Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-02-23
When Edie Helped
Her Brother

ldlllliy aHt Her dpplc-t' co AcuSchSep-
ing. When she first went out to the
orchard that morning Ted wished to
know if she were going to make sun
bonnets for the cats that day. or think
I'D way to provide ducks with UNI
hrellas anything to tease his
younger sister.
1t happened that Edie was trying
to write composition. and that Is
serious work when it is Saturday fore
noon and you must hand in your COM
position to your president on Monday
morning.
Ted continued his strange behavior;
when he came back from the barn he
looked up and down the path and
didn't even whistle. At last, when
the boy began searching in the orchard
as if he we're looking for something
precious, Edie's curiosity tempted her
to say What is the matter, Ted"
Then Ted grinned. Lost the key
to the Toulouse" he answered. Il
didn't happen to hang it on your ear.
did IT,
at looks to me as if you didn't hang
It anywhere answered his sister. III
! had loaned you one OF my perfectly
reliable ears for hook. your key
would be in plain sight this minute
Tell you what exclaimed Ted;
"your ears, | will admit. are not to
be depended upon even SO much as to
tell you when you hear good music.
like your brothers. whistl1ng; but
your eyes are the best in this part OF
the country, 80 do use them to help
me out. Come and find that key for
me before father gets home
Edte became suddenly interested in
her lead-pencil Cant do it, Ted, on
account Of Miss Hazelton. You see,
she has organized our nature club,
and we don't want to fail in the very
first thing she has asked us to 40.
Vera and Rose and Irene and Maud
are all trying to write something to.
day at the very last minute. just as ]
am doing, and it is too bad"
whats your subject" inquired
Ted "first aid to injured grasshop.
pers, or how to improve the language
Of mud-trutles -
Edie hent over her work pretend
ing to be deaf At that moment came
the chug-chu of an automobile en-
lSILuk luc NilSN"oy' =.
There is father back from town
mourned Ted. ''Please come, and II
you find that key for me, Sis, III buy
you the first gentle elephant that |
see for sale, and then you shall go
elephant-back to your nature CLUB,
fine as you please; 1t will give you n
position above the rest of the girls.
as you might say, and furnish the
club with topic for conversation -
take your minds out of rut."
AS the boy talked he continued his
search for the lost key, until his
father called: Edward, where are
you? Edward! What did you do with
the KEY to the tool-house?"
"Put it liz my pocket" shouted the
boy.
Bring it here. SON"
Cant" answered Ted, because
lost 1t out and I'm trying to find 1t
now. put that key in my pocket,
father, instead of on the nail in the
barn as you said You see.' saw
Tom going over cross-lots and |
wanted to tell him TO come on and go
fishing with US after dinner"
"No fishing for you. young mNn.
until you find that key and put it on
the nail" was the immediate de-
cision.
"There, you hear that. do you?' Ted
remarked to his sister. as if she were
to blame for his carelessness. come
along, Sis, and help me; this is once
when you can be truly useful to your
brother think of the honor, Edlth
Rebecca. and come along.
Edie gazed intently at the end or
her lead-pencil for possibly half a
minute before she said cheerfully
enough Cali right, Ted; now tell me
everywhere you went after you put
that key in your pocket. and We'll
find it,
Edith Rebecca. you are brick! .
acknowledged her brother. Maybe
I'll let you go fishing with us this
afternoon. if - if you won't talk.
Edie shook her head. 81 shall have
to work all the. afternoon getting my
composition written if ! leave 1t now.
as it so important as all that?
Eyes because Miss Hazleton has
Taught us so much that we never
knew before about what is under our
very noses in the country that we|
must try our best. Mother gave us
all good talking-to Yesterday ABOUT
these compositions. She says If MISS
Hazelton is good enough to take her
vacation time to get up nature cluo
for us when she is out here for
rest. why, no matter what she asks
us to do. we must do it,
Well, what did she ask you to write
about?" Ted persisted.
about anything that we can see
for ourselves, and she'd be glad if We
could see something little uncom-
mon. hut. whatever it is, we must see
il for ourselves, and write what we
do see"
Instead IF improving so tempting
chance 10 tease, Ted insisted upon
knowing What Edie had chosen for a
subject.
"Our robins nest in the sveet-apple
tree" she answered, as she followed
her brother through the gate into the
back orchard; land of course know
there won't ne any news in that, be
cause | have told everybody every
+b;pos about that robins nest