Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-04-15
Why the Horse
W hinnied

Adelaide was tired OF shopping.
Stores are so large and there are so
few places where little girl can sit
down to rest! If mother had been
shopping in the toy department it
would have been different; but sheets
and pillow cases are stupid though
necessary. So mother left Adelaide
at fathers Office while she went back
to the shops and sheets and pillow
cases. .., ~. r.. @r.,
Father is an editor, and he sits at
his desk writing, writing, always writ
Ing. When Adelaide was younger she
supposed he was doing his writing
lesson, as she did twice a week: but
now she knows that he writes down
all that happens the world over, so
that the printers may know what to
print in the columns of the evening
paper.
When one calls on father. one must
sit very quietly by the window. look
ing at pictures in papers and maya.
zines or cutting them out for paper
dolls. One must not interrupt father
unless it is absolutely necessary-like
cut finger or pin that hurts-and
one must never, never fret. not even
if it is a quarter of an hour past
luncheon time.
This morning Adelaide seated her.
self with the mucilage bottle and the
big desk shears and some lovely tissue
paper rescued from the waste bas-
ket, to make dress for lady doll
cut out Of magazine. AS she sat
there working she heard horse
Whinny in the street below. Some
whinnies mean please, master, I'm
tired Of waiting here Others are
"How-de-do's' to passing horse ac-
quaintances. Adelaide wondered
what this one meant.
She colored the lady dolls eyes blue
and her cheeks red with fathers col
ored pencils. Then she heard the
horse talking again. The window was
so high and the sill so broad that she
could not see down to the street be-
low. She wished Sze knew what the
horse wanted All the time Adelaide
was making the lady dolls gown-bluc
MED. Sri
The dress was just finished-it was
lovely-when father laid down his
work, got up from his chair and asked,
How about luncheon?'
The incest part CT visiting father is
going out to luncheon with him. One
goes to funny little restaurant
where instead of pictures on the wall
are framed signs reading oysters"
Chicken Salad" Coffee Rolls and
names Of other delicious dishes. One
sits at little round table with father
and orders either from these sign
pictures or from the bill of fare,
which is fine print and harder to read
So when father laid down his work
got up from his. chair and said How
about luncheon?' Adelaide quickly
laid down her work, slipped out of her
chair, and replied, "Oh, yes
They went down in the elevator and
through the large hall. AS teey
reached the sidewalk that same horse
/ whinnied again, and this time Adelaide
knew what he was talking about, TO-.
she could see him. Just out from IN
! der his nose fruit vender had set
up a stand of pears, large and yellow
and fragrant.
"Oh, father" cried Adelaide, The
! has UCeu ttdSlllS lOl q PSoA LII ShN
| longest time and | heard him; but l
didn't know what. he wanted because
I couldn't see him or the pears either.
You poor horsey, how dreadful to have
all that smell and not single taste!"
! "Wnat had we better do about it,"
asked father smiling. #..,
Adelaide considered. ~
"You know. father" she said, that
while you drink your little cup Of COT
fee that is just like my dolls cups,
! have a glass of milk and a banana or
an orange or a peach
Father remembered. -
Now T think will have a pear to.
day, and if you would just as lief, I
will have it now and give it to horsey
because he wants it SO badly
7 Father said he was feeling rather
rich today and perhaps he might at
ford to treat both the horse and Ade-
laide to dessert. He bought two pears
of the fruit seller-they were two for
five cents-and Adelaide took one by
the stem and held it up to the horse.
He pushed out his lips, as horses do,
and seized the fruit in them. While
he ate it he blinked at Adelaide in a
contented fashion. After he had eat
en- the second pear and Adelaide and
her father were walking on he whin-
MED again but this time the whinny
said, THANK you" s.s....... tNa.
Didn't he enjoy them!' said AIDE
llaide. II guess, if you really feel rich
enough to afford it, l will have pear
myself while you drink your dolls cup
of coffee, instead of banana or an
orange or peach. 80 =. .
Zelma Johnson, a New