Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-07-04
Duck" they answered unanimou
ly, and with Frightening faces.


"Why?"
Because he is a duck" said Carol
and they all laughed. But Prudence
returned to the charge without delay
| do you like Miss Allen?" She was
going through these questions with
such solemnity that the twins sus'
picions had been aroused right at the
start. What had Miss Allen told their
sister? Again that significant flash
, from twin to twin.
"She certainly has very likeable
, ways" said Lark shrewdly.
But do you like herr" insisted Pru,
dence.
Il would like her very much under
ordinary circumstances" admitted
Carol.
What is unusual about the circum'
stances?' Prudence wanted to know.
Look here, Prudence, what did
Miss Allen tell you? Was she COM
planning about us? We've been very
nice and orderly, I'm sure Lark was
aggrieved.
"She wasn't complaining. She likes
you both. But she says you do not
like her. want to know why
well, if you must know, Miss Allen
is hereto" snapped Lark. r.
Then Prudence leaned back In her
chair and gazed at the flushed faces
of the twins for two full minutes.
"A-a-a WHAT" she calculated,
when power of speech returned to her.
Hereto" said Carol, with some
relish. "A hereto! You know what
heresy is, don't you? Well tell you all
about it if you like, now you've got
things started
I'VE didn't tell you before because
we thought you and father would
feel badly about sending us to school
to a hereto. But don't you worry
Miss Allen hasn't Influenced us any"
1--WE haven't given her a chance
said Carol with her impish smile.
GO on" begged Prudence. Tell
me. You're both crazy, I see that.
But tell me-"
well" began Lark, for Carol al
ways relegated the story telling to her
more gifted twin. we've suspected
Miss Allen right from the start. They
used to have bible reading every
morning in school, one chapter, you
know, and then the Lords prayer.
After the first week Miss Allen drop
ped it. We thought that was IA sus-
picious circumstance"
"Phenomenally so,'' said Carol dark
ly. 49,. ..1'
But we kept our suspicious. to our
selves and We didn't come across any
thing else for several days. We
couldn't condemn anybody on-on cir
cumstantial evidence. Prue. We're
very fair minded, you know"
"In spite OF being twins" added
Carol.
Whats that got to do with ,it?'
Prudence inquired, frowning at Carol.
"Oh, nothing" admitted Carol, driv'
en- into corner. Il just wanted to
make it emphatic"
GO on, Lark"
"Well, there's girl at school NAM
ed Hattie Simpson. You do not know
her, Prue. We don't associate with
her. On, yes. We like her very we'll,
but she isn't parsonage material"
"she's a goat put in Carol. "You
needn't frown Prue, that's bible.
Don't you remember the sheep and
the goats? don't know now just what
it was they did, but know the goats
were very--very disreputable charac.
ters!"
go on, Lark"
"Well, her folks are atheists and
she's an atheist. too. You know what
an atheist is, don't you? You know,
Prue. Mount Mark is very religious
town. on account Of the Presbyterian
college, and all, and 1t seems the
Simpsons are the only atheists here.
Hattie says people look down on her
terribly because of it. She says the
church folks consider them, the Simp-
sons, that u.s. the dust on their shoes,
and the crumbs off the rich mans
table. She got that terribly mixed
UP. but didn't correct her" 4
II think she did very well for an