The Dolores star., 1916-06-30
CHAPTER TX.
Action and Diana,

Memorial day dawned fair and
warm. Bert and his wife and all their
'help" went OF to the village after
breakfast. There were no painters In
my house. and Mike had MIXED the
cows and gone home before arrived.
Miss Goodwin and I seemed to have
that little section OF Bentford quite to
ourselves. after the last OF the carry
alls had ratified past. taking the vet
Grams from Slab City to the town. Hav-
ing no flag yet Of my own. borrowed
one from Bert. and we hung 1t from
second-story window. facing the
road. as our tiny contribution to the
sentiment Of the day. Then we tackled
the rose trellls, speedily completing 1t,
for only two arches remained to be
built, one Of the carpenters having
built three for me the day before. while
waiting for some shingles to come for
the barn. Indeed, we had it done by
ten O'Clock. 81.
'Now what?" said she.
looked about the garden. The roses
had not yet come, so we couldn't very
well plant them. judged that the
morning Of warm, sunny day was no
time to transplant seedlings. The
painting was not yet completed in
side, SO l could fix up no more Of my
rooms. The vegetable garden didn't
appear to need cultivation. We couldn't
paint the trellIs. as there was no green
paint.
Good gracious" l exclaimed. this
Is the first time I've been at loss for
something to do. It's a terrible sensa-
ton"
Couldn't we build bird bath ?" she
suggested.
Madam said l, you are a genius!'
AT the brook" she added.
NO. not the brook. I've a better
idea" said I. "My plan is to put the
bird bath on the east edge Of the lawn,
halfway between the house and the
rose aqueduct, corresponding to the
sundial In the center, and to a white
bench which will be placed at the west
side when the grape arbor is built"
Approved" laughed Miss Goodwin.
We measured of the spot, and I
mixed lot Of cement, laid it over
thick, set the bottomless box frame
down upon 1t. and built up the four
sides. As the girl had no gloves, ]
would not allow her to handle the
cement (for nothing cracks the skin
so badly, as I had discovered in my
orchard work). But she kept busy mix
ing with the hoe, and handing me
bricks. Some broke and put in end
wise. and I was careful to give all as
irregular a setting as possible, till the
top was reached. Then. Of course,
laid an even line of the best bricks all
the way around, and leveled them care.
fully. We had scarcely got the last
brick on when we heard Bert's carry.
all rattle over the bridge and Bert's
voice yelling "Dinner!"
"Oh, dear. That cement in the box
will hardenv' l cried. Dump it all in,
Then. mixing more cement I laid
a square bowl, as It were. two inches
deep. on the top Of the little brick pile.
We let 1t settle a few moments, and
then carefully broke away the box.
There stood the bird bath.
Can we put water in 1t YETI" the
girl asked.
Surely" said 1. Cement will hard
en- under water. And we'll plant climb
ing nasturtiums around it. too"
We passed through the house. The
Kitchen. dining room. and hall were I'm
ished and the paint drying. They
looked very fresh and bright. The
south room, as we stepped into 1t. was
flooded with sunlight and cheerful with
rugs and books. Flinging wide the
glass door, we stepped out upon the
terrace Of the pergola -to-be, and looked
toward the new bird bath. Upon its
rim sat song sparrow! Even as we
watched. another came and fiuttered
bis fest and breast daintily through
the trembling little mirror Of water.