Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-10-02
ALPS w ell That
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Joe Eaton decided that his wife:
Emmie, was narrow minded. or
course the code of morals in place
as small as Cress Center was bound
to be . a straight and narrow path,
but Joe. as a man, despised the
small town gossip that the women women
wouldn't do 1t.
And now," he muttered to him
self "I suppose the women will talk
their heads on and treat that poor
girl like dirt. Gee, I'm sorry for her.
it yet. OF course she has, though.
Some one will be sure to call her up
about it,"
home and walked around to the back
door, which swung back noislessly'
. and went into the big sunny kitchen.
which was empty. From the dining
came out to him. His lip curled sar-
castically; the women are at it al
ready. Tearing the poor girls re-
putation to pieces" he muttered.
most light-hearted girl in the. village
had offended the moral standing of
Cress Center. She had gone out OF
town to band concert with ocnies one OF
and the fact that it had been i'm
possible to get communications back,
the young people had not driven
course. no one in Cress Center would
believe such thing. Wasn't Esther
too pretty for any good, and wasn't
| she always in some hot water or
| other? Never a bit of good to her
mother.
Joe heard the click of the receiver
ut ute she % appeared @ in the door and ex-
claimed joyously as she saw him
standing there. 1t was unusual for
Joe to be home at this time. Why. she
hnI INafN Grafu lAN no
Hello" she began brightly. She
wore pink gingham dress. and
her cheeks just matched its, rosinesss.
Her hair was simply ,combed back
tractively. Joe looked at her hun
grily. but he waited for her to speak
and pronounce scaithing Judgment
upon Esther Conklin. He wondered
why she didn't tell him without so
much time wasted. but she said moth
ing at all about it.
We're you talking over the tele-
phone?" he asked finally:
She nodded. The minister's wife
wanted to know how l fixed tomato
pickle" she vouchsafed.
| THAT all?" he asked.
why yes. Joe," she looked sur
Heard any news?"
THAT'S strange. I thought 1t would
be all over town by now. Esther
Conklin didn't get home till this
morning from last nights band con-
cert over to the junction"
| What was the matter, Joe?"
"Oh, they tell of a breakdown and
they couldn't get anything to bring
them back"
Joe spoke uncompromisingly. He
was waiting on Emmie to begin. But
nothing happened.
You believe it. don't you?" she
asked.
Sure! but the town won't
"Well, they ought to. Dmmie said
Indignantly "Esther's foolish. but I
don't believe anything wrong about
her. and that's certain"
The telephone rang and Emmie an
| swered 1t.
"Why. yes. I've heard" Joe listened,
'but I don't believe there's anything
wrong. wrong Oh. no. Mrs Gray "a z ! 2 don't 9 z
| agree with you. L don't think we
ought to jump to conclusions" She
] talked for a few minutes, and when
she came back to the kitchen her
| cheeks were more flushed than usual,
and she was untying her apron.
Joe. I'm going over to see Esther,
I'm afraid she's miserable, she prob
| ably needs someone to stand by her.
Her father is awfully strict. you
| know"
Joe was speechless. Was this EN-
ME- the woman he had thought mar
row? Why had she always shown
| that other side of herself?"
| "You think | am doing right, don't
| you. Joe?" she asked, noting his
| silence. Surely you agree with me-"
and she went up to him.