Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-22

i've got II! she cried, brushing IN
upon Alice, who was sitting glumly at
the window, staring out.
What have you got!"
Where's Billy? Wait till we all get
together"
Hes in the billiard-room, think"
Come on!"
Constance seized her sister and
dragged her along.
Billy had the balls lined UP for par
ticularly difficult shot, when Constance
swept them aside and swung herself
up on the table, where she sat with
her feet swinging
'T've found way to eat!' she ex-
claimed.
moi"
ITO eat and not break our word"
Billy flung his cue in a corner and
assumed the expression of hungry
lion.
Say 1t quick" he commanded. "i'm
dying on my feet"
'Forcible feeding!" cried Constance.
Her brother looked at her in disgust
and pity
You don't suppose that guy down
stairs is going to feed US BY force, do
your he growled. mo such luck! He
don't care if wn never eat again
II was Constance turn to express
derision in her eyes.
"Of course he won't" she said. 81
didn't say he would I'm not SO foolish
as to think so. But somebody else
will"
"Who?"
Horace"
Billy and Alice stared at their
sister, registering profound perplexity.
Listen now" commanded Con-
What did they do with the
suffragettes who went on hunger
strike? They fed them by force. The
couldn't help themselves.
They had to eat. But even after they
had been fed they had not broken their
word. They had been over powered
and they were not responsible. Now,
we are just like the suffragettes. We
cannot break our word. but if some
body comes along and just makes us
eat, We can't help it. Can we?'
mo-" cried Alice and Billy.
I'VE are still on hungre strike,
aren't we?"
yes"
"And We are doing our best to live
up to our word, but somebody else
won't let us"
You bet We are!"
Constance viewed the other Brookes
with superior air
AM good thinker" she demand
ed.
Great"
All right. Send for Horace"
The butler came upstairs, a troubled
look on his face Something had hap
pened in the Brooke household that he
did not understand.
Horace" said Constance, get a
large tray, fill 1t completely with food.
and bring it her inside Ave minutes.
Horace hesitated, swallowed hard,
and then shook his head slowly and
timidly.
IL can't, Miss Brooke
Cant! What do you mean =
"It's against positive orders
whose
"Mr. Hedges, miss. He sent out word
for us all to be particular about Rule
pa
whats that?"
1T says that no meals are to be
served outised the dining room, except
with his orders"
Billy and Alice groaned. but Con-
stance remained undismayed.
~ care nothing for MIR. Hedges |
-ules." she said coldly. ~ order you to
10 as | say"
"I'll - III be discharged. Miss
Brooke.
you may not be caught"
TITS a big risk miss
p MIA t"maMid val. tve5
Constance fixed q stony glance upon
he butler.
Horace she said. perhaps you +,
will be discharged, if Mr. Hedge finds
t out: but you will be hired back again !
when my father returns. But If you !
10 not do as say. while Mr.. Hedge /
will probably keep you, in his employ,
1ou will most certainly be fired when |
ny father returns-and you will ] be
ired for good. Can you understand !
hat, Horace
Eyes Miss Brooke"
DO as l say, them
Horace turned and started upon tho
execution of his perilous errRnd.
use lue rear SISaAlS, SohHobNN
Constance. land bring a clothes-line !
With you as well az the food"
A clothes-line, miss?'
Yes Hurry now. I'll explain the rest
when you come back"
She turned to Billy and demanded
ome pennies When he had produced I!
hese, Constances distributed them |
lmong the three.
I'VE match to see whose fed frst,"
he explained. odd man wins"
The choice fell to Billy. who whoop' |
d his JOY until Alice scowled at him.
but what's the clothes-line sidea?"
le asked.
Horace has to overpower you and |
lie you in chair before you Gamble
ed. Don't you understand? You sue.
.umb to force"
"Say-if I'm going to be fed. | can
,e tied up with ravellng. Oh, you
rub"
The tray that Horace brought into /
he billiard room was the fairest sight |
he three Brookes had ever seen. 1t !,
vas piled high with heaps OF bread and
utter, cold chicken, cold tongue, |
ans. iellies, cakes, sandwiches,