Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-18

"Pon-ee!"
No answer. Don looked cautiousf
! through the bannister rails. Some
times 1t is very handy to be only thre'
and half feet high. Below, in tn
, long center hall, everything was quiet
The twins loved the hall when tn
noon sunlight streamed in through tn
big stained glass window at the benz
of the staircase. The window showe'
rare, soft, amber tints above bed O
pink and violet fox gloves. and the SUI
light through it crossed the hall in Z;
path OF light.
It was the luncheon hour Don knew
that the grownups were safe in thu
dining room, but he did think tina
Polly might have stayed within hear
ing distance. There was full length
oil painting Of her hanging in the re
ception room across the hall Betty
the other twin, liked to run down from
the nursery to look at it. She said il
was so interesting really to have suct
a person for big sister. The fun
cloak fell back from her white shoul
ders, and you caught the satiny SHIN
mer of the primrose gown. There was
long rope Of pearls about her throat
But Don loved her waves Of brown
hair and the way her eyes seemed tC
look right at you as you came down
the stairs
Just now he almost thought they
held reprcachful expression. Hlite
as if she understood ell that mad hap
pened in the nursery in the last ten
minutes. so he called AGAIN ars;cus|y
ooh, Police! Betty's eatins the gold.
fish" The little door under the stairs
opened cautiously and Po''y looked
ont. shaking her finger il ~sTr1n~.
"You Donrilin!" she exclaimed in a
whisper. Don't ynr da:c cali my
name. I don't vart aoy,ne to know
ing now:''
" 'Tisn't me. Folly" Don protested
ITS Betty. She -Jt O., chair and
picked them ont. End said she was go
ing to eat them
From the or # the stairs came a
shrill. ipdiSran. rrrtest.
Il didn't eat 'orl. played they were
I'll whales and plt hem in the bath
tub"
Polly took cre look in the direction
of the cl.5;e.' dining room door, gath
ared her skirts abo.slt her and fled up
the stairs. Dor watched her disappear,
BETTY clasped in her arms The ways
Of sisters wern beyond his ken He
BEGAN to pine For the comradeship of
'is own sex .I,:st then the dining
ytcc, door cDanad and Uncle Hal came
nut, followed by the doctor. Do1 APP
proved of The doctor first because he
was not doctor of pills and bitter
medicines. He was the new rector
over at The little stone church where
the twins went to Sunday school.
ION understood that he had been a
college mate of Uncle Halls. and there
fore was an all-around good fellow. AS
they sat out on the veranda now, in
the deep willow chairs, smoking. Don
sorted marbles on the top step and
eyed the doctor. thoughtfully. Why
had Polly hidden in the little closet I'M
der the stairs? Why were her eyes sus-
p;c;ously red? Polly was not the sort
Of a person who cried easily In fact,
Don knew from experience that she
rarely cried unless she was good and
angry.
Noticing that Uncle Hal was doing
most Of the talking, and that the doc
tor was rather absorbed, he began to
connect him with Polly's attitude to-
ward life and to regard him suspicious
ly. When Uncle Hal went down to the
garage Don ventured to take his place
beside the doctor. and talk to him as
man to man.
'You know" he said. Betty and
rye decided you ought to marry
Polly"
"Oh. you have, have you?' The doc
tor smiled down at the little 6-year-old
figure in fan linen beside him. "But
has Polly decided? Have you asked
her"
1--WE did" said Don. cheerfully, "but
she told us she didn't have any opinion
of any man who wasn't brave enough
to do his own counting. What's court
ing? Has it anything to do with kings
and queens? Or is it about the police ?"
Counting" repeated the doctor
gently. sis what people call wooing,
Don. and wooing is er-er-"
Just hanging around girl that you
like" innocently.
The doctors face took on deeper
tint He smoked in silence
You see" went on Don. "she was
under the stairs, crying, hiding in that
little closet. and l wondered if you'd
made her mad. Course. Betty and
like you all right and we've decided to
take you into the family; but suppose
Polly'd have to agree. too, wouldn't
she?"
DOM Polly's voice was fearfully