The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1917-10-24


the bottom Off the chair was just fine.
It's perfectly adorable seat" bright
ening, but SOLDERING again as she real
lied the gravity Of the occasion. "And
we put the cushion in the chair so that
1t wouldn't be noticed. We never use
that chair, you know. Pm SO sorry
about It,"
Carol was really quite crushed, but
true to her parsonage training, she
struggled valiantly and presently
brought forth crumpled and slckly
smile.
But Prudence smiled Mt her kindly.
"That wasn't very naughty, Carol" she
said frankly. "It's true that we sci.
dom use that chair. And we ought to
have looked" She glanced reproach.
fully ut Fairy. ut Is strange that in
busting it, Fairy-but never mind. You
may go now, Carol. 1t is all right"
Then she apologized gently to the
Ladies', and the conversation went on,
but Prudence was uncomfortably con.
scious Of keen and quizzlcal eyes
turned her way. Evidently they
thought she was too lenient
"Well, 1t wasn't very naughty" she
thought wretchedly. GLOW can I pre-.
tend 1t was terribly bad, when feel
in NY heart that 1t wasn't!"
The meeting progressed, and the
business was presently disposed Of.
SO far, things were not too seriously
bad, and Prudence sighed in great re.
lief. Then the Ladies' took out their
sewing, and began industrlously work.
ing at many articles, designed for the
clothing Of lot Of young Methodists
confined in an orphans home In Chi.
cago. And they talked together pleas.
anty and gayly. And Prudence and
Fairy felt that the cloud was lifted.
But soon 1t settled again, dark and
lowering. Prudence heard Lark run.
ming through the hall and her soul mis-.
gave her. Why was Lark going up.
stairs2 TO be sure, her mission might
be innocent, but Prudence dared not
run the risk, Fortunately she was sit.
ting near the door.
Lark" she called softly. Lark
stopped abruptly, and something fell
to the floor.
Lark !"
The Ladies' smiled, and Miss Carr,
laughing lightly, Snid, "Shc is an atten.
tive creature, isn't she?"
Prudence would gladly have flown
out into the hall to settle this matter
but she realized that she was on exhi,
bition. Had she done so, the Ladies'
would have set her down forever after
rs thoroughly incompetent--sh could
not go! But Lark must come to her.
Lark !" This was Prudcnccs most
awful voice and Lark was bound to
heed
ooh, Pruc," she said plaintivcly, "I'n
be there in Il minute. Can't you wait
lust five minutes? Let me run up
stairs first, won't YOU? Then I'll come
gladly! Won't that do?"
Her voice WAS hopeful. But Pru.
dencc replied With dangerous calm:
"Come at once, Lark"
"All right, then" and added threat.
eningly, "but you'll wish hadn't"
Then Lark opened the door-a woe.
full figure! In one hand she carried an
empty shoe box. And her face was
.streaked with good rich Iowa mud
Her clothes We're plastcred with it. One
shoe was cakcd from the sole to the
very top button, and n great cash In
her stocking revealed generous pOr.
tion OF round, white leg.
Poor Prudence! At that momcnt she
would have exchanged the whole par.
sonage, bathroom, electric lights and
all, for n tiny log cabin in the heart
Of great forest, where she and Lark
might be alone together.
And Fairy laughed. Prudence looked
Mt her with tears In her eyes, and then
turned to the wrctchcd girl
"What have you been doing, Lark 2"
The hcnrtbrcak expressed In the face
of Lark would have made the angels
weep. Beneath the smudgcs OF mud
on her checks she was pallid, ana, try
as she would, she could not keep her
chin from trembling ominously. Her
voice, when she was able to speak, was
barely recognizable.
''Wc-wc-we are making--mud
images, Prudence. lit was awfully
messy, l know, but-thcy say--it Is
such good-and useful thing to do.
We've didn't cXpect--lhc-thc In.
dies to see u.s."
Mud imagcS!" Gaspcd Prudence,
ana even Fairy stared incrodulouSly.
"Whcrc in the world did you get hold
Of an idea like that?'
'lt-it was in that--that Mothers
Home Friend paper YOU take, PrG-
dcncc." Prudence blushed guiltily. at
was modelling in clay, but-wc haven't
any clay, and-the mud IS very nice.
bu,--oh | know | look just-horriblc
l~l-Connic pushed me in the-puddlc
for fMn.V NnOthcr nnncnling plnnCn