Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-01-21
The Best of Chester
a TALE OF RED ROSES
BY George Randolph Chester
Author Of Get Rich Quick Welingford. ETC.
Copyrighted The Bo6bsAaeerlM Company

l
angling the corner of 1t just so.
Both of us, hope" he stated, dis
playing a warning signal by pulling
at the top of his collar to give his
throat more room. "Molly--' and he
advanced toward her.
The symptoms were unmistakable.
Molly. having rounded the end of the
table slipped out through the pantry
door, and handed her remaining en-
velopes to the intellectual-looking but
Ter.
place these on the table just as l
have done; alternate red and white
ones.' she kindly directed, and tho
next time Bert saw her, she was the
live center of the laughing taffy pull
ing. She had preferred to escape
rather than to treat this matter either
seriously or fiippantly when she was
annoyed with him.
| At ten thirty, coincident with the
finishing Of the ice-cream, and while
the hectic revulsion in Sledge's favor
wrought by the season passes was at
its height, the approaching tinkle OF
mandolins and guitars brought the
happy company to it's feet, and before
1t had gained the front porch, four
rich, mellow Ethiopian voices were
softly intonating Annie Laurie. There
was a rush and a clatter, and then
| hush and instinctvely the young peo-
pie grouped themselves as nearly as
, possible to their best-liked friends,
| while, from the moonlit sward, there
rolled up the sweet liquid harmony
"Oh, Molly, you're DEAR" whls-
pered Jessie Peters, in an ecstacy OF
delight.
Molly pressed the arm which had
| slipped under hers and glanced IN the
direction of Sledge. That huge crea-
ture. silhouetted against the light OF
the library Willow like one of his own
cartoons was standing as stolfdly un-
concerned as if he had just ordered
another stein She felt him to be
guilty of this surprise, and she won
dered vaguely if he could have die
tated the program. She dismissed
that idea as absurd and impossible
when the singers swung into My Old
Kentucky Home. and followed with
The Soldiers Farewell, but she puz-
zled again when the leader, after look
ing up at sledge. consulted a list, and
began on swift succession of rag
time and shouting coon songs, and
way-down-south melodies. short
program of this, and then the voices
stopped. and the seductive instrument
tai strains of The Blue Danube Waltz
set the balmy air aquiver.
In two seconds the wide Marley
porch was tangle Of laughing, whirl-
ing figures, and the dancers immedl-
ately sent in unanimous verbal re-
quest for all the dance music in the
world. specifying it by name. Molly
danced with Bert, and forgot her an
novance. He was the best dancer in
the city: her natural partner!
CHAPTER VIII (Continued)
At eleven thirty Mr.. Marley, with
the worry of eight absent mothers on
his own shoulders, was fretting over
some invention to send them nome,
when the earth split open in the vide
stretch of vacant land across the
street. and elected into the sky, with
loud unearthly noise, tremendous
assortment of fiery meteors, mostly
red Roman candles, in reckless
punches, shot up from behind every
bush; skyrockets dragged their spiral
ing tails through all the available
circumambience, while fancy bombs
carried their aerial foaters and other
brilliant pyrotechnical surprises into
all the celestial territory hitherto I'M
occupied.
Through it all Sledge stood as i'm
movable and as impressive as ii he had
been glued to the spot and frozen.
Even when the display flowed out in
to the middle of the highway and piled
up the street cars for two blocks IN
both directions, he remained calm
and disinterested spectator. The presl-
dent of the traction company was
thrown into exremc agitation by this
/ excess Of zeal for he had some con-
sideration for the feelings OF the pup
lie. and he rushed right out to restore
the scattered schedule. =,
Here. what's this?" he demanded
of a demon with a e-blackeneo
face. "Why are you holding up the
cars?" -
"Sledge's ORDERS" replied the de-
mon, lighting the fuse of a red rose
set piece. "He said everything went
and it's going"
Mr.. Marley came back.
Sledge was no longer on the porch.
J Molly had slipped in to wrap up some
cake for Baby Peters, and Sledge'
who seemingly saw nothing, had fol-
lowed her.
well, is your party hit?" he anx-
iously inquired.
"It's a scream" she said, unable
to control her laughter. Really, mr..
Sledge. I have you to thank for the
most extravagantly joyous occasion at
which l have ever had the good for
tune to preside"
We'll open her another notch next
time" he confidently promised her'
molly, marry me-
ooh. it's impossible." she blurted.
Really, I'm sorry, Mr.. Sledge. l
know it's my own fault, but | didn't
means it to 60 this far ] don't mean
! that-that is-well-I don't know
what I near. You've beeu SO good
and I do appreciate it SO, but it is i'm,
possible! l simply couldn't. Don
| you see?"
you'll come around to it,
| at NOT drn'tt" she hlaZed