The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1917-01-11
4iR. MERHIA PROTESTS!"
BY LOUIS OLIVER.

4
little tune, jingling her keys and
thinking, "Bfly's a pill. He's the kind
! that thinks that the meanest, scraWni.
est, stupidest man in the world is bet
ter than the finest woman ever made. %
"She looks pale" Billy continued to
himself. Not enough sleep. Her idea
of living is to work for enough money
to buy satins and slippers so she can
| 90 to a dance every night weekdays
and spend Saturdays in beauty par
lor. Not that she needs it." he added
grudgingly. "She's the prettiest girl
1 ever saw"
Il wish," growled Billy that night
as he unlocked his own door and
switched on the light, "that the people
upstairs would keep quiet tonight and
let me sleep. That baby has cried for
three days, and that woman has walk.
ed the floor over my head until I'm
nearly crazy. III go out and have
cigar on the back porch and look at
the stars awhile. Maybe they viii get
settled before 1 turn i'm
He thought of a number of things as
he smoked. How he had planned TO be
an engineer when he went to college
and how he had been compelled 10
postpone his plan; how his chum, Jack
Emery had gone on and finished, and
of the time Jacks sister had visited
him. Margaret Baker looked somez
thing like her, he thought
There was a sudden crash.
A dish of china or glass whizzed past
his head and smashed on the bricks
below. But the contents, something
warm and gluey, was clinging Ike a
besetting sin to BiIIy's coat, trousers
and shoes.
well, I'll be darned!'' said Billy
furiously. what on earth do they
leave their meals outside for to ruin
other peoples clothes? That's the
same bunch that walks the baby all
night. think this is pretty good
time to tell them what I think of them.
I'll go right up as am and make them
help me clean it off"
Dripping gelatine, he knocked i'm
peratively on the door above, through
which infantile walls were coming.
and almost instantly it opened.
II would like you to see the damage
your" He got no further. Mar
Miss Baker! - he exclaimed. II didn't
know you lived here. 1 came up to
tell you that something fell off your
back porch and"
MY gelatine - cried Margaret in
disnay, shifting the crying baby from
one shoulder to the other. "I made
that geIatine myself and put it there
to harden And I'm not half as sorry
about your clothes as I am for poor
Mrs. DOogan. But if you wiz come in,
III try to get it off,"
In few minutes the crying stopped
and Margaret came in with a basin
Of warm water and a cloth.
He caught her hand. do you think
I'm actually going to let you wash me
Off?
Margaret was silent.
Say Miss Baker, whose baby is
that?'
Mrs. DOogan's."
who is Mrs. DooganT'
Tommy is in my room at school.
He's staying here now while his moth
sr is sick. He's in my bed asleep"
How did you find out about his
Don't you remember, the truant Of
icer told US about Tommy couldn't
come? Mother sick, father out OF
work was the report"
Yes, I remember now. Never
thought Of it again"
$50 bring Tommy and the baby
here after school and do what I can for
he others in the mornings"
Billy was looking very queer.
as that why you always have the
highest percentage of attendance, be-
ause you buy shoes for Lizzfs, and
.et work for Mikes father, and nurse
abies for the Doogans?'
Something in the mans eyes made
er drop her own quickly again. Miss
;aker, Margaret" he said, Il always
nink of you that way, it's my turn,
D talk and I'm going to tell you some
hing, and that is, just what q mean.
ontempdble fellow am. Without any
lstice I condemned you for a feath-
--brained butterfly because you are
and cheerful. And here
ou've been losing sleep night after
lght without a mumur while I've been
tying myself for several things. Look
ere, you go get that baby and give
m to me. I'll take care of him.
nd you go to bed and get some sleep.
o on, now. Do as 1 tell you. No,
mt 90 either. There's something more
may as well tell you now as have it
lrn hole in my brain, I love you,
I never knew it was in me
adore anyone as I do you. That's
L had to say it. Please forgive
2; I know how you despise me. Now
t the baby and I'll 60"
But outside the door with his s1uirn-
: burden he heard his name called
fly.
Billy p came through the keyhoIe
ntly. "Oh, Bnlyr'
'TesT" he turned as though to 90
ck.
I love you. Billy !' said the voice.
d Mr.. Merwin, woman hater, nearly
,pped the baby.
pyright, 1916. by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate)
he Siam government savings bank,
1880 depOsitOrs with S13S,977 to
ir credit