Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1917-09-06

wouldn't "a believed it! You mean to
let this child-you mean to let Here
his agitation affected his throat and
his utterance became clouded. A few
detached phrases fell from him: I'm
vite my Observation-Disclosures party-ye
gods!-think Miss Pratt plays dolls
"Jane will be very good" his mother
said. II shouldn't think of not having
her, Willie, and you needn't bother
about your friends. They'll be very
glad to see her. They all know her
except Miss Pratt, perhaps, and
Mrs. Baxter paused; then she asked
absently, 'By the way, haven't l heard
somewhere that she likes pretending
to be a little girl herself?"
"What!'
"Yes," said Mrs. Baxter, remaining
calm, I'm sure I've heard somewhere
that she likes to talk baby talk"
Upon this a tremor passed over Will
liam, after which he became rigid.
"You ask a lady to your house," he
began, "and ever before she gets here,
before you've even seen her, you pass
judgment Upon one Of the-one Of the
noblest'-
Mrs. Baxter laughed, and then, prob
ably a little out Of patience with him,
she gave way to that innate mischiev-
BUSINESS in such affairs which is not
unknown to her sex. "You see, Willie,
if Miss Pratt pretends to be a cunning
little girl it will be helpful to Jane to
listen and learn how"
William uttered a cry. He knew that
he was struck, but he was not sure
how or where. Again he dashed from
the room. Near the open front door
he came to a sudden halt, and Mrs.
Baxter and Jane heard him calling
loudly to the industrious Genesis:
Here! You go cut the grass in the
back yard and, for heavens sake, take
that dog with you!"
"Grass awready cut oun back" re-
sponded the amiable voice Of Genesis.
"Cut all at back ya'd s mawnin'."
well you can't cut the front yard
now. Go around in the back yard
with that dog"
"Nemmine bout at back ya'd! Ole
Glen ain trouble nobody!.'
"You hear me?" William shouted.
"You do what l say at once"
Genesis laughed gayly. 81 got my
grass to cut. Who pay me my wages:
ATS my boss. You ma say, you git
all at lawn moved BIO sundown.'
No, sub! Neon vase you bref on
me cause I'm got all my time good
an took up"
Once more William presented him
self fatefully to his mother and Jane
MAY l just kindly ask you to look
out in the front yard? l want you tc
look at Genesis"
"I'm familiar With his appearance,
said Mrs. Baxter. "Why in the world
do you mind his cutting the grass?"
William groaned. do you honestly
want guests coming to this house t,
see that awful old darby out there
and know that he's the kind of serv
ants we employ? Ye gods!'
. "Why, Genesis is just a neighbor
hood outdoor darby, Willie. He work.
for half a dozen families beside
u.s.
EYES," he cried, 'but a lady tina
didn't live here wouldn't know that
Ye gods! What do you suppose sh
? would think? You know what he
got on!!
ITS a sort of sleeveless jersey h
wears, Willie, L think"
mo, you don't think that!!" he cried
with great bitterness. "You know it.
not a jersey! You know perfectly wei
what it is, and yet you expect to kee
him out there when-when one of til
one Of the nobl-when my friend
arrive! And they'll think that's GU
dog out there, won't they? When in
telligent people come to a house an
see a dog sitting out in front the
think it's the family in the house
dog, don't they?"
William paced the room. Eye gods
What do you think Miss Pratt wi
think Of the people Of this town whe
she's invited to meet q few of m
friends and the first thing she sees i
q niger in his undershirt? What
she think when she finds that child
J eaten up half the food, and the peopl
have to explain that the dog in til
front yard belongs to the darby?
"And prob'ly she wouldn't believe i
Anybody ID say they didn't own a do
like that! And that's what you wan
her to see before she even gets insid
the house! Instead Of a regular ga
dener in livery like we ought to hav
and a bulldog or a good Airedale or
foxhound or something, the first thing
0 you want intelligent people from OF
of town to see are that awful old dark
and his mongrel scratchin' 1eas an
like as not lettin' 'em get on othe
n people!"
r "Wilne!"
e Mrs. Baxter managed to obtain b
attention. IF you'll go and brus
your hair I'll send Genesis and Clems
tbs away for the rest Of the Afternoon
And then if you'll sit down quietl
e ZIP
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