The Monticellonian. [volume] (Monticello, Ark.) 1870-1920, 1917-07-05
MAKING TIME FLY
Ely JANE OSBORN


Jill had just finished washing dishes
and setting things to right in the
kitchen and the living room when the
clock struck eleven.
Eleven O'Clock already :" she ex-
claimed, looking reproaehfully from
her work in the kitchen toward the Of
Tending timepiece.
Only eleven o'clock" sighed Jack,
who was arranging fishing tackle on
the kitchen table. Goodness 1t does
seem as if mealtimes never come here
! think it's in the air-the air and
your good cooking"
Jill placed two watersoaked, small
bungalow apron.
Jack Mast, I'm just ashamed of you.
Why, YOU had enough pancakes and
sausages for breakfast to feed a large
family Home you wouldn't think of
eating anything but eggs and toast
Jack looked self-reproach and guilt.
I'm sorry, honey. but En- as hungry
as bear. This mountain air is i'm
mense. Maybe in day or so | wont
eat so much.
I'm glad you like my first cooking"
sighed Jill with weary smile. as she
hurried to the cupboard for flour and
sugar for the mullins for luncheon
Jack and Jill Mast were ON their
first vacation together-that is. except
ing the wedding trip of a week or so
II few months before, when there had
been no thought of anything so rustic
as a trip to Jacks little cabin in the
mountains. or anything so mundane as
the cultivation of large appetite.
After luncheon they planned short
walk through the woods. While Jill
was changing her bungalow working
froek for short khaki costume. Jack
carried out the plan that had been
brewing in his mind since daybreak.
The clock pointed to five minutes of
three Jack reached up. opened the
glass face and, carefully listening for
Jilfs approach, turned the hands
ahead to five minutes of four.
It was not hard to get the converse.
ton around to the subject of watches
40f course there are no tramps or
burglars around the shack, but | was
thinking that you ought not to leave
that watch of yours around com
mented Jack. suppose | take II and
put it in Il safe place for YOU
Jill looked up with little surprise
and then: Il was thinking exactly the
same thing myself-about your watch.
You left it in the bedroom the other
day when you went fishing. And, any
way. now that we are away from civil
fization, why should we keep track of
time?s
Yes, why should we?n echoed Jack.
delighted that Jill had fallen in SC
readily with his schemes. Lets both
put our watches away
I'll take them both right now" sug.
gested Jill easily.
So at the outset of the rambe the
watches were rolled into Jill's hand.
kerehief and slipped into the cartridge
pocket on her khaki suit.
Funny how time flies in the woods,
he remarked by five. Il can tell by
the shadows that it is about six-ai.
most time for dinner"
"Oh, you silly man." squealed Jill.
I'm sure we haven't been gone an
hour I'm sure l can't tell anything
from the shadows, and | don't believe
you can. either. You're just trying td
bluff the new wife and make her think
you are a regular Indian
They both smiled. and with one ac-
cord started to retrace their steps
toward the cabin. Jack stopped e
gather some wild Strawberries at Jufs
request. He wondered whether she
would be surprised when she saw the
clock pointing an hour nearer supper
time than she supposed
OF course there was this difficulty
that had occurred to Jack when he
first formulated his scheme for mak.
ing time fly. BY leaving the clock an
hour faster it would mean an hour
earlier rising time, and in order l.
hasten meals any more the next day
there would have to be another
aBridgement of the time. which would
Of course. be rather difficult in the long
run. That was why he made an ex.
cuse about going to see the 'posSuu
traps that night after dinner.
So Jack walked around the cabin
three times in the starlight, and then
noiselessly went toward the living
room with designs on the clock. But
as he was about to turn the knob he
saw through the window figure in
White-Jfll. to be sure. She heard hin
and stopped, and then lighted a candle.
Hello, you up?" he asked, casting a
guilty look toward the clock. Jill also
looked at the clock. He had noticed
il when he went out It said nine
o'clock then. and now il said ten.
He started in alarm. Then he heard
Hu's nervous laugh. He looked at her
and 10 his surprise she laughed again
uervously and whispered. I'm sorry,
Jack. I'll have to confess. | thought
It would take longer fer you to fix
those traps. That's why YOU caught
me. You see-you see, set the clock
IN hour back when you We're gather.
fpg berries. 50 I'd have more time 70
GET supper. 1t didn't really seem 70
help ut all though. had te SET II
forward again so we could get up nj
the right time In the morning.
They stood and looked at each other
in The candlelight. "Ill tell You what
We'll do" said Jack. We'll cook the
meals together-like good eamnmates.
Then you'll have time enough in the
woods. and you'll have less cooking to
do. And we won't NIB to each other