The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-08-23
SPRING CLEANING
BY LOUISE OLIVER.


tic. With sleeves rolled up over her
plump elbows, her hair tucked Sc
curely under a blue dustcap and her
figure completely hidden by a big
apron, she was reyeling in houseclean-
ing.
The warm, sweet breeze blew in
through the open windows and with
it came the perfume of apple blossoms.
In her line of vision directly across
the street, two figures passed one an
other, and Miss Hannah paused in her
scrubbing To casual observer moth
ing had happened except that young
man and a young woman had bowed
to each other, but to Miss Hannah,
with her sharp eyes and her knowl-
edge of things and people, a tragedy
had occurred. And knowing this, she
craned her neck just little to get
better view of a certain house on
the opposite side of the street.
st thought so. Sans outside, the
cranky, misery old sinner It's a
shame, that's what it is. They are so
dead in love with each other they'll
never be a mite o. good till they get
married, and there isn't any good rea-
son why they shouldn't. Harley's got
a right decent position, and If Sam
Martin wasn't as tight as fiddlestring
he'd giveBetty nice, substantial we'd
ding present and say, God bless you,
my childreni
Miss Hannah wiped her eyes. My
heart aches for the poor dears. Dear
knows Betty has been an angel to
that cid crank of grandfather. There
isn't another soul this side of heaven
that could have kept house for him
/ wouldn't for million dollars, if he
is my very own cousin"
So worked up was Miss Hannah that
housekeeping had lost it's charms. De
scending to the first floor, she went out
was working in flower bed by the
porch.
Good morning, SAM"
What do you want? Another aid
baby needin help? Nope, not to-
day."
Just wait till you're asked before
you refuse, please. / came to see
about Betty She and Harley want to
get married, and there isn't a reason
ON this green earth why you should be
so mean as not to let them. Why,
Betty's been"
The old mans eyes blazed.
You keep quiet, you meddler. It's
my business and not yours. Betty S
mother married poor man and | had
| to keep him when he got sick, and
| her, too, and after they both died il
was the girl. And now she wants to
marry pauper. It'll be the same thing
over again! What do you think am
an institution for the down and
! out?"
Miss Hannah went home crestfallen
/ She felt that she had only made. mat
tiers worse for the two she had beer
so anxious to help. THE worst o.
Sans meanness u.s." she reflected
that he didn't make cent of it him
self. It was merely an accident o
| law that gave him that estate wheI
there was no will, and / never could
see why Brother Tom and / hadn't ;
right to some of it."
Harley, having delivered a paper tt
| a client, went on his way back to tn
Office, and Betty, her errand finished
was on her way home when they me
under blossoming peach tree tina
spread over the fence Of the Collins
yard.
It was impossible to pass such
vision without stopping and whisper
ing a word that brought the color fly
ing to Betty's cheeks. ooh, Harley,
she protested, you know we prom
| Used not to-not to She faltere
and her eyes filed.
well, was fool to promise any,
thing so impossible, and I'm goin
right over and tell him so. This
a free country, and 1 guess l can tai
to whomever I pleased"
| But it seemed he was to be spare
the trouble OF trip in order to III
burden himself to Betty's irate rel;
tive, for the old man, crossing tn
street to borrow troWel from tn
Watsons, looked their way and sa'
the lovers talking under the peac
tree Changing his course, he mad
straight in their direction.
Just then Miss Hannah, holding
, yellow, much-creased paper in be
. trembling fingers and trying her be-
: to convince herself that she was M
. dreaming, happened to look out of tt
. window and saw exactly what Wa
: happening.
. Without hesitating an instant, 81
. ran downstairs and out of the frol
. door, still holding the discolored b
= of paper in her hand.
. SAM" she said. Sam, wait
: minute"
. But Sam didn't hear; at least
81 did not halt.
oil SAM" she called again. And, !
. running and calling, she reached Il
o peach tree at the same instant tn
. Betty's grandfather stepped up al
. shook his fist under Harley's nose. /.
. Look here, Sam Martini" she cri'
. excitedly, 81 found grandfather's Ia
. will up in the old chest, and Tom al
. l have a right to two-thirds OF yo
= money. I'm going to give my share
. those two lambs this minute, al
y there's going to be a wedding at
. house about tomorrow, or | miss n
y guess. There now! You just ST
. along back home out Of my way, "
. YOU? I've got some things TO ia
= over with Harley and Betty befo
. luneh!"