The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1917-09-06
CARLOS MISTAKE
BY OLIVE GRAY.



Miss Martha Collinwood sat SEWN
and when Miss Martha sewed-or, /
fact, when Miss Martha did anything
the ceremony was worthy Of descriI
ton.
1t vas only a doll she vas dressing
But such a doll! The finest that ha
been purchasable after three trips t
the city in her big limousine. Flo
when Miss Martha shopped the occa
sion was as much of q ceremony as he
sewing. Nothing but the best wOul'
do.
The bits Of lingerie that Miss Mar
tha's skillful fingers were CAREFUL.
contriving were as fine as Thumbeline'
bridal dress In the fairy tale-sheer
beautiful. dainty. white, with unseeI
stitches Of gossamer.
why shouldn't she sew well?" de
manded the good ladies Of Fairmont
"She's nothing else to do. with all hel
money and servants, and that BIZ
house with nobody but herself to live
in? It's as little as she could do f01
the Red Cross!"
But they did not consider that Miss
Martha would more than likely buy
back her handiwork at a most extrava'
CANT figure and give the doll to some
little friend.
A bell rang in the back Of the house
and Michaels, Miss Martha's butler,
dropped his brass polish, slipped out OF
his blue crash Jacket into a white one,
and answered the summons.
In a few minutes he appeared at the
door Of the sun parlor where his mis-
tress was sewing.
tits the Hicks boy for the package"
he announced.
Little Carlo Hicks! He's so cute.
| Just tell him to sit down on the porch
and I'll have 1t ready In twenty minu-
utes. Tell Minnie to cut him a piece
Of cake"
At last the little dress was finished
and Miss Martha dressed my lady In
her snowy trousseau.
Then came tissue paper and a box
and ribbon. Finally her highness was
packed and ready for the tender mer-
cies Of Carlo Hicks.
And Carlo, having finished his cake,
went on his way whlstling and plan
ming how he could spend the two dimes
which jingled so delightfully."- In his
pocket.
Miss Martha suddenly felt very lone
ly. 1t had been a busy spring, and the
doll had been the last Of a series OF
things that had kept her hands and
brain busy for months. But now the
old desolate feeling gripped her heart.
And then the major came! Michaelsy
having once more changed his chrys-
alis, appeared in his white coat, with
the majors card Oh u silver tray.
Miss Martha took it wondering. II
was an unusual hour for callers!
"A1l right, Michaels, tell the gentle
man to wait" The uncertainty Of her
voice was scarcely perceptible. I'll
see him in a few minutes"
The color. came slowly, painfully In.
to her face, flooding her throat, her
and her cheeks. The major!
Alan Hartwell! After SO many years!
Suddenly a righteous angerssurged
into her heart. Why should she be
friendly with the man who had spoiled
her life? She would see him, but she
tell him what he had done and
let him go his way again.
To the nan waiting behind the vines
Of the porch she made an unusually
charming picture-her soft, lustrous
blowing in just a trifle Of dis
array, her face flushed beautifully, and
the blue linen morning dress.
And then occurred an interesting
.ableau. A small boy dripping mud
screaming up the drive, holding
out an object that appeared to be the
product Of a coal mine. |
81 fell we the bridge" screamed
Carlo, land went into a mudhole. An
spoiled the package"
Miss Martha stopped aghast. Her
beautiful doll was spoiled! 7
"Oh, Carlo, how could you'll" she
you're a naughty, naughty lit
lie boy, but'-more kindly-'I suppose
t couldn't be helped"
II was just walking along and
"All right. Go back and tell Minnie +
O wash you off. Perhaps the dolly
sn't hurt after ALL"
"Td come down to help-but 1t
Gems something's happened. l can't =
1ove," said a voice from the porch. F
Miss Marth flew up the steps, muddy
'arlo at her heels.
"Oh, I forgot" blubbered the little
oy. 81 put my blackjack chewing
on the chair while I ate my cakeT
The major in immaculate white
annels tossed Carlo a quarter. "Here, :
on can buy some more. You've done :
nough damage for one day."
TN sorry I can't get up" smiled the
lajor. "I-I'm unavoidably detained,
I've been unavoidably de-
lined all these years. Can't you forgive
e, as you did the little chap? Things
-en't so bad but that they can be
xed. I still love you, Martha. How :
bout me?"
'Ill have to do as 1 did with Carlo,
rgive you, I guess" she smiled. 9" :
oppose you couldn't help 1t, either. o,