Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-11-07
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
CHAPTER XVI. Continued. J

CHAPTER XVI. (Continued,)
II think you'd better take little.
Ss They might drive to town, or go to a
social or-something."
Cant do It. Haven't a cent
We'll, I guess | can lend you a
little was the smiling reply 1t was
standing joke in the family that
4 Carol had been financially hard press
4 ed ever since she began using powder
several years previous.
Are you fond of Jim. Carol?' Lark
jumped away backward in the con-
versation. asking the question gravely,
her eyes upon her sisters face.
Hum. Yes, | am" was the light
retort. Didn't Prudence teach us to
love everybody"
Don't be silly. I mean If he pro-
4 poses to you, are you going to turn
3 him down, or not?'
What would you advise, Lark
Carols brows were painfully knitted.
n 'He's got five hundred acres OF land,
\. worth at least a hundred an acre, and
H = lot of money in the bank--his moth
or didn't say how much, but mag
4 fne several thousand anyhow. And
4 he has that nice big house and an auto.
and-oh, everything nice! Think OF
the fruit trees, Larkie! And he's GOOD
looking. too. And his mother says he
IL ALWAYS good natured even before
I. breakfast and that's very exceptional,
YOU know! Very! l don't know that
4 could do much better, do you,
auntie? Pm sure I'd look cute in
& sunbonnet and apron, milking the
!. cows! So, boss, SO, there, now! SO,
J boss"
"Why, Carol!
"But there are objections. too.
They have pigs. l can't bear pigs!
Pooooey, pooooey! The filthy little
4 things! / don't know-Jim and the
gray suit and the auto and the cows
art very nice, but when thlnk OF Jlh,
4 and ovcralls and pigs and onions ana
4 freckles have goose flesh. Here they
comei Where's that other slipper!
Oh, it's clear under the bed! sne
I wriggled after it. coming out again
GREATNESS. did rub the powoer all
! ONT" she asked anxiously. !,
The low honk of the car sounded
1 outside and the twins dumped miscel'
/ laneous assortment of toilet artlcies
into the, battered suit case ana tne
tattered hand bag. Carol GRABBED
/ her hat from Connie. leisurely strol.
ling through the hall with 1t, and sent
her flying after her gloves II you
.,can't find mine, bring your own, she
called after her. :,
Aunt Grace and Connie escorted
them triumphantly down the walk 10
the waiting car where the young man
In the rev sentimental gray suit stood
beside the door. His face was boylsh-
Nv eager. and his eyes were full OF
( satisfaction that had sort OF excite
/ ment in it. too. Aunt Grace looked at
him and signed Poor boy she
thought. HE is nice! Carol is mean
little thing"
He smiled at the twins impartially.
"Shall we flip a coin to see who get
IN 'front.'" he asked them, laughing.
His mother leaned out from the
back seat and smiled at the girls very
cordially. Hurry. twinnies. she
said. 1--WE must start or we'll be late
- supper. Come in with me, won't
you, Larkie?"
what a greasy schemer she is
thought Carol, climbing into her place
without delay.
n Jim placed the battered suit case
and the tattered bag beneath the seat
4 and drew the rug over his mothers
! knees. Then he went to Larks side
3 and tucked 1t carefully about her feet.
"It's awfully dusty he said. You
shouldn't have dolled up so. Shall ]
nut your purse in my pocket? Don't
forget you promised to feed the chick
ens--I'm counting on you to do it for
me-"
Then he stepped in beside Carol
s laughing into her bright face. and the
pood.bys rang back and forth as the
car rolled away beneath the heavy
arch of oak leaves that rooted in
Maple avenue.
The twins fairly reveled in the slor-
les of the country through the golden
days that followed and enjoyed every
minute Of every day. and begrudged
the hours they spent in sleep. The
time slipped by like banana skins"
declared Carol GROSSLY, and refused to
explain her comparison. And the last
day of their visit came. Supper was
over at z o'clock. and Lark said, with
something OF usefulness in her voice,
I'm going out to the orchard for
farewell weep all by myself. And
don't any Of you disturb me-Im so
ugly when / cry
So she set out alone, and Jim, little