Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-05-17
Roy S Lemon Ice

The long road trailed like gray
string up the hill, and Roy trudged 1t
| slowly, dragging the express wagon
after him. His mushroom hat dropped
: and the face beneath it was hot ana
red; the wagon creaked complaining.
ly. Yet he kept on with patience, be-
| cause he was years old today, and
because the burden in the wagon was
block of ice being hauled homeward
from Mrs. Kean's ice house to freeze
| treat for his birthday feast. There
were two splendid reasons for keeping
on; and at the top Of the hill he braced
himself and went little faster.
The road turned here and ran be-
tween long fields, before it dropped
back into patch of woods quarter
of mile farther on. Where one OF
these fields met the road sat small
house-so small and so white In the
glare of the sun that it hurt your bare
eyes. Roy never passed the place on
summer day without feeling uncom.
Portable. He fancied that the walls
were blistered. AS he creaked by now.
he glanced toward it out of the corner
of his eye, then stopped short. Some
one was waving feebly from the win
dow.
Roy knew who, we'll enough. It was
old Miss Drusie Allen, cripple who
spent her days alone in the little house
while her nephew and his wife were
out blowing and washing for living.
Miss Drusie had not walked for years.
She was too drawn up with rheuma-
tism even to be helped by clutches and
canes, and from morning till night she
~ - ,i$ hvV110oH IN chair nv fhA
window.
Roy dragged his wagon to the door
step and, dropping the tongue, trotted
inside. He took off the dropping musn.
room, barring his little wet head. DID
you call me, Miss Drusie?" he said.
eyes, did," the old lady piped back
fretfully. II want bit O. company;
want somebody or something to make
me forget for piece OF minute this
scorching heat that's a-burn1ng up my
old bones"
Roy knew that she wanted him to
sit down and talk to her, but he knew,
too, that he could not at this time, so
he cast about in his mind for some
thing else to do for her.
The tiny room was stuffy and dread.
full. One window was down; 1t had
fallen. Miss Drusie said, when she
tried to 'h'ist" it higher with her
crumpled old hands. The sunlight
poured in hot and white through I'M
shaded panes.
To-day I'm going to fix you" Roy
promised, "and tomorrow I'll come and
talk"
For fifteen minutes ho was very
busy, but at last he drew q long, sat
isfied breath. He had raised the win
dow and across the glazing upper sash,
by dint OF much reaching and climbing,
painting and putting, had fastened up
the battered shade that had fallen
week ago. The shade made q cool
green light in the yellow room and
little flicker of blessed breeze stirred
through beneath It.
Then he beat up Aunt Drusie's Nat
pillow and brought her a leafy branch
from the roadside to keep away the
flies with. She looked pleased and
happy. You're good as q gal" she
told him.
Roy looked at her weary old face
and another thought came to him.
Now" he said, want glass Of lem
onade-iced 1emonade?"
you're a-foolin', sure!" Aunt Drusie
cried shrilly. II amt tasted iced lem
onade sence I was taken down. two
years ago, boy. And Pm that thirsty |
this minute, my threats parched." She
gazed at him eagerly. /
Roy was glad he had remembered
the lemons, bought at Mr.. Kean's
store for the birthday treat, and the
small lump of ice tucked in beside the
larger one. He set about his task with
great eagerness, but 1t takes long
time to make lemonade when you DO
not know very much about IT IN the
first place, and when you have to rum |
mage around in every corner Tor spoon
and nicked glass and q tiny dip OF
sugar. I'll
He finished at last, though, and held
up in triumph the cracked tumbler
filled to the brim with cold, acid liquid
that tinkled as it moved. Aunt Drus1e |
nearly fell from the chair In her eager. |
ness as she reached for 1t with both
hands. When Roy looked back at the
door, her head was thrown back and
she was drinking long draughts as
though she would never get enough
Presently the wagon creaked dustily
on again through the scorch1ng sun
and It was weary little team indeed
that came to halt before the kitchen
steps at home. Mother appeared at
the door, flushed and rather worried.
"I've been waiting and waiting she
began.
II had to stop and tend to Miss
Drusie Allen" Roy explained, "but I've
the ice!"
He stopped happily and pulled aside
the cloth and the thick green branches
that covered his freight. Then
s'Mother!" he cried. There was no Ice
left-only small piece about the size
of a dinner plate. The soaking wagon
body told the tale: the rest Of his Ice
had melted away in the fierce, unshad-
ed heat by the Allen door.
Through a blur of bitter tears Roy
caught sight OF the empty freezer
awaiting its delicious contents. Il had
to fix Miss Drusie," he said brokenly.
"It-it took longer than thought It /!
would" i
He sat down on the lowest step and
pulled his hat over his blinking eyes.