Licking Valley courier. [volume] (West Liberty, Ky.) 19??-current, 1917-08-23
OPENED EYES
BY LESLIE FORD.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

yCoIoiudy, uhu IhOJ PoooSu 'hS NSPSS
three times, as if they were just de-
termined Ben should see them"
Mrs. Perkins jumped to conclusions
with the skill CT a practiced gossip,
but in this case she had reached the
right conclusion, for Ben and Mabel
had quarreled the night before when
he went to make his usual Sunday
evening call.
Ben had tried to avoid mentioning
Charlie Wilkes, the dapper young man.
who, while on a vacation visit to
Marshville, had been paying Mabel so
much attention that all the town was
wondering how much longer Ben
would stand 1t without putting his
foot down." AS Ben and Mabel sat
on the front porch there was sitting
sense Of impending storm. Converse
ton moved haltingly. Eight o'clock
came and passed, and from over the
hill came the faint sounds Of the
church organ.
Are we going to the union song
service tonight" asked Ben.
What for?" retorted Mabel. ITO lis
ten to Mamie Cobb try to outsing
Elsie MARTINI"
Seemed like you enjoyed the
church social Thursday night; that is,
it looked that way to an outsider like
me-" Thus Ben touched off the spark
that exploded his intention to avoid
the one subject Of which they were
both thinking.
yes, did, and that because | was
with live wire," snapped Mabel. III
a few people like that lived in Marsh
Vile there'd be something to enjoy all
the time"
Ben took his hat from the end OF
the porch seat.
Since you've made it plain that
there's no enjoyment for you in my
company, l can mighty soon relieve
you Of it." Ben descended two steps
and added: Good night, Mabel
You'll not be bothered with my com
pany again unless you say the word.
of course, being man, you'll
blame the woman when things e
wrong. l hope you're satisfied, ant
I'm sure am. Good night" Mabe
disappeared through the doorway AMI
Ben walked all around town to reacl
his boarding house, only three blocks
away.
During the week that followed, Ma
bel and Charlie Wilkes were Otter
seen together by the observapt towns
people. On Saturday, a celebration
was held in honor of the completion
Of the new town hall, and the, festivi
ties ended with an evening concert il
the public square. Mabel and younI
Wilkes had been dashing aroun,
town in an automobile and the
stopped near the square to listen t
the band,
Gee, this is no life for you, Mabel,
said Charlie, with easy familiarity
You ought to be in the city. Why
any number Of girls with less educs
ton than you get from fifteen to twer
ty dollars week for the lightest kin
Of Office work, and evenings they'v
nothing to do but dress up an 6
to show or dance"
But Amy Cobb was home las
week." weakly protested Mabel, IAN
she makes a good salary; but she say
1t is hard to make friends in the cit
among the kind Of people you'd car
to call friends"
oh, well IL girl acts like O sti
people will pass her up, but you
never have to go begging for frien
or a beau-certainly not, when II
, anywhere around" Charlie slippe
his arm around Mabel's waist an
started to draw her to him, but at thl
instant there came crashing SCUM
from the band platform and a hun
bred shrieking voices from the crow,
, Mabel started to spring forward, bl
Charlie frightened his arm about he
She wrested herself away from hi
: and turned her eyes blazingly upo
him as she let herself out of the ca
How dare you? And when poop
, around US are being killed! VIII
/ don't you do something to helpT" 81
:, almost shrieked at him.
why should | do anything?" can
Charles Indifferent reply. TITS L
concern OF mine IL these Rubes wal
to get their necks broken. Even 20,
friend, the station agent and baggae
hustler, is in that gang. Seer
| All Mabel could see was youI
woman hugging a three-year-old bc
to her breast, and number of e
cited men trying to make room c
the ground to lay Ben TOdd's lin
form. She pushed her way to h
side. She couldn't speak, but 81
looked her agonized questions
plainly that q man explained:
Ben saw that Brooks kid dart u
der the platform playing hide al
seek. Then the crash came, al
while the rest of US were looking o.
for our skins Ben dashed under al
grabbed the kid and managed
drag him out before that last craI
came"
Doctor Smithson was busy exami
ing Ben, and after what seemed
long time he announced that son
bad bruises and a fractured arm we
the most serious apparent injurie
Ben inquired whether the child h,
escaped injury. 1t was Mabel wi
answered, but she bent down so ne
to him that nobody heard all she sal
l Copyright, 1916, by the Mcclure NewsI
per Syndicate)
Why the Rainbow Is Round.
The rainbow is round, partly
: cause the way In which light ra!
come from the sun makes 1t roun
and partly, perhaps, because the lit
drops OF water II shows. through al
[ themselves round The rainbow real