Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1918-02-07

| mention 1t to father. We've turned
over a new leaf now, and quit for
| good. But we were matching-and
they made bargain that whenever
1t was my turn, one of them would
throw heads and one tails, and that
way / never could win anything. And
l didn't catch on till / saw Jim wink,
and so / thought 1t was only right to
give the pennies to the heather"
"How is your mother. Jim!"
"Just fine. Miss Prudence. thank
you. She said to tell you she would
send a basket of red Junes tomorrow,
If you want them. The twins can eat
them, know. Carol ate twenty-five
when they were out Saturday"
"Yes, did, and I'm glad of it." said
Carol stoutly. "Such apples you never
saw, Prudence. They're about as big
as thimble, and two-thirds core.
They're good, they're fine, I'll say
that-but there's nothing to them. If
had ranch as big as yours, Jim,
I'll bet you a dollar I'd have apples
bigger than a diner"
"'Bet you DOLLAR" quoted Fairy.
"Well, I'll wager my soul, if that
sounds more like Shakespeare. Don't
go away, Jim we're not fighting. This
is just the way Fairy and make love
to each other. You're perfectly well
come to stay, but be careful of your
grammar, for now that Fairy's a SEN
ior-will be next year, if she lives
she even tries to teach father the ap-
proved method of doing ministerial
sneeze in the pulpit"
"Think I'd better CO." decided the
tall, good-looking youth, laughing as
he looked with frank, boyish admira-
ton into Carols sparkling face. with
Fairy after my grammar, and you to
criticize my manner and my morals, I
see right now that parsonage is no
safe place for a farmers son." And
laughing again, he thrust his cap into
his pocket and walked quickly out the
new cement parsonage walk. But at
the gate he paused to call back, Don't
make mistake, Carol, and use the
heathen's pennies for candy"
The girls on the porch laughed, and
five pairs of eyes gazed after the tall
figure rapidly disappearing.
Hes nice" said Prudence.
Yes" assented Carol. 'T've got a
notion to marry him after a little.
That farm of his is worth abont ten
thousand
"Are you going to wait until he asks
you?"
Certainly not Anybody can marry
a man after he asks her. The thing
to do, if you want to be really original
and interesting, is to marry him be-
fore he asks you, and surprise him.
Eyes" agreed Lark, "if you wait un-
til he asks you he's likely to think it
over once too often and not ask Won
at ALL"
Doesn't that sound exactly like a
book, now?" demanded Carol proudly.
Fairy couldn't have said that I"
mo" said Fairy, 81 couldn't. Thank
goodness II have what is commonly
known as brains. Look 1t up in the
dictionary, twins. It's something YOU
ought to know about"
"Oh, Prudence" cried Lark dramat-
ically, Il forgot to tell you. You can't
get married after ALL"
For ten seconds Prudence. as well
as Fairy and their aunt, stared In
speeohless amazement. Then Pru-
dence smiled.
"Oh, can't I? What's the joke now?'
Joke! It's no joke. Carols sick.
that's what's the joke. You can't get
married without Carol, can your"
A burst Of gay laughter greeted this
announcement.
"Carol sickl She acts sicki"
"She looks sickl' p
where is she sick?"
Carol leaned Imply back against the
| pillar, trying to compose her bright
| race into semblance of illness. "In
my tummy," she announced weakly.
This called forth more laughter.
It's her conscience" said Fairy.
TITS matching pennies, Maybe she
swallowed one"
It's probably those two pieces of
pie she ate for dinner, and the one
that vanished from the pantry shortly
after" suggested Aunt Grace.
Carol sat up quickly. "Welcome
home, Aunt Grace!" she cried. 'Did
you have pleasant visit?"
| carroll" reproved Prudence.
II didn't mean it for impudence,
auntie," said Carol, getting up and
bending affectionately over the ham
mock, gently caressing the brown hair
just beginning to silver about her fore
head. "But it does amuse rne so to
hear lady Of your age and dignity