The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1917-11-12

QOVe, or q lamb led to the slaughter.
Then, too, womanlike, she held her
souls secret Albert Rolfe had been
to her new and inspiring element
come into her lonely life. After an
acquaintance Of three months she had
arrived at the sad conclusion that he
held no deeper sentiment towards her
than friendship. Because of this, q
combination of their casual relations
could only magnify the deepening pain
she felt at heart.
Editha thought it all over and came
to dull, distracted conclusion. Wal
ter Deane "would do" and she shrank
from the deSolation a parting from
her brother would bring. She had
ever been wont to cling to the pro-
lection Of his fraternal, though i'm
perious will. Besides, he favored the
proposed match, and Editha had
promised their dead mother always to
follow his advice.
Twice during the next two days
Albion Rolfe called and each time
Editha twas indisposed." She spent
sleepless, fearless nights. She watch
ed him with longing heart as he
passed the house. She evaded the
chance of meeting him on the street
by sh utting herself up in the house.
1T is better So" she cheated her
self INTO believing. ut Is SHARP,
quick pain, soon over, and may learr
to forget.
One morning the lady with whom
Mr.. Deane had room came over to
the Morton home and sought an in
terview with Mr. Morton. 81 am called
away to the city by very sick sister"
she explained, "and have no one to
leave in charge of the house. Mr..
Deane left his parrot in my charge.
Would you kindly give it care here
until he returns?"
Surely" concurred Mr.. Morton effu-
sively. Bring it right over, Mrs.
Bayne, and we will relieve your mind
Of that anxiety. Editha loves pets,
and the parrot shall have her atten-
! ton"
"Polly" proved to be a busting,
keen-eyed bird, at once coaxed into
good nature by the thoughtful minis
trations of Editha, whose dullness of
heart was solaced by the clever ways
of the trained bird. AS to Mr.. Nor
ton, when the ready-witted parrot at
morning prayer uttered a fervent and
resounding "Amen," the flattered cleric
was quite enchanted with the apparent
tribute to his soundly rolling, sonorous
rhetoric.
Polly grew restless, however, the
second day of her reception. She
scOlded, sulked and refused to eat.
| "We must not let Mr.. Deane come
back to find his pet i'll or Dead" sug-
geSted Mr.. Morton, and forthwith went
to the keeper of a bird store in the
town.
"She wants to set" pronounced this
oracle. fGet her quail's egg and she
will settle down like some motherly
| old hen."
Sure enough, provided with a nest
soft and cozily fashioned by Editha' S
hand, and supplied with an egg, Polly
seemed translated into a delirium OF
satisfied contentment She settled
down to the Matching process with an
emphatic announcement: THAT'S the
idea ~ only every hour, this evidently
| being her first experience as hatcher
instinct solely guiding her, Polly would
| get off the nest to critically inspect
| the egg, as if impatient to hurry re-
suits and view the prospective baby
parrot.
Two afternoons Mr.. Morton was
seated in the parlor listening to the
| report of the Ladies' Aid society of the
| church, when an appalling jargon star
tied all hands. 1t proceeded from
| the library, where Pollys cage
was kept. 1t was Polly who was speak
ing, the air blue with the most shock
ing profanity. One lady screamed al
this dissertation of the placid serenity
of the ministerial home hearth. An
other quite tainted. The others Joined
their host in a rush to the library.
There was Polly, in wild rage
| dancing to fragments the egg she
| had pushed out Of her nest, the egg
! that did not materialize fast enough
to suit her idea of incubation. All
the stored-up "cuss words" in her vo
/ cabulary Polly was stringing out, with
the vim and wickedness Of democrat
lied sailor.
| "Editha," spoke his reverence Sc
verely late that day, II have sent that
Infamous parrot to the bird store, and
I have written to Mr.. Deane that we
do not care to encourage his further
acquaintance"
"Why, brother" began Editha, mar
4 yelling, but her tones choked with JOY
! and then the reverend gentleman ex
planned 1t seemed that his lady Wis
.itors had fallen to chit-chat and gossip