Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-11

"Peggie, give me a piece of paper"
| Peggie's head was bent over the fiat
| topped mission desk near the open
window. She went on writing intently.
"Just little piece, big enough for
something want to make, Pegg1e.
Your typewriter papers all right" A
pause Jack fidgeted in the doorway.
"Peggie, please, ple-ease!"
"Not Just now, dear Pretty soon.
Come back when finish this letter"
Jack went out and sat down at the
top of the stairs, his chin on his palms
Girls were bad enough as force to
contend with, but girl sisters took the
cake for downright self1shness and
lack of sympathy. He wanted a para
chute. Maybe he could even bend the
paper so it would make an airship.
There was way to do it. Anyhow, he.
could take thread and put a piece in
each corner Of square of paper, then
weight it what should he weight it
with? A dead fy7 A button? A pea
nut shell riding skyward in paper
parachute. There was something to
really stir the imagination. To be
sure parachutes did not usually ride
balloned out as the breeze caught them
and sailed away gallantly.
He went downstairs to hunt an adj
venturous ant out In the garden and
ask his mother If she knew where
there was peanut shell.
Peggie went on writing. She glanc-
cd up sometimes dreamily and looked
at the house across the, street. 1t was
q studio bachelor building. an innova-
ton in the quiet residential square,
with it's pretty octagon shaped private
park and ivied houses looking out on
the bay.
For the past month the studio
directly opposite the library windows
had been most interesting. Evidently
it was occupied by sculptor She
caught glfmpses of clay models and
plaster casts on long bare shelves. 1t
looked cool and restful in the room.
There were long, dark, green mesh
curtains at the windows and north
skylight overhead Regarding 1t all
once more, she turned and resumed
writing to her best chum at college,
Nan Carruthers
"He works necessarily. think the
ieW UHt lS DCCduS5 SlO SCCIuO W
carry culver, but maybe it's Greek
girl with a jug, ! mean jar. Oh, Nan,
how wonderful it must be to really live
right In an art atmosphere. You know
we used to browse around together in
New York when I was down with you
last time. Of course love it up where
you live at University Heights, but
weren't those dear little places won
derful all around Washington Square.
Remember the News? And the gate
way set in, with funny Japanese tree
scrambling over the wall? And a
white cat up on one limb, with the
moon behind a dark cloud? I don't
even want to know it. Distance lends
so much enchantment to this special
view"
"Peggie You're wanted at the
phone" called Frances from below.
"Mother's at Peabody & Weston's and
she can't remember whether you said
to get raisin color or more on the
ihyacinth."
Peggie went down quickly, without
irritation at the Interruption. In fact,
Peggie hardly knew what irritation
meant. She had been blest at birth,
the family Sdlu, Will uuletllluS SOou
temper. The world was rose color to
her and infinitely good to live in. She
patted Jacks head lovingly as he
wedged by her on the stairs, and
tried to think Just what would be best
to tell her mother so she would really
get the right tone. Her voice foated
clearly upstairs, while Jack strolled
into the library with a captive ant in
capsule box and several peanuts in
his pocket
'Why, dear, it's a sort of betwixt
and between No, no, not true raisin
tint. I don't want that, nor plum
tone either. Listen, mother, it's like
the bloom On a California grape; don't
you know what I mean? Yes, yes.
Amethystine, that's it, an amethyst
held up in candle glow. understand
mother. What. dear? But I can't
come down myself Pm sure you can
get it all right. You know there's
such a terrible difference in those
purple shades. If you get one with too
much blue in it, it's something awful
at night You might just as we'll buy
L = ~. ~ q