The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1916-10-16
THE Professors sA|p
sy FRANCES LAW.

The professor stopped a. he wal
passing the little house next door, fol
there on the swing sat Miss Martins
Tilbrtdge. crocheting.
"A little warm for 80 early in the
year." he remarked, pleasantly. II
seemed that although these two had
been n%eighbors for years they never
got past the conventional subject Of
the weather Or how much better the
ulacs were doing this year than last.
He was quite up on his own porch
aad had his hand on the screen door
before Martha had the courage to ask
"How are you getting along, since
Mrs. Gold went awayr
"Pretty well. Her niece is here to
look after me until she returns"
my. but I wish l had his teeth
when he smiles r. sighed Martha and,
not realizing that her words weren't
exactly what she meant at all, she
sat q minute Idle, but her thoughts
were buster than her hands. "That's
4 shiftless creature that's keeping
house for him now. I suppose it's the
best he could do, though. Well, I
guess I'd better get a cup Of tea. I
do believe he'd like q piece Of that
nut bread of mine. I'll take over a
plate Of it:n
So, rolling up the work, she went
back to the kitchen. Then, before
thinking of her own lunch, she fixed
up the professors treat, covered 1t
with q napkin and took 1t over the
back way. The clothesline. was d.
rectiy across her path and she had to
dodge various articles Of wearing ap-
parel as she went.
Suddenly her sharp eyes made a
discovery hole right in the breast
Of n Of the professors fine white
shirts. The h~ousekeeper had COM
planned to her at one time about his
propensity for splitting acids upon him
self in the laboratory and what a time
she had with his mending.
Martha ate her lunch and the pro.
lessor went back to school. The street
quieted down and Martha prepared for
a nap. Then, remembering a waist
that was minus a button, she got out
her sewing basket.
Then 1t just happened that she
looked out of the window in time to
see the girl In the next house lock the
door and 60 out,
Instantly her thoughts reverted to
the shirt. The clothes though dry,
still on the line, and here was
she with thread and needle all ready.
No second thought was necessary. She
ran downstairs, through the kitchen
door, around the lilac bush and had
the shirt In her arms In no time. Then
indoors again with her precious bur
den.
So she patched the shirt with
stitches 50 fine and 50 neat that 1t
would take sharp eyes indeed to de-
tect the situation.
But who vas that just turning the
corner7 The professor himself COM
ing home early! In 4 panic, she
picked up her mending and tore down.
stairs to the yard. She managed to
get the clothespins back to place, al
though her fingers tfembled dreadful
~ and she was shaking with fright,
Then! She went upstairs-and
found the professors shirt lying on
her bed!
Her eyes widened with horror.
What had she done? Weakly she got
to the back room window, and there,
swinging In the lazy afternoon breeze,
was her waist on the professors
She almost tainted with
dismay. /
There was nothing to do but wait. :
And waiting only brought increased
for the maid returned and
gathered in the clothes, with her waist
among them. !
Get the waist she must-some way. ;
30 that evening, when the dishes were ]
lone and "the street" was sitting out /
n front, she saw the professor 60 out !
With some books under his arm, and, I
alter, Hattie, In Haunting pink, de- I
,arted with q beau for q movie. The !
louse next door was dark and de- !!
erted. !
Finally she reused herself with an !
fort, and tlptoed across the back /
awns to the other house. A window :
pened onto the porch and nothing !
TODD between her and the coveted :
but a rickety screen. She !
ushed and 1t gave. She was soon :
inside the black kitchen cropping for i
he laundry basket. :
Then her band touched it! Thank =
eaven, and right on top as her waist. "
he could tell 1t by the lace collar she =
ad made herself. The shirt was
uickly substituted for it and she was
streating when a light was switched
a suddenly and the professor stood
the dining room door!
Martha looked at him an instant
18th wide-open eyes, and then prompt
and quietly tainted.
She revived almost Immediately and
Nv the agitated professor bending
,er her. Then, with a fresh realiza-
On of what had happened, she shud-
red and closed her eyes again. She
anted to die! But he had one of her ,
lnds In his and didn't let 90. As she
that fact, her cheeks
ent from a deathly white to vivid
d, and then the tears started. II
lly she could get awayl
She tried to stand up, and he helped
r to her feet. But, instead Of let
,g the hand 60, he took possession
the Othor One.