The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1917-08-16
GIRL IN 0vERAlLs
BY JANE OSBORN.

u .s-.~s-.-.-.-."..-.-.".
The girl in the OverallS on the top o
the ladder looked down when. for tn
fourth time that day, she heard al
! alarm ClOCk-One of the large, insist
| ent, brazen-vOiced SOrt-ringing in thu
| next cottage.
1t was twelve o'clock, and 1t seemed
to the girl as she welded brush satu
rated and dripping with verdant greer
paint, that it was about time the lates
sleeper had arisen. And, besides, aS
MargOt of the paintbrush knew, there
was nobody in the cottage next door
but a certain very dlverting 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 a coy
little pine wood not far from the lake
were the only habitatiOns for a mile or
SO.
There it 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 it 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 it. She tried 10
persuade herself that she enjoyed sit
ting there looking through the pine
trees.
Il wonder if shall have to sit here
all day till Tom gets home? How hum
cry shall be-" 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.
"Oh, 1 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 a 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-white Bingham apron.
would you awfully mind setting
that ladder up against the house?" she
said. I'm hOusepainting and it slipped
and I'm hungry and / want to get
down."
The man leaned the ladder up
against the house. ut Is great to be
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. I'm
going to spend the rest of the after
noon doing the porch and the things
that 1 can reach. 1 have had enough
Of ladders for today. I'll go up again
tomorrow, though"
MargOt stopped at the shrill call Of
he alarm clock next door.
There 1t goes" said the young man.
mpatiently, and making hasty apollo
,ies he darted through the underbrush
oward the other cottage.
Half an hour later the girl, her over
Ills covered by bungalow apron, the
green paint washed from her hands
Ind her face. walked rather timidly to-
he end of her pine clearing.
"Mr. Kenyon" she called. "Mr. Ken
ION, If that Is your name"
And when the young man, this time
With Peggy wailing rebelliously under
lis arm, came to meet her she asked
lin whether he was alone. He told her
lie was.
"Then you are hungry, l am sure. L
ave made some cinnamon toast and 1
now you would like some. Shall 1
ring 1t to you or will you come over
nd have it in our house," /
They compromised by deciding to
at it under a pine tree midway be- ,
ween the two cottages.
why DO you have alarm clocks
all the timer" asked the girl, |
curing out dainty cup of iced choc-
late for her new-found friend. She
ad brought tray full Of goodies for
heir informal repast.
well, it is this way" said the young
IAN, pulling a book from his pocket. !
What else could you do? Look at this:
80 a. M, get up and dress the baby;
a. m, milk, zwieback; 8 q. m, orange
lice; 10 a. m. cereal, cup of milk; II,
ath; p. m, broth, vegetables, stale
read, baked apple; 6, cereal and
'ast; 80. put to bed; 10 p. NJ, milk
low ON earth can man keep track
things like that? How am 1 to re-
lember when 1 am in the middle Of
king up the house, for instance, that
is time for orange Juice or bath or
dish of milk?'
Lets swap jobs" suggested the
rl. I'D like to take care of Peggy
you'll finish painting the house. And
y brother needn't ever know and
either need your sister,"
A week later Margot said: 81 sup
)se your sister will think 1t Is won
erful because Peggy has been taken
Ire of so well. My brother thinks I
n the most wonderful girl he knows
ecause l have done all the painting
nd everything"