Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1917-04-28
House in
Holly Street
"
By JOHN ELKINs

BY JOHN ELKINs

Copyright, by w. G. Chapman.l
For 10 my own shall come to me-
The little thin woman in the rocker,
darning stockings, kept saying this
over and over in spite of the protest
on her daughters face.
'Well, why don't 1T come?' asked
the girl starting to set the table.
Perhaps I haven't had enough
faith. But 1 keep on trying" And the
calm, sweet face again bent over the
work with just the faintest shadow
across the patient lines.
II know mother, you are a dear. /
wish too I had more faith. But some
day I get just desperate. The little,
mean eight dollars a week earn at
that typewriter only keeps us alive.
And this street is enough to give one
nervous prostration."
MY dear, 1 thought it was very
quiet and decent
"Yes-but I'm ashamed to ask any
one here. If we could only move into
a better neighborhood-"
But we couldn't afford it, dear"
81 know of some new flats in Benton
place for no more than we pay here"
"How much room?' asked the
mother.
'-oh, two rooms, a kitcAenette and,
BATH
But we couldn't do with that"
1--WE could manage. And it's just a
swell entrance
But here we have little garden,
and"
"And chickens" finished Florence
disgustedly. Chickens that are an
awful bother
But they furnish us with nice fresh
eggs, and"
And get into the yard next door.
It's all right as long as no one lives
there. But just wait till there's ten
ant, and theren be q row. Lady
Grey is determined to go over there"
"Yes,s sighed Mrs. Bennett, 81
don't see what has got into that hen"
Il know, mother, you like the little
patch of ground and the chickens-but
I do want some of the good times 9TH
er girls have. I could go with the
people around here-but you know /
don't care for them"
mo, dear, you wouldn't be your ia
theirs daughter if you did,
A fashionable neighborhood meant
more to the jewellers in this small city
than a cosmopolitan can well under
one calls on the new neighbor when
she moves into the same block. Holly
street with the small, poor houses, in
which the BENEFITS lived was we'll
nigh a reproach to mention in the good
society of Brentford.
The next morning she turned back
as she was starting out. Mother -
she called. "They are painting the
vacant house!''
'Why so they arei 1 guess we're
going to have neighborsi ~
WOrkmen went in and out, and a
man was preparing the ground for a
small garden.
'Ah haI'' cried Florence. ''Now
Lady Grey will have to go into retire
ment, or lose her neck
I'll watch her." protested Mrs. Ben
nett.
well, 1 don't want your job"
laughed the girl as she swung off to
the office.
That evening tale of woe awaited
her.
ooh, Florencel Such a dreadful
woman has moved in Just a common
Irish creature with a thick brogueI''
81 told you your own wouldn't come
to you by way of Holly street, ~
Her mother being in the joking
mood, went on: 'She spoke to me
well it was insulting
81 foresee Lady Grey made the first
call"
Yes, I thought I had stopped up
that hole in the runway, but she got
through, and the way that woman went
for me. 1 don't know what we're go
ing to do"
Two or three days after this, as
Florence was taking a survey of their
small grassy plot with it's hardy an
nuals and shrubbery, a female voice
hailed her over the fence. She turned
and saw the owner gazing at her.
Say, miss she called, I'D loike We
to look afther that hen o. yours, or
as thru as I'm talkin' I'll look afther
her mesilf. Here's the row of phlox
all mixed up wild the 'sturtions, an
the sticks layin' galley west. It's
enough to be thryin' the patience o.
a holy saint, so it fsi"
Florence heard a door open on the
other side of the fence.
yes" she agreed. 81 should think
1t would be. Mother thought she had
fastened in Lady Grey. I'm very
sorry. Did she get over there again?'
whether twas Lady Grey or Lady
White, she's a divil of a hen, an if
IA