Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1917-08-29

Mr.. Parcher, an Willie didn't have
any right to at all. but mamma couldn't
find EN-, an she rummidged an rum
midged most all next day an pretty
near every day since then an never
did find 'em, until don't you believe l
saw Willie inside Of 'em only last
night He was startin' over to your
house to see Miss Pratt in 'em. So
told mamma, an she said it'd hat to
be secret, so that's why can't tell
you what they were. = ...r.s.9
"Well, an then this afternoon, early.
was with her, an she said, long as
| had told her the secret in the first
place, l could come in Willie's room
with her, an we both We're already IT.
there anyway, cause I was kind of
thinkin' maybe she'd go in there to
look for 'em, Mr.. Parcher.'
II see," he said admiringly. II see."
"Well, they We're under Wiliies win
dow seat, all folded up, an mamma
said she wondered what she better do,
an she was worried because she didn't
1lhC " ldNC w llllc UChoNC So . W. oil
Mrs. Parcher thought that way about
him. So she said the-the secret-what
Willie wears, you know, but they're
really papa's an aren't Willie's any
more'n they're mine-well. she said the
secret was gettin' little teeny bit too
tight for papa, but she guessed they
Il mean the secret-she said she
guessed it was already pretty loose
for Willie. SO she wrapped 1t up, an
l went with her, an we took 'em to a
tailor, an she told him to make 'em
bigger, for a surprise for papa, cause
then they'll fit him again, Mr.. Parcher.
"She said he must let 'em way, way
out! So guess Willie would look too
funny in 'em after they're fixed. An I,
anyway, Mr.. Parcher, the secret won't
be home from the tailor's for two
weeks, an maybe by that time Miss
Pratt'll be gone
They had reached Mr. Parcher's gate.
He halted and looked down fondly
upon this child who seemed to have
read his soul. do you honestly think
soT' he asked. ... r..
"Well, anyway, Mr.. Parcher," said
Jane mamma said-well, she said
she's sure Willie wouldn't come here
in the evening any more, when you're
at home, Mr.. Parcher-'cause after he'd
been wearin' the secret every night
this way he wouldn't like to come an
not have the secret on. Mamma said
the reason he would feel like that was
because he was seventeen years old.
An she isn't goin' to tell him anything
about it, Mr.. Parcher. She said that's
the best way"
!, Mr.. Parcher rested an elbow upon
the gatepost, gazing down with ever
increasing esteem. "Of course I know
your last name," he said, "but I'm
afraid I've forgotten your other one."
"It's Jane
Jane" said Mr.. Parcher, II should
like to do something for you"
Jane looked down, and with eyes
modestly lowered she swallowed the
last fragment Of the bread and butter
and apple sauce and sugar which had
been the constantly evanescent COM
panion Of their little walk together.
She was not mercenary; she had sought
no reward. 81
"Well, i guess l must run home" she
said. she scampered quickly away.
But, though she cared for no reward,
the extraordinary restlessness Of VIII
liam that evening after dinner must at
least have been Of great interest to her.
He assembled to his own room directly
from the table, but about twenty min
utes later came down to the library,
where Jane was sitting with her father
and mother.
William looked from one to the other
Of bis parents and seemed about to
speak, but did not do so. Instead he
departed for the upper door again and
presently could be heard moving about
theoretically in various parts Of the
house a remote thump finally indicat-
ing that he was doing something with
q trunk in the attic. II F@#@ae# =
After that he came down to the H.
brary again and once more seemed
about to speak, but did not. Then he
went upstairs again and came down
again, and he was still repeating this
process when James time limit was
reached, and she repaired conscien-
tiously to her little bed. Her mother
came to hear her prayers and to turn
out the light, and when Mrs. Baxter
had passed out into the hall after that
Jane heard her speaking to William,
who was now conducting what seemed
to be excavations. on a serious scale
in his own room.
"Oh, Willie, perhaps didn't tell You,
but you remember I'd been missing
papa's evening clothes and looking ev-
erywhere for days and daysT'
"Ye-es," huskily from William.
"Well, l found them. And where do
you suppose Id put them? l found
them under your window seat. Can
you think of anything more absurd
than putting them there and then for
getting it? took them to the tailor's
to have them let out. They were get
ting too tight for papa, but they'll be
all right for him when the tailor sends
them back" s. ll-s.E y.ss
What the stricken william gathered
from this 1t Is impossible to state with
accuracy. Probably he mixed some
perplexity with his emotions. Certain
" he was perplexed the following
evening at dinner. .. : 2
Jane did not appear at the table.
poor child! She's sick in bed" Mrs.
Baxter explained to her husband. II