Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1916-01-25
PAGE FIVE

big leather chair.
II suppose we eat" he guessed. x x
II think you'd call it bluff" she
laughingly returned.
g" get you" he replied. "Mostly dec
orations. Souvenirs ?"
1.-THE usual" ',,, ~
Hand 'em these" and he thrust into
her hands two bundles of small envel-
opes, red ones and white ones.
She looked at them blanlkly a mo-
ment.
"I-get you" she smiled, flushing
slightly as she wondered whether her
adoption of his phrase was fattery or
ridicule. RED ones, in honor of the
roses, are. for girls, and the white ones
for the boys. What are theyT'
Jaw, nothing much,"s he difidently
replied as he resumed his seat. Sea-
son tickets for grand opera week in
the red ones and for the Athletic club
fghts~in the white ones. Admit two.
Is9ft all right?' FL,
as it all right? It's glorious! she
assured him, with shining eyes.
Delighted with this unmatchable now
city, Molly was herself placing the
red and white envelopes at the covers
in the dining room when Bert Glider
found her therA and closed the door
after himself.
'.Molly, you're carrying this Siedge
Joke too farv' he notly charged.
Ia ,I,~ n,YtA -
wanted to know and laid white en-
velope at his place with extreme care.
angling the corner Of it just so.
"Both Of us, hope" he stated, dis
| playing warning signal by pulling at
the top Of his collar to give his throat
more room. Molly And he advanc-
ed toward her. @
The symptoms were unmistakable.
Molly, having rounded the end Of the
table, slipped out through the pantry
door and handed her remaining en-
velopes to the intellectual looking but
Ter. n sa y y
/ -"Place these on the table just as
have done. Alternate red and white
ones,'' she kindly directed, and the
next time Bert saw her she was the
live center of the laughing taffy pull
ing. She had preferred to escape
rather than to treat this matter either
seriously or fippantly when she was
annoyed with him.
At 1880 Mr. Marley, with the worry
Of eight absent mothers on his own
shoulders, was fretting over some in
| vention to send them home when the
earth split open in the wide stretch Of
| vacant land across the street and
elected into the sky, with loud, I'm
earthly noise, a tremendous assortment
| of fiery meteors, mostly red. Roman
! candles in reckless punches shot up
from behind every bush, skyrockets
dragged their spiraling tails through
all the available circumambience, while
| fancy bombs carried their aerial float
ers and other brilliant pyrotechnical
surprises into all the celestial terri
tory hitherto unoccupied. F2s
Through it all Sledge stood as Inn
movable ann afs iInpassive as ii he had
been glued to the spot and frozen.
Even when the display flowed out into
the middle of the highway and piled
up the street ears for two blocks in,
both directions he remained calm
and DISTINGUISHED spectator. The pres
ident Of the traction company was
thrown into extreme agitation by this
excess Of zeal, for he had some con-
sideration for the feelings of the pub
lie, and lie rushed right out to restore
the scattered schedule.
Here, what's this?" he demanded OF
a demon with smoke blackened face.
"Why are you holding up the cars:"
"Sedge's orders replied the demon.
lighting the fuse of rcd rose set
piece. ''He said everything went, and
it's going"
Mr.. Marley came back.
Sledge was no longer on the porch.
Molly had slipped in to wrap up some
cake for Baby Peters. and Sledge. who
seemingly saw nothing. had followed
her.
'Well, is your party hit?" he anx-
iousIy inquired.
"Its scream she said. unable to
control her laughter. REALLY. Mr..
Sledge, have you to thank for the
most extravagantly joyous occasion at
which | have ever had the good for
tune to preside
Wen open her another notch next
time" he confidently promised her.
Molly. marry me-"
"Oh. it's impossible" she blurted.
Really. I'm sorry, Mir. Sledge. know
it's my own fault. but didn't mean it
to go this far. don't mean that
that is-well l don't know what
mean. You've been so good, and ! do
appreciate it so, but it is impossible!
l simply couldn't. Don't you see?"
You'll come around to It,
81 bet don'tv' she blazed.
"Whatll you bet-Smash against
Bob?''
Anything you like"' she angrily
agreed, furious enough to poison him.