Mexico Missouri message., 1918-03-14


us than we"
"You can't understand such things
papa" said Lark. Maybe you don't
know exactly how-how they feel.
When we go to Betty Hills we wear
her silk stockings and lie on the bed
-and-she won't let us walk in them.
for fear we may wear holes. Every
girl In our class has at least one pair
Betty has three, but one pairs holey,
and-we felt so awfully pOOrP
The smiles on the family faces were
rather stereotyped by this time, but
the exulting twins did not notice. Lark
looked at Carol fondly. Carol sighed
at Lark blissfully. Then. with one ac-
cord, they lifted the covers from the
boxes and drew out the shlmmerlng
hose. Yes-shimmering-b
shook them out for inspectlonl Their
faces paled little.
"They-they are very" began
Carol courageously. Then she stopped.
The hose were a fine tissue-paper
imitation of silk stOckingsl The
april Fool, little twins" on the toes
was not necessary for their enllghten-
ment. They looked at their father
with sad but unresentful reproach in
their swiftly shadOwed eyes.
"It-it's a good joke" stammered
Carol, moistening her dry lips with
her tongue.
'Tts-one on u.s." blurted Lark
promptly.
"Ha, ha, ha," laughed Carol, slowly,
dryly, very duly.
"Yes-ha, ha, ha," echoed Lark, plac-
ing the bitter fruit carefully back in
its box. Her fingers actually trembled.
"It's a-swell joke, all right" Carol
said; 1--WE see that well enough-we're
not stupid, you know. But we did
want silk stockings so-awfully bad.
But it's funny, ha, ha, ha |"
"a gift from heavenw muttered
Lark, with clenched teeth. swell, you
got us that time"
"Come on, Lark, we must put them
sacredly away-silk stockings, you
know, are mighty scarce in a parson-
age"
eyes. ha, ha, ha," and the crushed
and broken twins left the room, with
dignity in spite of the blow.
The family did not enjoy the joke on
the twins.
Mr.. Starr looked at the others with
all mans confused incomprehension
of q woman's notionsl He spread out
his hands-an orthodox, ministerial
gesturel
"Now, will someone kindly tell me
what there is in silk stockings to"
He shook his head helplessly. "Silk
stockingsI A gift from heavenW He
smiled, unmerrily. "The poor little
kidsW Then he left the room.
Aunt Grace openly wiped her eyes,
smiling at herself as she did so.
Fairy opened and closed her lips
several times. Then she spoke. "Say,
Prue, knock me down and sit on me,
will your Whatever made me think
of such a stupid trick as that?"
"Why, bless their little hearts,
whispered Prudence, shifting. "Didn't
they look sorry? But they were so
determined to be game"
prudence, give me my eight cents u
demanded Connie. II want it right
away"
"What do you want 1t for?"
"pm going down to Morrow's and get
some candy. I never saw a meaner
trick in my lifei I'm surprised al
papa. The twins only play jokes for
fun" And Connie stalked grimly out
of the parsonage and off toward town
A more abashed and downcast pail
of twins probably never lived. They
sat thoughtfully in their room, "a
Phoole's Silk Thread Hose" carefully
hidden from their hurt eyes.
at was good joke" Lark said, now
and then.
eyes, very" assented Carol. 'Bu
silk stockings, Larkie"
And Lark squirmed wretchedly. "A
gift from heaven" she mourned. "Hov
they must be laughingp
But they did not laugh. ia
Connie came back and shared he
candy. They thanked her courteousl!
and invited her to sit down. They the,
all ate candy and grieved together 81
lently. They did not speak of tn,
mornings disaster, but the twins un
derstood and appreciated the tende
sympathy of her attitude, and although
they said nothing, they looked at he
, very kindly and Connie was well con
tent.
The morning passed drearily. TIL
twins had lost all relish for their well
, planned tricks, and the others, down
stairs, found the usually wild and hi
larious day almost unbearably pokS
!, Prudenee's voice was gentle as sh
a called them down to dinner, and tn
twins, determined not to show tn
white feather, went down at once an
took their places. They bore thei
t,5uble bravely, but their eyes had tn
/, surprised and stricken look, and theI
faces were nearly old. Mr.. Starr Gu
the blessing short, and the dinner wa
! eaten In silence. The twins tried I
: start the conversation. They talked {
a