Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-09-29
n CHAPTER IT. Continued.

CHAPTER II. (Continued.)
9 He sat down and unwrapped 1t him.
Mself. They are guaranteed" he ex-
Nplained passing out the little pink
Eslips gravely, 80 when they wear
Eholes you get another pair for moth
Eng" The twins faces had frightened
Eswonderfully. Il will never play that
Nkind of trick again, twins, so you
Eneedn't be suspicious of me. And say!
%Whenever you want anything so badly
#it makes you feel like that, come and
talk 1t over Well manage some way.
MOf course, we're always a little hard
mp, but we can generally scrape up
Msomething extra from somewhere. And
I'VE will You mustnt-weel like that
about things. Just tell me about 1t.
NGirls are so-kind of funny, you
Mknow."
ss The twins and Connie rushed to the
Hhouse to try the "fee" of the first,
R!adored silk stockings. They donned
them, admired them, petted Connie,
MldoliZed their father, and then remov-
Mlns them, tied them carefully In clean
white tissue paper and deposited them
M1n the safest corner of the bottom
Drawer of their dresser. Then they
4lay back on the bed, thinking happily
Aof the next class party! Silk stock
Mings! All!
Cant you just imagine how we'll
look in our new white dresses, Lark,
@and our patent leather pumps-with
silk stockings! really feel there is
nothing sets of a good compilations as
well as real silk stockings!"
They were interrupted In this de-
S2iEhtful occupation by the entrance OF
Fairy. The twins had quickly real.
liked that the suggestion for their hui
miliating had come from her, and their
hearts were sore, but being good los
Mers-at least, as good losers as real
live folks can be-they wouldn't have
admitted 1t for the world.
M Come on in, Fairy" said Lark cor
Mdially. Aren't we lazy today?"
Twins said Fairy, self conscious
Eear the first time in the twins knowl'
edge of her, II suppose you know 1t
NwasI who suggested that idiotic little
Stocking stunt 1t was awfully hateful
Eof me. and sos bought you some real
Eoilk stockings with my own spending
amoney and here they are, and you
jneedn't thank me for I never could be
fond Of myself again until I squared
things with you"
III The twins had to admit that it was
kreally splendid OF Fairy and they
Ethanked her with unfeigned zeal.
M But papa already got us pair and
tDo you can take these back and get
Ayour money again. 1t was just as
6Weet OF you, Fairy, and we thank
you, and II was perfectly dear and dar-
hing, but We have papa's now, and"
"Good for papa!" Fairy cried, and
burst out laughing at the joke that
Uroved so expensive for the perpetrat-
#ors But you shall have my burnt
1o4lerinG, too It serves us both right,
1T especially me, for it was my idea"
And Fairy walked away feeling very
Seratided and generous.
e Only girls who have wanted silk
Stockings for whole lifetime" can
realize the blissful state of the parsOn-
Rage twins. They lay on the bed plan
snlng the most impossible but magni-
AAcent things they would do to show
their gratitude, and when Aunt Grace
Eetopped at their door they leaped up
70 oyerwhelm her with caresses just
because of their gladness.
~ She waved them away with laugh.
April fool, twins she said, with a
voice so soft that ii took all the sting
from the words. Il brought you sosme
real silk stockings for a change And
she tossed them a package and started
Nout of the room to escape their thanks.
But she stopped in surprise when the
girls burst into merry laughter.
"Oh, you silk stockings" Carol
#eried. Three pairs! You darling
sweet old auntie! You would come up
here to tease us, would you? But papa
gave us pair, and Fairy gave us a
pair, and"
"They did. Why, the silly things"
And the gentle woman looked as seri
0usly vexed as she ever did look-she
had SO wanted to give them the first
silk stocking experience herself.
"Oh. here you are" cried Prudence.
stepping quickly in, and speaking very
brightly to counterbalance the gloom
she had expected to encounter. She
started back in some disnay when she
saw the twins rolling and rocking with
laughter. and Aunt Grace leaning
against the dresser for support, with
Connie on the floor, quite speeches..
Good for you. twins-that's the
way to take hard knocks she said.
cit wasn't a very nice trick, though
Of course papa didn't understand how