Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-22
CNXII

n
w again! But somehow my heart and
mind are still In Farmdale. I think last
sunday was the most eloriously happy
DAY have ever spent. Francis thinks
so, too.
while at home. I got into the habit OF
calling him Francis. and even mother
called him that few times. but then.
mother is such dear old soul that it is
just what you would expect her TO do. :
we all went to church together sun
day morning. Dad insisted on driving
the surrey, so mother sat with him and
Lucy and Francis occupied the rear seat
while Ella and I walked
Ella Is little demon. We hadn't
gone FAR before she cried, "Hoo-hoo :"
ana was waving frantically to some
strangely familiar young lady.
Who are you waving to, Ella?" |
asked.
"of course: you don't know. Mr.. Sim
pie. do your"
Then she called out in a shrill voice
Come here. Mary. Here's your old
sweetheart
Gillespie?'
Bright hoy Go to the head of the
class - "
BY this time we had reached Mary and
sne and ] were shaking hands a little
confusedly.
We had kind Of boy and girl f'irta-
tlon when we were at school and II had
ended up in a fearful row because |
teased her for playing with dolls. told
her that she was too grown-up to play
,lA.l
from her and threw 1t into the river
She turned on me like wildcat and,
oe1efe me, II was some time before the
marks OF her scratches all left my face
never talked to her about dolls after
that ana. strange to say, she never
PLAYED with them again.
That all happened two years ago. and
she mas grown from a harum-scarum
schoolgirl, with her hair blowing all
over her face. into a smart Hooking, dig
: mined young lady with her hair done
low over her forehead and piled UP into
big bob in the back Ella laughed
| when ! spoke of II as a bob" ard said.
NO one will know what you mean when
you speak Of a bob of hair" As told
her' am salesman. not a hair dress
er
Mary sat in the pew with Ella, and
me. directly behind dad. mother. Lucy,
and Graham. Lucy passed me her pray
er book and shared Graham's, and you
oet l had to laugh when. after one
hymn. they sat down, each of them still
holding the hymn book.
Those two evidently found lot of in
ttiests in common, for during the day I
hao to speak to Francis three or four
times tefoie ! could get an answer.
tolc him this morning that l am
never going to eat any more apple pie
as long as live, for I want the memory
OF the one we had last Sunday for din
ner to stay with me forever / wonder
why it is that folks don't know how to
make apple pies until they become moth
ers with grown-up families.
Dpd's store Is, Of course open on Sum
day, for he does quite a good soda foun.
tain trade. So in the afternoon Graham
and / said we would take charge. since
] knew where everything was in the
store.
We socn noticed how dusty everything
looked about the place and at once got
busy taking the thick of It on
your dad looks like pretty sick
man. Peter" said Graham.
He does" | said. and Il is worrying
me- bit"
TOO bad he can't give any time to
the store now
Cant he?" | asked.
why, no."
lie never sald anything TO me about
it."
He shouldn't have to. Look how
neat and orderly everything is In his
Office. That's your dad See the evil
dence of neglect around the store. That's
the clerks. No. Peter, / guess your dad
doesn't come to the store a great deal
now. What kind of fellow is the
clerk here?"
There are two of them" said.
There's Septimus Morse and Tim. Tim
has another name, but l don't know
what 1t is. He has always been just
Tim to me. Morse is the manager. I
don't like him much. though. Dad got
Tim out of the orphanage. gave him a
job here and arranged for his board and
lodging down at Mother Grogan's.
Mother Grogan runs little pastry place,
and. believe me. Tim is lucky guy
Mother Grogan is a good cook and a big
eater and thinks every one must over
eat or else he is casting reflections on
her cooking. You can just bet Tim
casts no reflections"
! couldn't help bringing the CONVERSE
ton back to dad. felt somehow that
Francis was the kind of person ! could
lean on. He Is 80 observing Now,
never would have caught on to the fact
that the reason for the store looking so
neglected was that dad was too sick TO
be there
/ saw, but ! didn't observe. (That
isn't original with me (: it's some dope
Graham handed me when | was talking