Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-11-16
The Halt-Mistqke

l y
ooh, how nice it must be to own a
car! To telephone to the garage
| every time you want to go anywhere!
sighed Winnie Grant She was not at
all given to signing, as general
thing, but tomorrow was to be the day
of the class picnic, and out of her four
teen classmates she was the only one
who needs must take the homely
trolley.
Every one going in an automo-
bile?' asked mother. who was putting
new lace yoke into the lawn frock.
Eyes, mother. Eight of them have
cars|I mean, their fathers have-and
they have invited the Others"
Mother did not ask, How comes it
you had no invitation?" so Winnie
volunteered:
/, we saw Nettie Grey, who is still limp
ing SO badly from her sprained ankle.
So she looked at me, and l naturally
said, Take her.
yes, naturally agreed mother.
Never mind. A seat by an open win
dow in a trolley car is not to be de.
spised."
BY this time Winnie had shaken her
self back into her usual sensible,
plucky little SELF Just then the tele-
phone rang. The message was a de-
lightful. one. Winnie turned round,
her eyes sparkling, her hand over the
transmitter.
Mother! Miss Dering asks me to
go with her. in her uncle's car"
Indeed you may" smiled mother,
and smiled again, to hear Winnie's
rapturous acceptance. Miss Dering
was the class teacher and very much
beloved, and her uncle's car was one
of the handsomest in all the town.
"She says they have just one place,
and she was saving it for Nettie. But,
since she is already invited, she hopes
I will go. Isn't it lovely? I'd rather
go with her than
answered it.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! Oh, that's too
bad! Yes. of course. Oh, I'm very
sorry! But it's only the getting there
and getting back, isn't it? The pic
mic will be as nice as ever, anyway
And a seat by the open window of a
trolley car is not to be despised
What? Why, can't, dear. I'm going
with Miss Dering. She just asked me-
Good-by'
When Winnie turned from the tele-
phone, she did not look at her mother
Zone of the fathers has to take his
car on a business trip. SO she can't
take it tomorrow" Winnie's voice
had queer little note in it. "Too
bad"
She was silent for some time after
that, going into little fits Of abstrac-
ton. Her mother, being wise
mother, did not remark on the silence
Being a quick-witted mother, too, she
guessed just what had happened. The
car which had failed the picnickers
was Leta's.!
Teatime came, and still Winnie was
quiet, and it was evident that tomor.
rows fun had lost it's gilt edge. She
had thanks, of course. but not her GUS
tomary raptures, for the freshened-up
frock with it's new yoke.
Hadn't you better study your
Sunday school lesson tonight" her
mother suggested. when the supper
things had all been put away. "You
will be tired after the picnic tomor-
row."
81 suppose I'shall," agreed Winnie.
and took down her books and maps
and leaflets, rather listlessly.
But after a time she sat up. She
frowned and put the leaflet down, and
then went straight to the telephone.
Main 1856. Is Miss Dering there?
O, Miss Dering! Leta's car has been
taken out of the picnic running. Her
father has to go away on business.
So that puts Nettie out, you see. And
you meant to take her, because of her
weak ankle, and the trolley steps are
so high and awkward for her. Oh,
it'll be all right. Yes, it would have
been lovely, and I'm sorry, too, but a
seat by an open window in trolley
is not to be despised. Good-by."
Her radiance had quite returned.
and she kissed her mother on her way
back to her place and her Sunday
school lesson.
1t would be nice to relate that there
was room for her and Nettie both,
but there wasn't! She had the seat
by the open window in the trolley, and
did not despise it. But-Miss Dering
lnNlIou uST " IlSI OWu SpcSIdl pal ~
at lunch time, and she did go back in
the automobile, for gentleman in
the party. Miss Dering's brother, in
sisted that he wanted the open win
dow in the trolley!
But the best of all, mother, was
what Miss Dering said to me, "srelated
very happy Winnie, when the picnic
was over. "She told me she could al
ways count on me to do the square
thing! And, oh, if you hadn't sug-
gested my Sunday school lesson, I
mightn't have! What made you think
of it, mother?"
II felt sure it would help you,' was
mothers quiet answer.-Frances Har-
mer, in lions Herald.
Johnnie Riggs-"Race of
the Rabbit and the