisiyely, kicked
pebbles in unfeigned JOY, spun upon
their calloused heels and snickered.
with frightened lips and fine color
she applied herself to her wretched
task, almost wishing that the ladies
OF Newtown had continued to pass
ITS shameful qurlieus with averted
ewes. Once tha avas bol A...1l..