The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-07-14
An Object
Lesson
BY ALvAA JORDAN GARTH

Idler, busybody and mischief maker, |
Abel Drake, the pest and gossip Of
Brookville, paused at the gate Of the |
little home occupied by John Rolfe and |
his wife. He fumbled In his pocket, |
drew forth q piece Of chalk and
chuckled.
"Now's my chance 2" grinned the biz. |
loutish fellow. 'Tn S1r mp so0s-
thingT"
John Rolfe, behind q clump Of sheL
tering lilac bushes, stared vaguely,
then suspiciously, and then with a low
ering brow viewed the intruder, who
passed up the walk In a stealthy way.
He stared harder as Drake placed on0
knee upon the lowermost step q the
porch. Slowly the fists Of John Rolfs
closed and Enclosed. He hunched back
N II actuated to a sudden spring
Drake reached up to the top step.
"Scold," he scrawled-
John Rolfe, furious Of face, q hur-
ricane Of indignation and resentment
made q dash and then a grab. He had
the writing despoiler Of those immac-
ulately clean steps in his grasp. He
poised him aloft. Drake uttered O.
gasp and half q yell.
Hold on Hold on was only play
ing q joke"
cit viii cost you something" growi-
ed John. Now, then, you meddling.
malevolent scum, lick IL up; rub IL
up, just as you ought to and got to-"
And then, poising the miscreant
Drake as he would a dishrag, John
II a. - -
He played his nose over the nl-natured
chronicle In chalk. A smear showed
where the word had been. John right
ed his prey and bounced him down upr
on the lower step, with the words:
"You sit there or I'll sit down upon
you'll"
brakes face was q sight. His nasal
| organ was fattened and splintery. Bis
cheeks and chin suggested q baker dis
| figured by the houry substance he ham
died. He acted scared; no looked
| Sheepish.
'T only thought" he began timoe-
ously.
"You only thought you'd stick an
other pin In the only woman In town
who isn't q gadder and scandal-mon-
| ger, and minds her own business u
Numbered John. "Squirm, AAttsn out
like the grease spot that you are. Blow
up and bust for all care, but don't
i you get up or try to sneak away, -
| I'll lug you to the pond and give yea
the ducking Of your nfel"
I'm sorry, Rolfe; honest ! am.
What you want Of meT stammsrsd the
| crestfallen Drake
Il 81 want to give you an object Lesson.
want to send you back to your gos-
siping brood with new point O. view.
Because my wife keeps to herself and
talks out her mind on her own prem
ises, which she has right to do, you
fancy it's quite the thing TO humiliate
her by acts that just about At q dig
ger Indian. 'ScoldT Thank goodness
I'm around to help her relieve her poor
tired mind when the strain gets too
heavy I'd be a fine specimen, wouldn't
/, to sneak OF leaving her with no
chance to do 1t. I'm trying man. Abel
Drake. What with dragging mud into
the house and dropping tobacco owes
the place, and keeping 1t like disor-
DERBY rag bag, It's q wonder she don't
Are the rolling pin after me and sua
for q divorceP'
"Of course! OF Counsel bodied and
cringed Drake, fearing his aroused
eloquent captor might work himself "
to a point where he would deliver =
new castigation.
snow, then, up with you, and In
with your and Selling the shrinking
Drake by the collar, John forced hin,
into the house. Look at those rooms
Neat as a pin, always. Just rest your
eyes on that layout" and he dragget
Drake into the kitchen, orderly and
shining, and showing a table full %
appetite-arousing pies, tarts and bis
cults. Duplicate Ii If you can in thu
town. Out again Sit down [" and n
landed his mussed-up visitor on tn
step with q force that made Drak
groan. 'Tn relate to you a little mis-
tory. Five years ago, the time my wifi
rescued a little child from In front O
an automobile, she got a knock tina
has given her headaches ever since
So she's queer, Ell? Wouldn't some o
those gewgawed, useless women vht
screamed and tainted away and didn't
lift q finger to save the child have act
ed queer after an adventure IKE tnar
But the knock did not take the good
ness out OF Martha When she get
tired she talks, and it's the swestes
voice on earth to me II it Is q de
served raking over the Goals for me
Dear, sweet soul When / think o
her shaving for me, lonely and tire'
because she's In q nut with homeiy
dull old curmudgeon like me, i fee
like kicking myself For your mean
ness In trying to make matters wors'
I'll kick you instead Get outr
John, a queer smile upon his Lips
went out on the street and ramble'
about for an hour In a desultory way
He felt immensely relieved, for he ha'
seized an opportunity to say what n
4 wished to convey to Martha, but hai
| never ventured TO do 30. All the tim