The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1914-03-26

ror. and then suddenly she threw back
her head and laughed.
"Minniel" she said, between fits,
"Minniel As long az ! live I'll never
forget that wretched boys facet And |
the sand boxes And the blankets
over the windowsl And the tarpaulin
over the raftersl And Mr.. Van Al |
styne sitting on the lawnmower! I'd |
rather have had my minute in that |
doorway than fifty thousand dollarsl"
"lf you had had to carry out all |
those things" began. but she
checked me.
"L.istenl" 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
naped and reared as a summer hotel
by Papa Thoburn. good fat man is
very, very good, Minnie. but when he
is bad he is horrid."
ITS too late" | objected feebly.
"He can't get 1t now"
Cant he!" She got up and yawned.
stretching. well, I'll lay you ten to
one that II we don't get busy he'll have
the house empty In thirty-six hours,
and bill OF sale on it in as many
days" Then she told me what she
knew OF Thoburn's scheme, and 1t
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 fleas. Have you heard
the glad tidings?"
"What?" | asked without much spir.
lit. I've heard considerable tidings
lately. and not much of It has cheered
me 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 do It. or will your" said,
filling up the chewing gum jar. (Mr.
Pierce had taken away the candy
case.)
Doctor Barnes glanced around to
see II there was anyone near. and
leaned farther over.
"The cupboard isn't empty nowi" he
said. Not for nothing did | spend
part OF the night in the Dicky-bird's
nest! What do you think is in the
cupboard"
II know about It," I said shortly.
"Liquor-in a case labeled Books
breakable.'"
Almost goal. But not only liquors,
my little friend. Champagne-cases OF
it-caviar, canned grouse with truf-
fes, lobster, cheese. fine cigars, every
thing you could think OF. erotic, ex-
otic and narcotic. An orgy In cane
and bottles, a bacchanalian revel; a
cupboard full OF indigestion. Joy, for
getfulness 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.
They're all crazy about the simple
| life"
He looked around and. seeing no one
In the lobby, reached over and took
one Of my hands.
Strange" he said. looking at It.
mo webs. and yet it's been an amphi-
bious little creature most OF It's life
My dear girl, our friend Thoburn Is a
rascal, but he Is also a student OF
mankind and philosopher. Geo." he
said. think OF woman fighting her
way alone through the world with bit
OF fist like thatl"
jerked my hand away.
Its like this, my dear" he said.
Human natures curious thing. It's
human nature, for instance, for me to
be crazy about you, when you're as
hands-offleh as curly porcupine. And
1t is human nature. by the same token.
to like to be bullied, especially about
health, and to respect and admire the
fellow who does the bullying. That's
why we were crazy about Roosevelt,
and that's why Pierce is trailing his
kingly robes over them while they lie
on their faces and eat dlrt-and
stewed fruit"
He reached for my hand again, but /
put II behind me.
But alas" he said. there is another
side to the human nature, and our
friend Thoburn has not kept sum-
mer hotel for nothing. II is notorious
ly weak. especially as to stomach. You
may feed 'em prunes and whole wheat
bread and apple sauce. and after a
while they'll forget the fat days. and
remember only the lean and hungry
ones. But let some student OF human
nature at the proper moment introduce
Just one fat day. one feast. one
revel-"
Talk English" said sharply.
Don't break in on my flights OF
fancy" he objected III you want
the truth. Thoburn is going to have a
party-a forbidden feast He's going
10 rouse again the sleeping dogs OF an