Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1916-06-29
PLAYING
GRANDMA
By M. QUAD
By M. QUAD
Copyright, 1916. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.

MlluIeu, 10 you KNOW HOW Olu you
are?"
1t was Mildred Bennett herself, who,
with ladylike yawn, laid aside her
book and answered:
almost as old as Methuselah."
And do you know that you ought to
have been married two or three years
ago? Here you are twenty-five years
old, and, as far as you have told me,
you have not even been in love yet.
What is the matter, dear?'
well, grandma, there's good many
things the matter. l am sort of
talk fiancee; talk war"
"Pshaw, Mildred. You are too hard
on yourself Go put on your hat and
take long walk"
Eyes, l guess WILL" was Che an
swer, and with the words bright lit
tie thought flashed into the girls
brain, and her eyes sparkled with fun.
eff l am old enough to match Me
thuselah's age l am old enough to
wear spectacles and be grandma"
laughed the girl as she took off her
own outfit and brought from grand
mas room different one.
When attired in grandma's best the
deception was a fair one.
Once outside of the gate she headed
down the road and began at once to
practice the gait that naturally goes
with old age. There was a small
grove beside the highway a quarter of
mile away, which she was bound
for.
Miss Mildred reached the grove with
out adventure, but one was coming
and close at hand. She took a seat on
log and was wondering if anything
further would happen, when some
thing did. A man came out of the
woods on the other side of the high
way, and, as he saw her, he stopped
and asked
Grandma, did you see rabbit run
across the road here? I want to shoot
one and get one of its feet for luck
mo; didn't" was the reply as the
girl noticed that the man had a gun
and from his bearing was evidently
from the city.
We'll, there goes my chance" sigh
ed the young man, who was evidently
about twenty-five years old, as he
came across the road and sat down on
the same log and wiped the perspira-
alton from his forehead.
Miss Mildred turned a shoulder to
him to hide her face as much as pos
sible, but after a minute he continued:
Grandma, do you believe there's
any luck in carrying rabbits footY
There may be-" was the muftied
rejoinder.
Il have an old grandma myself" said
the man after pause Of minute or
two. "She keeps to the old fashioned
ways, same as you do, and we never
try to modernize her. beg your par
don when l say that your attire is not
only unique, but very becoming. Might
l ask without rudeness how old you
are?"
Il feel about hundred and twenty
five years old,' replied Miss Mildred.
well. that's good old age" said
the stranger with laugh, land hope
".
hope have not intruded, but l must
go now. / want to get that rabbit if
possible"
And Brian Moore, who did live in the
city and was out in the country for a
weeks holiday, rose up and lifted his
hat and went on. When he was out of
sight Miss Mildred lifted her spectacles
and placed them on the log beside her
and laughed heartily for the next ten
minutes. She must go back and tell
Grandma Parsons about it, and she did
go back, but when she rose up to go
she left the spectacles behind her. She
had been in the house ten minutes or
more, and she and grandma were max
ing merry over the adventure, when
knock was heard at the front door.
CPL see who is there" said the girl,
and, forgetting that she still wore the
ancient costume which she had donned
when she set out for the grove, she
walked through the hall and at the
door she came face to face with the
He started back at sight of her. and
she started back at sight of him. He
recovered first, and, handing out the
spectacles, he demurely said, and smiI-
ed as he said it:
please, grandma, but you left YOUR
spectacles behind on the log. 1 had to
go back there to see if the rabbit had
taken refuge under it,
Miss Mildred reached out and took
the spectacles, but she did not thank
him. She tried to, but failed. In
stead of thanks, she found herself say
ing:
"You look tired and hot Shan't 1
bring you glass Of water?"
IF you please" he half laughed.
The water was brought, and then
the two sat down on the veranda. and
when the girl confessed her crime,
with many blush and giggle, and the
young man confessed that he was not
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