Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-06

I Larkie promised to speak a piece
at the Sunday school concert two
weeks from tomorrow" she vouchsaf
ed. as unconcernedly as possible.
"Mercy!" calculated Connie, witt
an establishment that was not alto
gether complimentary.
Careful, Larkie,' cautioned Fairy
you'll disgrace the parsonage If yor
don't watch out"
Nonsense" declared their father
Lark can speak as well as anybody II
she just keeps good grip on herself
and doesn't get stage fright
Aunt Grace smiled gently.
Connie frowned. Its a risky bust
ness" she said. Lark can't speak
any more than rabbit, and"
i II know it, was the humble admis
sion.
Don't be goose. Con-" interrupt
ed Carol. "Of course Lark can speak
a piece. She must learn it, learn It,
learn it, so she can rattle it of back.
wards with her eyes shut. Then even
if she gets scared, she can go right on
and folks won't know the difference
1t gets to be habit If you know it
/ we'll clAOuSu. udI.S IuC "AOAC SCSl GU
OF course she can speak"
I "How did 1t happen"' inquired
Fairy. d. sisaas 5s.s,,s
II don't know" Lark said sorrow
fully. Nothing was ever farther from
, my. thoughts, assure you. The first
thing knew, Mrs. Curtiss was thank
ing me for my promise and Carol was
marching me of like grim death"
Carol smiled, relieved now that the
family commentary was over. 1T was
very natural. Mrs. Curtiss begged her
to do 1t, and Lark refused. That al
ways happens, every time the Sunday
school gives an entertainment. But
Mrs. Curtiss went on to say how bad
! ly the Sunday school needs the mon
ey and how big drawing card 1t
| would be for both of us twins to be
.on the program, one right after the
other, and how we'll it would look for
| the parsonage, and 1t never occurred
to me to warn Lark, for never dream
ed of her doing it. And all Of a sud
den she said, All right, then, I'll do
it, and Mrs. Curtiss gave her piece
and we came home. But I'm not wor-
ried about it, Lark can do anything
| If she only tries"
~ thought it wouldn't hurt me to try
it once" Lark volunteered in her own
| defense.
Aunt Grace nodded, with a smile of
interested approval.
I'm proud of you, Lark, quite proud
of YOU her father said warmly. Its
a big thing for you to make such
plunge-just fine"
I'm proud of you now, too" Con.
ME said darkly The question is,
will we be proud Of you after the con-
cert?"
Lark sighed dolorously.
"Oh, pooh!" encouraged Carol
Anybody can speak silly little old
piece like that. And 1t will look so
nice to have our names right togeth.
er on the program. It'll bring out all
the high school folks, sure"
yes, they'll come to hear Lark all
right Fairy smiled. But she'll make
! 1t go, of course. And it will give Car
oil chance to show her cleverness by
telling her how to do it,
So soon as supper was over, Carol
said decidedly, Now, Connie, you'll
have to help me with the dishes the
lcAl LWO WcchS LII lLtIh SOI W pTdC-
tice on that piece. Lark, you must
read it over, very thoughtfully first to
get the meaning. Then just read it
and read it and read it. dozen times,
a hundred times, over and over. And
pretty soon you'll know it,
"I'll bet l don't" was the discour.
aging retort, as LarR, with pronounc.
ed distaste took the slip of paper and
sat down in the corner to read the
blooming thing as she muttered
Grossly to herself.
Connie and Carol did up the dishes
in dreadful silence, and then Carol re-
turned to the charge. How many
times did you read it,"
Fourteen and half" was the pa
tient answer. Its silly thing, Car
oil. There's no sense to it. The wind
went drifting DER the lea Z"
ooh, that's not SO bad" Carol said
helpfully. 1--WE had pieces with worse
lines than that. The imprint of
dainty foot for instance. When you
say, The wind went drifting DER the
lea you must kind Of let your voice
glide along very rhythmically, very"
"Windily,' suggested Connie, who
remained to witness the exhibition.
You keep still, Constance Starr, or
you can get out Of here! It's no laugh
ing matter Il can tell you, and you have
to keep out or won't help and then