Grainger County news. (Rutledge, Tenn.) 1917-current, 1917-07-05
GIRL IN OVERALLS
BY JANE OSBORN.

fourth time that day, she heard an
alarm clock-one of the large, insist
ent, brazen-voiced sort-ringing in the
next cottage.
1t was twelve o'clock, and II seemed
to the girl as she welded a brush satu.
rated and dripping with verdant green
paint, that IL was about time the latest
sleeper had arisen. And, besides, as
Mnrgot of the paintbrush knew, there
was nobody in the cottage next door
but certain very divertlng two-year-
old lassie named Peggy and her moth
er. Why the alarm clock? For the
Gregory cottage and the Kenyon cot
tage, located in the middle of coy
little pine wood not far from the lake
were the only habltations for mile or
so.
There 1t was that Margot and her
brother spent their vacation and week
ends, and because Margot's brother
had merely grunted vague promises
every time she suggested that he put
a much-needed coat of paint on the lit
tie dollhouse cottage, she had finally
made up her mind to paint 1t herself.
Suddenly, without any warning. the
ladder slipped and Margot was left sit
ting on the ledge of the sloping roof.
She worked her way along until she
reached one of the windows. Her feet
dangled just above 1t. She tried to
persuade herself that she enjoyed sit
ting there looking through the pine
trees.
II wonder If shall have to sit here
all day till Tom gets home? How hun
cry ! shall BET" she was rejecting. And
then she heard the two-year-old Peg.
gy's shrill voice of rebellion in the next
cottage, and she thought of her neigh
Dor.
"0h, say, Mrs. Kenyon ~ she called
Mrs. Kenyon, Mrs. Kenyon, won't you
come and help me?"
There was an echo Of the baby wall
then sounds under the trees through
the brush and then tall young man
stood below her. His sleeves were
rolled up to his elbows and over his
white flannel trousers was firmly tied
a blue-and-whlte Bingham apron.
would you awfully mind setting
that ladder up against the house?" she
said. 'Pm housepainting and 1t Slipped
and I'm hungry and / want to gel
down."
The man leaned the ladder W
against the house. st is great to BIT
able to do things like that" comment
ed the aproned young man. II like
painting"
Il don't mind the part you can reach
from the ground" replied Margot. SIN
going to spend the rest of the after
noon doing the porch and the things
that can reach. / have had enough
of ladders for today. I'll go up again
tomorrow, though"
Margot stopped at the shrill call OF
the alarm clock next door.
"There it goes" said the young man
impatiently, and making hasty apollo
gies he darted through the underbrush
toward the other cottage.
Half an hour later the girl, her over
alls covered by bungalow apron, the
green paint washed from her hands
and her face, walked rather timldly to
the end Of her pine clearing.
"Mr. Kenyon" she called. "Mr. Ken
yon, if that Is your name"
And when the young man, this time
with Peggy wailing rebelliously under
his arm, came to meet her she asked
him whether he was alone. He told her
he was.
'"Then you are hungry, am sure.
have made some cinnamon toast and
know you would like some. Shall
bring 1t to you or will you come over
and have 1t in our house"
They compromised by deciding to
eat it under pine tree midway be
tween the two cottages.
"Why do you have alarm clocks
sounding all the timer" asked the girl
pouring out dainty cup of iced choc
olate for her new-found friend. She
had brought tray full of goodies fol
their informal repast.
"Well, it is this way" said the young
man, pulling book from his pocket
"What else could you do? Look ut this
6 80 a. m., get up and dress the baby
Z a. H., milk, zwieback; 8 a. m, orange
Juice; 10 a. m, cereal, cup of milk; II
bath; 2 p. m, broth, vegetables, stale
bread, baked apple; 6, cereal and
toast; 6 80, put to bed; 10 p. NJ, milk.
How on earth can man keep track
of things like that? How am | to re
member when | am in the middle Of
fixing up the house, for instance, thai
it is time for orange juice or bath OF
dish Of milk?"
Lets swap jobs" suggested the
girl. "Td like to take care of Peggy
If you'll finish painting the house. AnC
my brother needn't ever know ant
neither need your sister"
A week later Margot said: Il sup
pose your sister will think it Is won
derful because Peggy has been taker
care of so well. My brother thinks
am the most wonderful girl he knows
because | have done all the paintin;
and everything"
"T don't know that my sister-in-laV
will be so surprised" confessed thu
man.
"Why notf" asked MargOt.
BECAUSE 1t has all been cooked up
You see she told me that the pretties