Mexico Missouri message., 1918-03-07
PRUDENCE SAYS SO
By ETHEL HUESTON
The Story of HouSeful of Loveabe Girls
cOpyhgM Co
By ETHEL HUESTON

on the harness hook. And hurryI Don't
stop to ask questions. Just trOt along
and do as you're told"
Carol returned again to her toilet.
''well, 1 guess have time to powder
after all. I don't suppose wen need
to take any money, auntie, do your We
won't be able to spend Il In the coun-
try"
'T think you'd better take q little.
They might drive to town, or 60 to n
social, or something"
"Can't do II. Haven't a cent"
swell, I guess I can lend you a lit
tie" was the smiling reply. It was a
standing Joke In the family that Carol
had been financially hard pressed ever
since she began using powder several
years previous.
"Are you fond Of Jim, CaroI1" Lark
Jumped away backward in the conver-
sation, asking the question gravely, her
eyes upon her sisters face.
"Huml Yes, am" was the light
retort. "Didn't Prudence teach us to
love everybody"
'Don't be silly. I mean IL he pro-
poses to you, are you going to turn him
down, or notr
"What would you advise, Lark7"
Carols brows were painfully knitted.
"He's got five hundred acres Of land,
worth at least a hundred an acre, and
q lot Of money in the bank-his mother
didn't say how much, but I imagine
several thousand anyhow. And he has
that nice big house, and an auto and
| nj 80 hn
fruit trees, Larkle! And he's good
looking, too. And his mother says he
is always good-natured even before
breakfast, and that's very exceptional,
you knowi Very! don't know that.
I could do much better, do you,
auntie? I'm sure I'd look cute in a
sunbonnet and apron, milking the
cowsi So, boss, so, there, nOwi So,
bossp
"Why, Carol"
"But there are objections, too. They
have pigs. can't bear pigs POOOoey,
poooOeyl The filthy little things! I
don't know-Jim and the gray suit
and the auto and the cows are very
nice, but when think of Jim and
overalls and pigs and onions and
freckles have goose flesh. Here they
comel Where's that other slipper?
Oh, it's clear under the bedp She
wriggled after it, coming out again
breathless. "Did rub the powder oil
ofr?" she asked, anxiously.
The low honk Of the car sounded
outside, and the twins dumped a mis-
cellaneous assortment of toilet arti-
cles into the battered suitcase and
the tattered hand bag. Carol grabbed
her hat from Connie, leisurely strOlling
through the hall with 1t, and sent her
flying after her gloves. "If you can't
find mine, bring your own," she called
after her.
them triumphantly down the walk to
. the waiting car where the young man
in the new sentimental gray suit stood
| beside the open door. His face was
boyishly eager, and his eyes were full
J of satisfaction that had a sort of
J excitement in it, too. Aunt Grace
/ looked at him and sighed. "Poor
} boy" she thought. HE is nice! Carol
Is a mean little thingP
Lie SLullCu uI llC INAho
"Shall we flip coin to see who get
in front?" he asked them, laughing.
|. His mother leaned out from the back
2 seat, and smiled at the girls very cor
r daily. "Hurry, twinnies," she said,
D 1--WE must start, or we1l be late for
: supper. Come in with me, won't you
Larkie?"
" "What a greasy schemer she is,' y
e thought Carol, climbing into her place
without delay.
: Jim placed the battered suitcase and
g the tattered bag beneath the seat and
r drew the rug over his mothers knees
r Then he went to Lark's side, and
tucked 1t carefully about her feet.
!, "It's awfully dusty" he said. 'YoU
7, shouldn't have dolled up so. Shall
e put your purse in my pocket? DOM
forget you promised to feed the chick
y ens-I'm counting on you to do 1t fol
L me-"
r Then he stepped In beside Carol
[, laughing into her bright face, and the
t, good-bys rang back and forth as thu
" car rolled away beneath the heav!
n arch of oak leaves that rooted II
e Maple avenue.
II The twins fairly reveled in the glo
d ries of the country through the COLDER
lie days that followed, and enjoyed ever!
Is minute of every day, and begrudge'
- the hours they spent in sleep. TIL
ID time slipped by ''like banana skins,
W declared Carol GROSSLY, and refused t
Is explain her comparison. And the las
st day of their visit came. Supper wa
1T over at seven o'clock and Lark sale
:" with something of wistfulness in he
Id voice, I'm going out to the orchar
lie for farewell weep all by myself. An
te don't any of you disturb me-Im s
ugly when cry"
le So she set out alone, and Jim,
e, little awkwardly, suggested that Care
ct take a turn or so up and down tn