Mexico Missouri message., 1917-12-27


'Why, would, twins, of course, to
oblige you, but you know Genes in
town this week, and I've got to-"
"Oh, you leave Babble-Gene, 1
mean-to u.s." said Carol airily. Fairy
being a junior in college, and Eugene
Babler a student Of pharmacy in Chi
cago, she felt obliged to restore him to
his Christian name, shortened to Gene.
But the twins refused to accede to this
proprlety, except when they particu-
larly wished to placate Fairy.
"You leave Gene to u.s." repeated
Carol. "We'll amuse him. Is he COM
ing tonight?"
Eyes, at seven-thirty."
Lets call him up and invite him for
dinner, too," suggested Lark. "And
you'll do us q favor and be nice to
Duckie, won't you? Well keep Babb-
er, Gene-out of the road. You phone
to Gene, Carol, and"
'T'll do my own phoning, thanks" said
Fairy, rising quickly. Eyes, Wen have
them both. And just as a favor to
you, twins, will help amuse your pro-
fessor. You'll be good, and help, won't
your
The twins glowed at Fairy with a
warmth that seemed almost triumph
ant. She stopped and looked at them
doubtfully. When she returned after
telephoning, they were gone, and she
said to her aunt:
am not superstitious, but when the
twins act like that, there's usually a
cloud in the parsonage skylight. Pru-
dence says so." ...
But the twins comported themselves
most decorously. All during the week
they worked like kitchen slaveys, doing
chores, running errands. And they
treated Fairy with a gentle considera-
tion which almost drew tears to her
eyes, though she still remembered Pru-
dence's cloud in the parsonage sky
light!
They certainly interfered with her
own plans. They engineered her off on
to their beloved professor at every con-
ceivable turn. And Gene, who nearly
haunted the house, had a savage gleam
his usual chatty good humor. Fairy
knew she was being adroitly managed,
but she had promised to help the twins
with "Duckie." At first she tried ar
tistlcally and unobtrusively to free her.
self from the complication in which her
sisters had involved her. But the twins
were both persistent and clever, and
Fairy found herself no match for them
when 1t came right down to business.
She had no idea Of their purpose-she
only knew that she and Gene were al
ways on opposite sides of the room, the
young man grinning savagely at the
twins merry prattle, and she and the
professor trying to keep quiet enough
to hear every word from the other cor
ner. And If they walked, Gene was
dragged of by the firm slender fingers
Of the friendly twins, and Fairy and
the professor walked drearily along in
the rear, talking namely about the
weather-and wondering what the
twins were talking about.
And the week passed. Gene finally
fell of in his attendance, and the twins
took much-needed rest. On Friday
afternoon they fiattered themselves
that all was well. Gene was not COM
ing, Fairy was in the hammock waiting
for the professor. So the twins hugged
each other gleefully and went to the
haymow to discuss the strain and
struggle Of the week. And then
"Why, the big mutt |" cried Carol, in
her annoyance ignoring the Methodist
grammatical boundaries, "here comes
that bubbling Babler this minute. And
he said he was going to New London
for the day. Now Wen have to chase
down there and shoe him Off before
Duckle comes" The twins, growing
and grumbling, gathered themselves up
and started. But they started too re-
luctantly, too leisurely. They were not
in time.
Fairy sat up in the hammock with q
cry of surprise, but not vexation, when
Genes angry countenance appeared be-
fore her.
"Look here, Fairy" he began,
whats the joke? Are your fingers
itching to get hold Of that four thou
sand a year the twins are eternally
Dragging aboutf Are you trying to
thrown yourself into the old school
teachers pocketbook, or what2"
Don't be silly, Gene" she said,
"come and sit down and"
"Sit down, your grandmother he
snapped, still angrily. "old Double d.
d. win be bobbing up In a minute, and
the twins1l drag me on to hear about
sick rooster, or something. He Is com
Ing. isn't he?"